HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2011.02.09 - 10520Miscellaneous Resolution #11033
BY: Commissioners Jim Nash, District #15 and Marcia Gershenson, District #17, %\IV;.
RE: Board of Commissioners — Support for the Detroit River International Crossing
TO: Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS the impact of international trade on the economies of the United States and Canada
cannot be overstated. Millions of jobs in both countries are supported as a direct result of our
two countries sharing the world's largest and most comprehensive trading relationship; and
WHEREAS Canada/U.S. trade plays a significant role in the economies of both countries. It
supports more than two million Canadian jobs and 7.1 million U.S. jobs, including approximately
221,500 jobs in Michigan; and
WHEREAS Michigan accounts for more than half of the total U.S. trade with Canada with
almost all of that handled at the Detroit and Port Huron international border crossings; and
WHEREAS the importance of international trade continues to grow. Long-term traffic volumes
across the border are expected to grow for both passenger and truck travel. The Detroit River
International Crossing (DRIC) Study projects that over the next 30 years, passenger car traffic
between Detroit and Windsor will increase by approximately 57%; truck traffic is projected to
increase 128%; and
WHEREAS the 87-mile border between Southeast Michigan and Southwest Ontario is North
America's busiest and most valuable commercial border crossing. Over 40 percent of U.S. trade
with Canada (our largest trading partner) crosses the border in Southeast Michigan; and
WHEREAS the Ambassador Bridge is over 80 years old and does not have the capacity or
connections to efficiently carry the volume of trucks projected as trade continues to grow; and
WHEREAS in January 2009, the Federal Highway Administration issued a Record of Decision
(ROD) approving the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) — a new border crossing
between the U.S. and Canada. This means that the DRIC has received all required federal
approvals not only in the US but also in Canada; and
WHEREAS the project would link Ontario's Highway 401 and Michigan's 1-75 by building a
publicly owned six-lane span over the Detroit River between Detroit's industrial Delray
neighborhood near Zug Island and Windsor's Brighton Beach area; and
WHEREAS the four partner agencies on the project are MOOT, U.S. Federal Highway
Administration, Transport Canada and Ontario's Transportation Ministry; and
WHEREAS the Canadian government has offered to advance Michigan up to $550 million
towards the construction of the non-toll financed improvements associated with the DRIC; and
WHEREAS Governor Snyder fully supports this project and worked with MDOT Director Kirk
Steudle to negotiate an agreement with the US DOT to allow the $550 million to be used to
match other federal road funds. This means that MDOT would be able to match all available
federal funds if an agreement on the DRIC can be reached; and
CommissionerJim Nash
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Commissioner Marcia Gershenson
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Chairperson, we move the adoption of the foregoing Resolution.
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WHEREAS the preferred construction and operation financing plan is for the private sector to
build and operate the bridge, and it would collect tolls to pay its costs. The governments would
jointly own the bridge; and
WHEREAS estimates are that this project will create 10,000 direct jobs associated with the
construction of the DRIC and help retain another 25,000 jobs in Michigan and draw about 3,500
jobs into Southeast Michigan from outside the state; and
WHEREAS SEMCOG has included the DRIC as part of the adopted long-range transportation
plan - Direction2035.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners
hereby joins Governor Snyder in supporting the Detroit River International Crossing project, and
encourages the Oakland County delegation of the Michigan Legislature to pass necessary
legislation in support of it.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Clerk is requested to forward copies of
this adopted resolution to Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson, all Oakland County
legislators, Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, House Speaker James Bolger, the
Michigan Association of Counties, the Executives of Wayne, Macomb, Monroe and Livingston
Counties, and Oakland County's legislative lobbyists.
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Resolution #11033 February 9, 2011
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.