The Ambassador Bridge company is trying to sway the court of public opinion, days after its president, Dan Stamper, and bridge owner, Matty Moroun, were briefly jailed.

Stamper called reporters Wednesday to offer a show and tell. He wanted to demonstrate it's Michigan's Department of Transportation holding up completion of the Gateway Project on the U.S. side of the bridge.

Ramps still fail to connect the Ambassador Bridge to Michigan highways. (CBC News)

A judge found the company in contempt for not finishing construction. But Stamper said the real reason for the delay is politics.

"I believe that the whole concept of responsibility and who's at fault got warped somewhere along the line," Stamper said. "I also think that there was a lot of information supplied to the court that is just not factually correct."

Blame game

Stamper said his company has done almost everything required, and anything left undone, he blames on the Michigan Department of Transportation.

He said it's that department's fault ramps don't connect the bridge to Michigan highways and forces traffic into neighbourhood streets.

"There is work to do on Fort Street that I can't do without a permit and MDOT has refused to issue a permit," Stamper said.

Stamper believes the state wants to build a new bridge downriver, and as long as it can keep things tied up at the Ambassador Bridge, it's easier to make a case for a competing crossing.

Stamper and Moroun could be sent back to jail next month if they doesn't convince the courts they are completing the work.

Bridge a 'jobs issue' according to governor

Hours after Stamper's media conference, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder delivered his State of the State address.

He touched on the issue of a new international crossing.

"One third of the North American economy can be found by circling Chicago to Montreal. We're right in the middle. Let's not let special interests hold back a great opportunity for job creation, especially since this project can be done without any Michigan taxpayer dollars," he said.

"We need to continue our efforts on this topic, since it's not a bridge issue. It's a jobs issue."