Ambassador Bridge

But just as the Bridge was getting back its organizational and financial footing, another crisis hit: World War II. Travel was severely restricted during the War years, but truck traffic over the Ambassador Bridge continued to increase. Security measures established on the Bridge to deter anticipated sabotage included floodlighting, motor patrols, additional fencing and cooperation between police on both sides of the Detroit River. Both governments also assigned armed guards to duty on the Bridge.

And with the beginning of the War years, Canada placed strict controls on the movement of any Canadian funds out of the country. Under the Foreign Exchange Control Board, Canadian toll funds were restricted for use in Canada, and stayed with the Canadian Transit Company, the wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary of the Detroit International Bridge Company.

		In 1941, traffic had increased over that of 1940, despite travel restrictions. The tolls were also increased for the first time since the Bridge's opening. Gas rationing by 1942 cut back on car traffic, but truck volume rose by 12 percent, stimulated this time by a $21,387 addition to the Canada Customs warehouse.
		During that year, the bridge's first general manager during its operation, R. Bryce McDougald, died, and was succeeded by C. Clinton Campbell, a native of New Jersey, who was named assistant to the president. Within a year, he was elected vice president and treasurer. In 1946, he was named president, with Bower continuing as chairman.

Back on Solid Ground
In 1943, revenue from car traffic dropped 24 percent, but truck traffic continued its rise because of the increase in Customs warehouse facilities. With gross revenues up 28 percent in 1944, the first dividend in the history of the Detroit International Bridge Company was paid to shareholders. The 75 cents a share, paid within just five years of reorganization, would also be the first of an unbroken stream of dividends paid every year from then on.

The next year, 1945, two dividend distributions were made, totaling $1.25 a share, when revenues increased by 72 percent and earnings by 140 percent, caused in large part by U.S. resident travel to Windsor to buy gasoline and food items, both of which were in short supply in the U.S. during this War year. And for the first time since 1931, more than one million vehicles had crossed over the Ambassador Bridge. The practice of collecting tolls on the U.S. side, which began during the early War years as an economy and supervisory measure, was made permanent in 1945, and would remain the practice until 1973.

Post- War Prosperity
A 15 percent increase in traffic and revenue in 1945 and an increased capitalization allowed a 100 percent stock dividend plus a $1.05 a share dividend. Canada also started releasing some of the funds held by the Canadian Transit Company to the Detroit International Bridge Company.

Traffic and revenue continued to increase through the Bridge's 20th anniversary year in 1949. In the first 20 years, more than 50 million people had crossed the Bridge, providing employment for hundreds in the Customs and Immigration services. Canada Customs duties collected over the years had averaged more than $15 million a year, and the average yearly value of commodities imported to the U.S. over the Ambassador Bridge from Canada had been $30 million.

The 1950s were a decade of continued steady growth in revenue and traffic for the Bridge, aided by boosts to truck traffic spotted throughout the decade: U.S. trucks were allowed to travel to Buffalo through Ontario (1952); a new Customs truck dock on the U.S. side was opened and, on the Canadian side, the Customs truck compound was enlarged (1953); and in 1955, the Canada Customs warehouse was increased in size by 50 percent.