A federal judge in Washington delivered a major blow to Matty Moroun's ongoing bid to block the U.S. and Canada from building a competing bridge.
Todd Spangler of the Detroit Free Press reports that U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer dismissed virtually all of the remaining counts in a lawsuit against the U.S. government brought by owners of the Ambassador Bridge.
Moroun's suit claims his company has an exclusive right to operate a span to Canada in Detroit without competition.
Spangler writes:
The 57-page opinion filed by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer in Washington represents another victory for proponents of the Gordie Howe International Bridge, a publicly owned span proposed to be built almost entirely at Canada's expense. It would rival the 86-year-old, privately owned Ambassador Bridge and, if estimates are correct, consume up to 75% of its truck traffic, likely ruining any chance the Morouns have of building their own second span.
The judge left one count standing, the Freep reports: The argument that the State Department could have potentially violated rules regarding administrative procedures if, as the Morouns allege, the so-called crossing agreement between the state of Michigan and the Canadian government is in violation of Michigan law.
