What I don't understand is why Matty Maroun is being so thoroughly demonized in this process...has he screwed up the current bridge's operations so badly that the concerned governments and their citizens are in peril by simply venturing onto its steel?  

Why are these governments so intent on spending taxpayer money when they have a private citizen willing to take all the risk?  What long term benefits will the citizens  of Detroit receive if the new bridge is run by just another unresponsive and faceless government bureaucracy?  Where is the confidence in government coming from that makes people believe that bureaucrats can pull this off more efficiently than the private sector?  

If Maroun believes there is a need for the bridge and wants to pay for it...let him build the damn thing.  The worst thing that can happen is that he will run out of money part way through the project--a scenario in which the government can step in and finish the whole project at a discounted price.  

Of course, this is not what interests government.  Government wants to grow in its absolute benevolence and kind authority.  It wants to control every available portion of developing society that it can possibly conquer--particularly if it can do so in the process of redistributing wealth and economic justice.

Again, in my humble opinion, Maroun has proven that he can responsibly operate a bridge.  He has proven the ability to privately employ thousands of people in his private empire.  He has paid millions of dollars in personal and corporate taxes and his thousands of employees have paid millions more in the course of their employment.  Consumers, through the efficiency of Maroun's private operations, have saved countless millions in lower costs.