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 It appears that D Day is fast approaching on Windsor's border plan. Dave Wake, manager of planning for the Detroit River International Crossing study group, told me late last week that DRIC is "on track" for an announcement in June on the access route to a new international crossing.
Look for DRIC to lay out its mapping and preferred engineering details (tunnels or no tunnels) at a public meeting in mid-June, as promised in its timetable released last year. This, for the time being, scuttles rumours that the process will be held up until after the provincial election in October, getting Liberal MPPs Sandra Pupatello and Dwight Duncan off the accountability hook. But there is a hook. Wake told me that DRIC decisions on the whereabouts of the truck plaza and location of the proposed new bridge will not be made until "later in the year due to delays with our drilling program and testing associated with the drilling." DRIC has already laid out three options for both the plaza and the crossing locations, all west of the Ambassarador Bridge. These decisions will require co-operation with the American partners (city, state and feds). But first up is the decision on the Windsor route to the new bridge, which DRIC envisions as an extension of the 401 along the existing Huron Church corridor. The key is how this route will be constructed -- with the options being an at grade roadway for border traffic, a depressed roadway with cut-and-cover tunnelling features, or an end-to-end bored tunnel, which is estimated to cost $3.8 billion. City Council met privately last night and the night before to hash out its preliminary position on the DRIC blueprints. New York transportation guru Sam Schwartz, with a full team of technicians, is back in town and ready to engage in intense modelling with the provinces's engineers to hopefully find a position acceptable to both parties on the route's many nuances. Once the final decisions are made, appeals can be filed with a provincial environmental review tribunal, which has the authority to decide if a hearing is necessary. Appeal candidates include private sector proponents of alternative plans -- the Detroit River Tunnel Corporation (DRTP) and the Ambassador Bridge. If all goes according to the DRIC timetable, construction of the new access route, plaza and bridge will begin in 2010 with completion in 2013. We can only hope.
Readers have left 10 comments. No.1 Untitled
A question, how will DRIC be able to map out the route if they do not know yet where the bridge will go?
All we will find out is whether or not it will be at grade, tunnelled, or portions tunnelled and probably various scenarios of the three preferred locations - in other words, nothing concrete yet.
No.2 Untitled
Is this work also Solicitor-Client Privileged and directed by David Estrin? Will a community consultation process be undertaken to ascertain the community opinions regarding a tunneled route or any other "nuances" Sam Schwartz is being directed to work with the DRIC on? Why the cloak-and-dagger? No.3 Untitled
Congratulations Alan!
Stand up to those councillors who fail to serve their constituents by being open and transparent. Some of these councillors seem to forget WHO pays their bills.
You knew they would come after you sooner or later.
Expose who this councillor is and fill voters in on who supports extreme secrecy as opposed to the information you provided in this post. (Though I have my suspicions, based on the other blog about meals on here, who this councillor is).
A simple off the cuff remark on camera during council meeting would suffice.
I know you are only one vote out of 10, but I'm so tired of this council generally - the secrecy, the misinformation. No.4 Untitled
I am gratefull for Alan trying to get the secrecy out of council. Our council is too secretive. Private citizens of the community have the right to know what their elected representatives are planning. I wish Alan would have named the "No Good" councillor who made an accusation against him. This person whoever it is has no right representing anyone in this city.. Kudos to Alan. Good Job.. Keep up the good work. No.5 Untitled
Well, Alan, if this is what Lewenza blew his stack about then he is a bigger blow-hard than I have him credit for. You did the right thing in completely ignoring him and his "Supporters."
For me this is a straight-foward reporting of the facts, which seem to be few in substance, that every Tax-Payer in Windsor is entitled too. Secrecy has got to go.
Hope you are now on a path of "Rattling-Chains" and not being a passive follower of stupidity. No.6 Untitled
If this is lewenza that is against public meetings and in favour of closed door meetings. He should resign immediately. I have no use for arrogance. Lewenzas head grows bigger everyday No.7 Untitled
As long as they do not twin the Ambassador Bridge, I am happy. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if that were to occur then over the next few decades the truck traffic would double if not triple. If nothing is done to stop this then we will have no control over our destiny. It would be great if there was a way to increase the amount of rail traffic but in reality this is not a solution to the problem. If Huron Church is the method of choice then let's finish this and expand it. At least we can keep all of the trucks in one location and off our city streets. Then again if the Government puts up the money which they should then we will not have any problems ![[smiley=laugh]](http://www.alanhalberstadt.com/components/com_jreactions/custom/templates/balloon/smileys/smiley_laugh.gif) In the end something needs to be done ASAP but closed door meetings are out of the question. Let's not allow these councilors WHO WORK FOR YOU AND I to forget who is paying their bills. No.8 Untitled
Alan your true BLUE, transparency on such issues is exactly the type of representation our region deserves and admires about your service. Keep it up, as much as your legally can. I am confident that the vast majority of constituents feel the same.
In general, Council should note that the Route to a new crossing is the main priority that effects many more constituents, than only the location of the crossing. This 6-to-12 km stretch (depending from where you measure), that enters through our City should be truck tunneled as much as possible....and Council should also defend its additional costs by immediately preparing a proper benefit analysis, based upon GPI factors. (visit www.choosetunneling.com for more details). Having this benefit analysis in place, is key to convincing non-visionary Provincial Liberal government officials that spending more money in Windsor (a place many of them seem to forget is part of our Province) for a better constructed modern route is long term financially advantageous. A truck tunneled route is a good investment, as Dr. Alfie Morgan stated at our conference last year. City Council may have one last chance to stand up for Windsorites on this file (some say it may even be too late), but please ensure that such necessary steps and analysis are not over looked. Please continue to keep us posted.....and thank you again.
Signed Al Teshuba No.9 Untitled
I know councillor Lewenza personally and have worked with him in the past. I have to tell everyone councillor Lewenza is for councillor Lewenza and nothing else. Anyone who gets to know this guy knows what I am talking about. No.10 Untitled
I truly wish tunneling proponents would please explain where the ventilation stacks will be located, and please inform the public that in North America they simply MOVE pollution, and don't eliminate it. Additionally, I wish tunnel discussions would also address unique security concerns (accidents, fire, water, etc.).
Finally, DRIC is proposing 1 or 2 ventilation stacks for 6 km. The Australian experience with 1 stack should be cause for alarm. The health and safety of tunnel users is at risk (particularly WHEN there are backups with idling trucks stuck underground).
When the tunnelling proponents openly discuss and adequately address these issues, then people can make an informed decision.
Until then, it is nothing more than pandering. 
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