Name for the New Bridge

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

I am soliciting for fun names for the new bridge. I am NOT soliciting opinions about the bridge/location/Matty/Snyder/financing. Worthy topics that already have existing dedicated threads.

My preference is for historical honorary names. I have 2 proposed names:

The Harriet Tubman Bridge. Detroit to Windsor [[via boat) was the great escape for slaves through 1865. Commemorating the Underground Railroad and a great woman, and a period of conflict, courage, blood and hope for both nations.

The Normandy Bridge, commemorating the great many American and Canadians who fought together on the beaches of France. And we are losing the remaining soldiers so quickly. Dedicating the bridge to them could be a final thank you to that generation. It would also be a nod to our 2 nations French heritage.

[gnome]

We do have a solid history of picking some pretty good names: Mackinaw, Blue Water, Ambassador and in Buffalo they have the Peace bridge; so it will be tough coming up with a name that is memorable and fits.

If I were to set a list of requirements the name should speak to the region and its history more than a person just because a person is too personal. Someone is left out.

The Neighbors Bridge. I'd like to take the Neighbors to see the neighbors. It's friendly and smiley and bbquey and filled with imagery of people helping each other.

Another name might be the Quicken/Compuware Crossing just in case someone wants to pony up a billion or so for the naming rights.

[Meddle]

"In Your Face, Matty"

Be great to see that as you drive up to it from either side and every time a story mentions it in the news.

[gnome]

South Detroit could work too. At least it would help explain that Journey song.

[Kathleen]

The International Freedom Bridge.

[rb336]

I remember there was semi-official talk of calling it the Gordie Howe International Bridge

[Gannon]

Meddle beat me to it, that was the first inspiration, only mine was merely "Face", although to make it classy we can use another language. I'm sure our Canadian friends would prefer French, which would be "Visage".

I wouldn't mention the old bugger's name, though. That would just inflate his ego.


I DO so like the Harriet Tubman proposal. Bringing the Underground Railroad to such heights would give everyone involved the credit they so deserve.

Not excited about the Howe Span, though. I know hockey is popular on both sides...but bridges are basically eternal in human scale.


On that note, it was strange that a day after I drove over the Mackinaw Bridge, the Freep did a photo-expose of the history of when it was built. Original fee for cars $3.75. Today? $4.00.


The Visage aux De Troit. [[The Face of the Straight.) That sounds really nice. With a sub-title of Kathleen's suggestion...


Cheers from Duluth!
John

[Gannon]

South Detroit could work too. At least it would help explain that Journey song.

Thanks for the belly laugh! I needed that, day after my marathon. [[this was a tough one, too).

Cheers!

[Meddle]

Referencing 'south' would also play into the geographic anomaly of being the only place where Canada is south of the U.S.


I don't like the concept of naming structures after people, no matter who they are or were or what they did.

[Wheels]

In respect to Delray

La Disparition Delray

The Delray Demise

[Gannon]

Referencing 'south' would also play into the geographic anomaly of being the only place where Canada is south of the U.S.

Actually, there is another.

Moons ago, I was taking the Maid of the Mist tour of Niagara Falls, and gasped when the beaut dialoguing said it was one of only two places where Canada was south of the US mainland. She laughed and said, looks like we have someone from Detroit here...


Cheers!

[JBMcB]

Not to be a party pooper, but since Canda is financing the thing, they are gonna get to name it, no?

Pont du Windsor?

[Thruster315]

The ABM Bridge with the ABM standing for Anything But Maroun.

[gnome]

I doubt that English-speaking Ontario is going to cotton to anything in French. We might think the whole Frenchy thing is a charming bit of quirky Canadianousness, but them folk down there take the French speaking issue pretty seriously.

[casscorridor]

The International Freedom Bridge.

Freedom huh? Of trade, sure, but not free movement of people. How about the militarized border bridge? Or the deportation bridge?

[Gistok]

^ Sadly, I have to agree... freedom is the last thing I think about in regards to our cheerful Homeland Security folks who man the border controls.... "Checkpoint Charlie II Bridge" might seem more appropriate... with the Cold War type reception would get after crossing the new span.

Doing ones' job is one thing... but doing it with all the pleasantness of the former KGB or Stasi.... is another....

[Meddle]

Checkpoint Matty?

[mikeg19]

As was voiced above, because Canada is financing it, are they going to have the naming right or will it be collaborative?

In our society of selling corporate naming rights to everything [[GM Fountain, Miller Lite Party Deck, etc), could the name be sold to a corporation? Someday, we might all be driving over the Tampex International Crossing...

[Wheels]

^^^^^^ Viagra four hour crossing?

[coracle]

I'm 100% for the new Bridge but it's embarrassing that we have to rely on Canada to fund it alone. Here is a heaven sent "shovel ready" project to provide thousands of jobs for Americans and we have to cede the project to Canada while we fight to squander our own monies on some little rail track up and down Woodward which few people will use.
I would call the Bridge "Canada Enterprise". Everything about the project is beneficial to us long term yet we prefer to invest our "wealth" in non productive demands and wants that then have to be subsidized to keep them working. The Bridge is a money maker for ever and will generate businesses and obviously more jobs; but our national job providers can't see anything beyond Public Sector jobs which drain our wealth for no gain.

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

To those concerned about Canadians and bridge naming, keep three things in mind.

1) This forum is not actually naming the bridge. Just kickin around ideas.
2) Canadians are free to post here, although they dare not misspell words like "labor" and "center".
3) The naming will probably be suggested by the 6-member panel charged with running the bridge, subject to approval by US Dept of State & Canadian govt. That is, a committee will pick it, and it will be boring.

[rb336]

The Visage aux De Troit. [[The Face of the Straight.) That sounds really nice.

try Une masse d'acier et de béton enjambant le détroit

[Meddle]

Paint it a certain shade of Burgundy and call it 'The Maroon Crossing'.



[[they've just GOT to stick it to Maroun one way or another)

[Jimaz]

From freep.com a couple of days ago:

What would you name the new bridge?

Free Press followers suggested much better names earlier in the week when we asked them to play "Name that bridge" on Facebook and freep.com.

NITC, or "New International Trade Crossing" doesn't work for me because the word "New" is guaranteed to turn stale someday [[as in "New York").

[townonenorth]

The Visage aux De Troit. [[The Face of the Straight.) That sounds really nice. With a sub-title of Kathleen's suggestion...


Cheers from Duluth!
John

Le visage de la ligne droite ? C'est une gifle à toutes les personnes à Ferndale célébrer leur fierté aujourd'hui, n'est ce pas ?