Tolls changing at Sarnia crossing

Travellers using U.S. money will pay a quarter more at the tolls on the Canadian side of the Blue Water Bridge beginning April 1, while those handing over Canadian currency at toll booths on the U.S. side will pay a quarter less. The international crossing is shared by Michigan and Canada, and bridge operators on both sides recently announced results of regular reviews of the currency exchange rate. Since 2016, the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Federal Bridge Corporation, which operates the Canadian side of the crossing’s two spans, have reviewed currency exchange rates each spring and fall.

The Ottawa-based bridge corporation said this week U.S.-bound passenger vehicles paying its tolls in U.S. funds will begin paying $3.25 a trip on April 1, compared to the current charge of $3. The toll in Canadian funds will remain $4 for cars.

The corporation said it uses the average daily currency exchange rate, as published by the Bank of Canada, for the previous six months, to set tolls paid in U.S. funds.

The commercial rate on the Canadian side of the crossing will also rise. The Michigan Department of Transportation said this week tolls paid by Ontario-bound passenger vehicles using Canadian currency at its booths will drop by a quarter to $3.75 per trip. The commercial rate will also decrease. Cars paying on the Michigan side in U.S. funds pay $3.

The state department uses a similar approach to review exchange rates, rounding its Canadian currency tolls off to the nearest 25 cents. Before 2016, the operators of the bridge accepted each other’s currencies at par.