8 November 2005
DRTP Blasts Border Selection Committee;
Says Interests Working Against Partnership
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An artist rendering of the Jobs Tunnel project, if
completed.
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Windsor - The Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) process for selecting a new border
span linking Detroit and Windsor, Ont. has become "unhinged," according to executives of the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership.
The DRTP, which is behind one of the three major proposals in contention for a new Detroit River crossing, says that the selection
process has become mired in politics and is creating an uneven playing field.
The DTRP - a joint venture between Canadian Pacific Railway and Borealis Transportation Infrastructure Trust - is proposing the Jobs
Tunnel Project, which would convert the existing rail tunnel into a truck corridor.
That blueprint - along with a proposal by the Ambassador Bridge to twin the current span, and a proposal by other parties to build an
entirely new bridge 3 km southwest of the Ambassador - has been under review for years by the binational DRIC, which is a partnership
of government officials and stakeholders on both sides of the border to oversee the selection process.
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The DRTP says interests close to the Ambassador Bridge are siding
against the tunnel.
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"It has become increasingly evident in recent weeks that political interests are dominating the DRIC study at the expense of
objective, technical considerations," said Marge Byington, government affairs director for the Detroit River Tunnel Partnership
team. "Our concern is that premature elimination of any alternative by the DRIC based on insufficient analysis will result in
wrong decisions being made for this critical international crossing. Planners need to make sure all possible crossing options get
sufficient analysis to make sure the best solution is selected. Any missteps at this point in the DRIC process will have negative
effects on the economies and communities of Southeastern Michigan and Southwestern Ontario."
The DRIC is nowhere close to finalizing its selection, but some observers in the region guess this DRTP announcement is a result of
rumours that the Jobs Tunnel project is one of the next proposals to get scratched off the list. Last month, DRIC officials began
eliminating sites from contention for a new U.S.-Canada crossing, including locations Downriver and Belle Isle.
The two favoured proposals are the Ambassador twinning plan (something the owners of the Ambassador claim they'll commence despite
what the DRIC decision is) and the plan to build an entirely new bridge in southwest Windsor and Detroit. One version of this, designed
by NY traffic expert Sam Schwartz, is unanimously endorsed by the City of Windsor.
In a press release, the DRTP also seemed to beat the drums of a lawsuit if the group is convinced the selection process is becoming
flawed. "Our partnership is seriously concerned that politicization of this phase of the technical review managed by the DRIC could
significantly erode critical path timelines as legal battles arise from a flawed process," Byington said. "Equally troubling
is the prospect of selecting a solution that cannot survive the scrutiny of a third-party review or the bright light of
Environmental Impact Studies on both sides of the border. This misstep would harm the economies, health and vibrancy of our
communities."
Byington continues by saying the DRTP has "participated in good faith for more than three years" to engineer and describe how
the partnership's plan would work. "And now we are deeply disappointed to learn that political jockeying may carry more weight
than engineering reports, feasibility studies, community input and common sense."
In an interview with TodaysTrucking.com this afternoon, Byington denied that she's heard any news concerning the next site to be
eliminated from contention. But she did say the press release is a pro-active approach to letting people know, before a
decision is made, that the odds are being increasingly stacked against the DRTP plan.
"We have heard from inside sources that the process has turned completely political," she said. "And because of that we
really believe that the process has lost its transparency."
When asked just what are the political entities that are manipulating the selection process against her group, Byington cited
government officials in Windsor and Detroit, including the mayors of both cities.
She said that it's no secret that Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick has repeatedly backed the Ambassador Bridge owners in most of their
ventures and shrugged off the DRTP plan as a viable crossing alternative. Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis has also openly backed the Sam
Schwartz plan for a new bridge over other proposals.
"I think it's important for us to speak out against the problems we see now rather than later when people might look at us and
think this is all sour grapes," she said.
Byington confirmed that the DRTP is not about to launch a lawsuit, but did add that the group "would not rule anything out"
for the future.
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