Governor Rick Snyder is worried Proposal Six on the November ballot would spark a lengthy court battle if it’s passed.
The initiative would require a state-wide vote before any new international crossing could be built in Michigan.
Snyder says he does not believe Proposal Six would apply to his proposed bridge between Detroit and Canada. But he says it would likely stall the project in court for at least two years.
Owners of the nearby Ambassador Bridge are bankrolling Proposal Six. Snyder says the initiative’s vague language plays in proponents’ favor.
“That gets into the court system then, and you say ‘now you have to go through various levels of courts,’" he says. "And, in fact, most likely one of their strategies could be to go as slow as possible.”
Various studies have concluded the bridge would not cost Michigan taxpayers anything. Owners of the Ambassador Bridge say there are hidden costs and the project is not economically viable.