Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Study

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Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Study

• Canada-U.S. Law Institute 2008 Annual Conference
• The Worlds Longest Undefended Border Gateway or
  Checkpoint?
• April 18-19, 2008, Cleveland, Ohio
• Sean ODell
• Executive Director, Windsor Gateway Project,
  Transport Canada

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Why A Border Transportation Partnership

• Need for long-term capacity increase
• Within the mandates of
• U.S. Federal Highway Administration
• Transport Canada
• Michigan Dept of Transportation
• Ontario Ministry of Transportation
• Both countries must agree on location of new
  crossing to
• make it happen!

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The DRIC Study

• As part of its long-term strategy, the
  Partnership is conducting a study to provide for
  the safe, efficient and secure movement of people
  and goods across the border.
• For three years, teams of experts in Canada and
  the U.S. have been working on the Detroit River
  International Crossing Study (DRIC).
• We are making excellent progress!

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Purpose of the DRIC Study

• The DRIC study is addressing regional
  transportation and mobility needs
• New border crossing capacity to meet long-term
  demand
• Improved system connectivity to enhance flow of
  people and goods
• Improved border operations and processing
  capabilities
• Reasonable, secure crossing options
  (redundancy)
• We are seeking solutions that will minimize
  community and environmental impacts.

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Detroit-Windsor A Vital Link

• Approximately 28 of U.S.-Canada surface trade
  more than 130 billion.
• Over 80 of all goods crossing the Detroit
  River are carried by truck.
• Need to protect transportation services more
  than 3.5 million trucks and 10 million cars cross
  each year.
• Significant to the economies of two nations.

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Ohio-Canada Trade Stats

• Ohio exported 18 billion to Canada and imported
  15.3 billion from Canada in 2006.
• Canada is Ohios largest export market, with
  trade almost equivalent to the states export
  sales to all other countries combined.
• 276,500 Ohio jobs are supported by U.S. - Canada
  trade.
• Canadians made more than 507,600 visits to Ohio
  in 2006, spending over 100 million (USD).
• In turn, Ohio residents made 706,600 visits to
  Canada, spending 280 million.

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Environmental Assessment A Coordinated
Approach

• The Partnership has developed a coordinated
  process that is
• thorough, open and transparent
• fully accessible to the public.
• On both sides of the border, this coordinated
  process will
• enable joint selection of a recommended river
  crossing that meets
• environmental requirements
• ensure environmental concerns and community
  impacts are
• addressed.

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Broad Consultation Throughout The Project
U.S. REGULATORY AGENCIES
CANADIAN MUNICIPAL COUNCILS

• U.S. AGENCIES,
• MUNICIPALITIES,
• PUBLIC

CANADIAN AGENCIES, MUNICIPALITIES, PUBLIC
FIRSTNATIONS
U.S. CITY COUNCILS
U.S. BORDER AGENCIES
CDN REGULATORY AGENCIES
U.S. PUBLIC
THE PARTNERSHIP
CANADIAN PUBLIC
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION GROUP
U.S. PROJECT TEAM EXPERTISE
LOCAL AGENCY GROUP
MUNICIPAL ADVISORYGROUP
CANADIAN PROJECTTEAM EXPERTISE
CROSSING OWNERS OPERATORS PROPONENTS
CANADIAN BORDER AGENCIES
PRIVATE SECTOR ADVISORY GROUP
LOCAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
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Evaluation Factors

• Protection of community and neighborhood
  characteristics
• Consistency with existing and planned land use
• Protection of cultural resources
• Protection of natural environment
• Improvements to regional mobility
• Cost and constructability

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Environmental Assessment Key Study Activities

• Developed initial set of crossing alternatives,
  plaza locations connecting routes in Canada and
  the U.S.
• Defined area of continued analysis
• Presented specific crossing, plaza and access
  road options
• Presented preliminary results of social,
  economic, environmental and engineering
  assessments
• Identify preferred crossing location, plaza
  locations connecting routes in Canada and the
  U.S. (SPRING 2008)
• Finalize engineering and mitigation measures
• Complete documentation and submit for approvals

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Illustrative Alternatives
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Crossing, Plaza Route Alternatives
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Plaza and Crossing Locations
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Delray Land Use Options
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An End-to-End Solution

• The Canadian DRIC team faces a distinct
  challenge
• - to extend the existing Highway 401 to the new
  border
• crossing
• new six-lane highway, approximately 9 km (6
  miles) in length.
• several alternatives were considered at-grade,
  below grade, tunneled, and Parkway.
• Goals are to improve quality of life, to take
  trucks off city streets, and to improve movement
  of traffic across the border.
• All access road alternatives, as well as plaza
  and crossing alternatives, will be evaluated
  against seven factors.

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Parkway Option

• Addresses the future transportation and mobility
  needs of the region
• Responds to local concerns
• Covered sections of highway (short tunnels) at 10
  locations to improve community connections across
  the corridor
• Landscaping to reduce visual impacts
• Recreational trails for pedestrians, bicycles
  along across the corridor
• Opportunities for gateway entrance features to
  Canada, Ontario, Windsor/Essex County

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Views of the Parkway Huron Church Line area
(looking east)
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Views of the Parkway Labelle area (east from
EC Row)
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Next Steps

• Continue to consult with the public
• Complete the technical and environmental studies
• Present a single technically and environmentally
  preferred alternative
• Spring 2008
• Submit final study documents to approving
  agencies

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Contact
Sean ODell Executive Director Windsor Gateway
Project Transport Canada [phone] OdellS_at_tc.
gc.ca
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Detroit River International Crossing Study
www.partnershipborderstudy.com 1-800-900-2649