Every day, I carry thousands of people beneath the surface of the Detroit River. I’m the Detroit–Windsor Tunnel—one of the few underwater international crossings in the world—and while I’m made of concrete, steel, and engineering grit, I’ve spent nearly a century watching the relationship between people and the planet evolve. Earth Day always feels personal to me because I see firsthand how human choices ripple through the environment.

A Front‑Row Seat to Two Cities
From my vantage point, I connect two vibrant communities: Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. I feel the hum of engines, the rhythm of commuters, and the excitement of travelers heading to concerts, games, and family gatherings. But I also feel the weight of emissions, the vibrations of traffic, and the movements of ships both large and small in the river above me.

Earth Day reminds me that transportation—my entire purpose—has a complicated relationship with the environment. I’ve watched the world change from the era of roaring combustion engines to the rise of electric vehicles gliding quietly through my lanes. I’ve seen both cities invest in greener infrastructure, cleaner energy, and more sustainable transit options. I have continued to evolve as well, with efficient LED lighting, improved ventilation, life safety systems that didn’t exist when traffic first moved through me, and participation with DTE, with 100% of my energy coming from MIGreenPower. I’ve felt the difference.

The River Above Me
The Detroit River is more than a boundary line; it’s a living ecosystem. I’ve watched it recover from decades of industrial pollution to become a cleaner, more vibrant waterway. Sturgeon have returned. Birds migrate overhead. Kayakers and anglers enjoy the water again. Every improvement in water quality feels like a breath of fresh air through my ventilation shafts.

But the river is also a reminder of fragility. Climate change brings unpredictable storms, as we all experienced a few days ago on April 14th, with phones alerting everyone to potential tornadoes, preparations to keep everyone safe, fluctuating water levels, and new environmental pressures. I feel those changes in my walls and foundations. They remind me that the planet is shifting, and we must shift with it and invest in our future

A Tunnel’s Perspective on Sustainability
I’m not a forest or a coral reef. I don’t sway in the wind or bloom in the spring. But I do understand the importance of sustainability:

• Cleaner transportation reduces the strain on my ventilation systems and the air in both cities.
• Cross‑border collaboration between Detroit and Windsor shows how environmental progress thrives when nations work together.
• Infrastructure upgrades—from energy‑efficient lighting to modern ventilation—help me operate with a smaller footprint.
• I may be built for cars, but I cheer every cyclist, pedestrian, and transit rider who chooses a greener path and can still pass through me using transit services

• More vehicles passing through me are electric or hybrid.
• Both cities continue investing in green spaces, clean energy, and sustainable transit.
• The river above me remains healthy, protected, and thriving.
• People see infrastructure not just as concrete, but as part of a larger environmental story.

I’ve stood strong since 1930, and I hope to serve for many decades more through investment into my being—but only if the planet and people remain strong with me.

A Message to the People I Carry
Every person who travels through me is part of this story. Your choices—big or small—shape the air you breathe, the water you cherish, and the future you’ll pass on. This Earth Day, as you journey between Detroit and Windsor, know that I’m rooting for you. I’m rooting for the river. I’m rooting for the planet we all share. And I’m proud to be the passageway that connects two nations and the communities between them in the ongoing effort to protect our planet.