Judge tosses latest Moroun attempts to block Gordie Howe bridge

John Gallagher | Detroit Free Press

Wayne County Circuit Court Chief Judge Robert Colombo Jr. advanced the effort to build the Gordie Howe International Bridge this past week when he dismissed attempts by the Moroun family's Detroit International Bridge Company to block seizure of Moroun-owned land in Detroit's Delray district.

The Michigan Department of Transportation has been acquiring more than 600 parcels of property in the Delray district to assemble land needed for the Gordie Howe bridge project. The Morouns' various entities own about 20 of those parcels, among the final ones MDOT has needed for the Gordie Howe project.

Colombo ruled in MDOT's favor and dismissed several motions by Moroun attorneys to block MDOT from seizing the parcels. While Colombo's dismissal doesn't end the case, it could clear the way for MDOT to move ahead with the process of taking the land. A dispute over the price MDOT pays would be settled later.

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Andy Doctoroff, a lawyer who serves as Gov. Rick Snyder's point person overseeing all aspects of Michigan's participation in the project, said MDOT will soon have all 636 parcels located in the Detroit footprint of the bridge project in hand.

"The Morouns have been unsuccessful in each and every one of the many lawsuits they have filed to stop the bridge project, and now it’s clear that the Wayne County Circuit Court condemnation case will be no exception," he said.

Dan Stamper, president of the Moroun's Ambassador Bridge, said Colombo's rulings would be appealed. And he reiterated his company's belief that it is unlawful for MDOT to use eminent domain for a project being undertaken by a Canadian entity, the Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority.

“For the first time ever, the Michigan Department of Transportation has leased out its power of condemnation to a foreign government," Stamper said in a statement. "The preliminary Court rulings failed to put an end to MDOT acting under the direction of Canada to condemn land in Michigan. The governor tried to get legitimate legislative approval, but the legislature said ‘no’. This is a chilling development for any property owner in the crosshairs of state government.

“These court rulings without benefit of a trial will be appealed in due time because of the glaring actions of MDOT without Michigan Constitution and legal protections of property rights afforded to all citizens. Most unsettling is the fact that MDOT was seemingly rewarded for intentional destruction of documents and evidence. These developments pose a disturbing trend by public agencies focused on the end justifying the means.”