“I’m in the middle,” said Hubbard, who hails from Detroit’s east side. “What I heard about (is) there’s a lot of people who don’t want it there, but there are positive things with it.”

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper jointly announced the plans for the New International Trade Crossing, or NITC, on Friday, lauding the prospect for job growth and heightened partnerships between the two countries.

The bridge will be built over the Detroit River about two miles south of where the current Ambassador Bridge spans the river.

Building the bridge itself will cost Canada $950 million, and will be repaid through tolls.

Canada also is fronting the cost to construct a Customs plaza and entrance freeways in Detroit.

“That’s what partnership is really all about, stepping up to help someone,” Snyder said. “Because we’ve gone through many difficult years, we weren’t in a position to do this.”

Michigan’s contribution to the NITC is $550 million, which is matched by federal funds given toward Michigan’s infrastructure and service projects.

The Center for Automotive Research, or CAR, an Ann Arbor nonprofit organization focused on the automotive industry, found in a recent study that the NITC would have a long-term economic benefit in trade and job growth.

The study shows the bridge will add at least 6,000 new jobs during the first two years of construction and about 10,000 jobs total for increased bridge and plaza operations.

CAR also found that in 2010, about 7.2 million vehicles crossed over the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Michigan to Canada, the state’s largest foreign trading partner.

But the bridge has been met with opposition by Detroit International Bridge Company, which owns the Ambassador Bridge, and has plans to develop a second bridge on its own.

Construction of the new bridge also means some residents in the Delray neighborhood in south Detroit could have their homes seized through eminent domain to accommodate the bridge.

Hubbard said she travels over the current bridge often and could understand the concerns some people have raised about increased construction and traffic.

Harper said he anticipates opposition going forward, but added the financial commitment is necessary given the importance of continuing the partnership between the two nations.

“We are prepared to do everything in our power to make it happen on the Michigan side,” he said.