By late May, the space separating the two halves of the 2.5-kilometre-long bridge had shrunk to a mere 11 metres. Project managers say the final section of bridge deck destined to fill that gap will be bolted into place before the end of June. When that feat is accomplished, the bridge will form a continuous span over the majestic waterway that flows between Detroit and Windsor, Ont. While the bridge is still more than a year away from opening, the imminent union of its two halves signals a new reality. For the first time in nearly a century, North America’s busiest border crossing is expanding – and it is doing so in grand style.