The International Bridge in Sault Ste. Marie logged 99,731 one-way crossings in August, up 3.3% from the same month in 2025, the International Bridge Administration reported Tuesday, Sept. 8.

The gain of 3,166 crossings came during a summer of U.S.-Canada trade tensions. Canada's retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion worth of American goods took effect the same day the bridge authority released its August numbers, according to U.S. News. Those duties range from 15% to 50% on products including steel, furniture, clothing and electronics.

Year-to-date traffic through Aug. 31 stood at 573,998 crossings, a 1.4% increase over the same period in 2025, according to the Soo Leader. The bridge has processed 107.3 million crossings since 1962.

August still trailed July. In July, crossings rose 4.4% year over year to 95,978. But that same July report showed commercial truck traffic down 15.9% compared to July 2025. The August report did not include a truck-traffic breakdown.

The monthly gains contrast with a broader decline. Michigan Public Radio reported Sept. 2 that overall commercial and passenger traffic on the bridge is down about a quarter since President Trump's second term began. The bridge administration, using Canadian government per-trip estimates, calculated that Sault Michigan businesses are missing out on $62.7 million in lost revenue, according to that report.

Tony Haller, executive director of the Sault Area Chamber of Commerce, told Michigan Public Radio in that Sept. 2 report that local businesses feel the pinch. "…because of the bridge traffic being down, I know our businesses aren't quite as busy as they should be, and so we're hoping that when this all gets settled, that we'll go back to some sort of normalcy," Haller said.

The federal government says more than a third of all Michigan exports go to Canada, totaling more than $21 billion in the prior year, according to Michigan Public Radio.

President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion of Canadian goods, effective Aug. 22. Canada announced its retaliatory counter-tariffs on Aug. 25, with the Sept. 8 effective date. The bridge authority funds its operations entirely through toll revenue.