Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge toll drops to $1.50 on Halloween, Oct. 31, for the span’s 64th birthday

SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — Crossing the International Bridge to Canada will cost less than a third of the usual car toll on Halloween. For 24 hours on Saturday, Oct. 31, passenger vehicles will pay $1.50 in U.S. money or $2 in Canadian money, the rate charged in the mid-1960s, to mark the anniversary of the day the bridge opened.

The rollback runs from midnight to midnight, according to the Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority and the Michigan Department of Transportation, which announced it together. The bridge between the two Saults opened to traffic on Halloween 1962, so this year marks 64 years. The bridge has carried more than 107 million crossings since then, officials said.

“We’re going back to opening prices to recognize the longstanding connection between the two Saults, making the bridge more accessible on both sides of the border,” Bridge Director Peter Petäinen said in the announcement.

How much you save. The bridge’s posted rates, in effect since Oct. 1, 2026, are $4.70 U.S. and $6.50 Canadian for a car, light-duty truck or motorcycle. The Halloween rate takes $3.20 off the U.S. toll, about 68%, and $4.50 off the Canadian one. It also beats the bridge’s best frequent-user deal: drivers with an IQ Tag who crossed nine or more times in the past 30 days normally pay $3.06 U.S., so even regular commuters come out ahead.

Who it covers. The announcement covers passenger vehicle tolls. It did not list special rates for cars pulling trailers or for RVs, which normally pay $7.05 to $9.40 and $7.20 respectively, so drivers of those vehicles should ask at the booth or call the bridge office before counting on a discount. Cash, credit and debit are accepted at the toll booth, according to the bridge authority’s rates page.

What to bring. A cheaper toll does not change the border rules. U.S. citizens coming back by land need a passport, passport card, enhanced driver’s license, NEXUS card or another document approved under the federal Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A regular driver’s license alone is not enough. Expect heavier traffic than a typical Saturday if the deal draws shoppers and trick-or-treat visitors from both sides.

What this means for you. If you were already planning a trip to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, for shopping, dinner or a visit with family, Oct. 31 is the cheapest day of the year to cross. Keep your trip inside the midnight-to-midnight window to get the rate, and allow extra time at customs on the way back. The Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau is promoting the day as a way to celebrate the bridge’s anniversary.

Questions about tolls go to the bridge authority’s Michigan office at 934 Bridge Plaza, 906-635-5255, open 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. weekdays.

Sources:
Michigan Department of Transportation / Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority, “Toll rollback coming to International Bridge Oct. 31,” Sept. 14, 2026 (rates, hours, 1962 opening, 107 million crossings, quote), https://www.michigan.gov/mdot/news-outreach/pressreleases/2026/09/14/toll-rollback-coming-to-international-bridge-oct-31
Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge, “Toll Rates (Full Fare Auto, Discount & RV),” rates effective Oct. 1, 2026 (regular, trailer, RV and frequent-user rates, payment, office), https://www.saultbridge.com/sault-ste-marie-bridge-authority/toll-rates/
Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau, “No Tricks, Just Treats! International Bridge Celebrates Anniversary with Halloween Toll Rollback” (64th anniversary), https://saultstemarie.com/international-bridge-anniversary-toll-rollback/
U.S. Customs and Border Protection, “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative” (land-border documents), https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative
Savings figures are The Mitten Daily’s calculations from the posted rates.
Photo: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sault_Ste._Marie_International_Rail_and_Highway_Bridges_Michigan_(30328545563).jpg

Sault Ste. Marie

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