230 likes | 653 Views
Transport Canada Update: Presentation to the Canada-U.S. TBWG Burlington, VT, June 10, 2003. Jacques Rochon, Director, Highway Policy . Outline. Context Border Issues: Progress & Challenges Border Infrastructure: Progress to date Windsor Ontario: Niagara Region & Blue Water Bridge
E N D
Transport Canada Update: Presentation to the Canada-U.S. TBWG Burlington, VT, June 10, 2003 Jacques Rochon, Director, Highway Policy
Outline • Context • Border Issues: Progress & Challenges • Border Infrastructure: Progress to date • Windsor • Ontario: Niagara Region & Blue Water Bridge • B.C. Lower Mainland Improvements • Quebec • Saskatchewan • Border Infrastructure Proposals • New Brunswick • Alberta & Manitoba • Sault St. Marie • TBWG Action Plan • Conclusions
Context • Smart Border Declaration Framework remains effective framework for ensuring border both secure & efficient • Need to sustain effort as border initiatives implemented • Ridge/Manley met on April 7, 2003 and discussed: • Need to coordinate advance notification requirements • Joint collaboration on entry/exit systems • Minister Collenette unveiled “Straight Ahead” in February 2003 • A 10-year strategic vision for transportation in Canada • Straight Ahead: key border commitments: • Enhance secure and efficient flows along corridors and at border gateways • Establish a streamlined federal approval process for authorizing new international bridges and tunnels.
Progress: Border Processes • Railways, CCRA, and CBP agreed on a “Declaration of Principles” governing rail clearance in April 2003 • Advance Notification Requirements? • Canada-U.S. Air Preclearance Agreement brought into force on May 2, 2003 • CCRA and CBP announced FAST and NEXUS expansion in May 2003
Progress: BIMWG • A Bi-national Infrastructure and Modeling Working Group has been established • A follow up to the September 2002 announcement by the President and Prime Minister • BIMWG falls under Shared Border Accord Process • Involves: CCRA, CIC, TC, Infrastructure Canada, U.S. CBP (DHS), FHWA, GSA, and BSPC • BIMWG will enhance coordination between federal transportation and border inspection agencies on border infrastructure and modeling matters • TBWG can complement BIMWG and other Groups • e.g. Identifying border data inputs for border modeling
Challenges: Border Processes • Entry/Exit Control Systems:discussed by Ridge/Manley • U.S. VISIT will encompass entry/exit systems and require biometrics • Advance notification requirements still under consideration • Security screening for transportation workers e.g. drivers
Border Infrastructure: Progress to Date Windsor • Why Windsor? Answer: it accounts for • 25% of cross-border truck volumes • 30% of $192B Cdn exports; 38% of $170B Cdn imports to/from U.S. • July 2002: Short-term traffic management projects announced ($880K) • Canada and Ontario announced package of improvements on May 27 • Includes physical infrastructure, ITS, CVPC and other elements • Canada-U.S. Ontario Michigan Bi-national Transportation Partnership • Partnership developing a long-term border transportation strategy for Windsor/Detroit gateway • Accelerated Bi-national study will meet U.S. and Canadian environmental requirements (i.e. U.S. NEPA, OEAA and CEAA)
Border Infrastructure: Progress to Date • Canada and Ontario announced $325 million on May 21 for 14 projects to improve border infrastructure and access in the Niagara and Sarnia regions. The Queenston-Lewiston Bridge • $51 million will be invested, in partnership with NFBC, to build a new dedicated truck lane on Highway 405 and on the bridge Peace Bridge • $42 million for four projects, in partnership with PBA. These include: • security and technology enhancements; • CVPC upgrades. • Toll booth relocation from the U.S. to Canada • Relocation of inspection facilities on Canadian sides Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) • The QEW, the main trade corridor leading to Niagara, will be widened to 6 lanes in key segments at a cost of $108 million
Border Infrastructure: Progress to Date Blue Water Bridge/Sarnia • The second busiest & fastest growing truck crossing along Canada-U.S. border • $110 million will be targeted towards: • Improvements to 20 km of Highway 402 • Operational improvements such as new lighting and variable message signs to be installed on Highway 402 near the bridge. • Bridge security enhancements, in partnership with Point Edward Village. • Highway 402 expansion to accommodate a dedicated commercial lane • Highway 401 expansion to six lanes and interchange improvements near London
Border Infrastructure: Progress to Date Quebec:Lacolle/Highway 15 • In July 2002, Canada and Quebec committed $75 million for border and highway infrastructure improvements along the Quebec/NY Corridor, including: • Upgrades to Highway 15, including improved safety measures such as enhanced signage and lighting • construction of a truck safety inspection area at Lacolle (northbound), as well as dedicated lanes to improve access to U.S. Customs inspection booths; and • ITS deployment for commercial vehicles, and installation of a traffic camera.
Border Infrastructure: Progress to Date B.C. Lower Mainland • In March 2003, Canada, BC and Vancouver announced $211 million for: • Twinning of Highways 10 & 15 • Major infrastructure improvements on Highways 11, 91, 91A, and Knight Street • TC and BC MOT set aside $32 Million for border infrastructure improvements in November 2002 • Projects included: an ITS Commercial Vehicle Operations lane, NEXUS lanes, an Advance Traveler Information System (ATIS), and road/interchange improvements • Projects represent a total of $243 million in investment and will provide improved access to the Pacific Highway, Peace Arch, Huntingdon & Aldergrove crossings Saskatchewan • Canada and Saskatchewan will provide $10 million for improvements to Highway 39, leading to the North Portal border crossing.
Border Infrastructure Proposals New Brunswick: • St. Stephen Crossing/Route 1: • Construct of a new international bridge across the St.Croix River at the western end of the new Route 1 highway. • Build 24 kms of four-lane highway bypassing the town of St.Stephen with associated grade separations and structures. • Woodstock Crossing/Route 95: • Upgrade 12 kms of Route 95 to four-lanes from Woodstock to the border (Route 95 provides the connection between the Trans Canada and the U.S. Interstate system). Quebec: • MTQ has submitted proposals for consideration
Border Infrastructure Proposals Manitoba: Emerson • Phase One: make short-term operational highway improvements at the Emerson CCRA facility • Phase Two: undertake study to assess long-term infrastructure needs and implement recommended improvements. Alberta: Coutts • Twinning and improvements to Highway 4 at the Coutts border crossing • Elements include: highway 4 realignment including additional lanes, constructing a new service road and a trucking parking area. Sault Ste. Marie • New route from the Trans-Canada to the International Bridge crossing in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
TC Border Objectives • TC efforts on land border initiatives focus on three key objectives: • Improving Bi-National Planning and Coordination • Supporting efficient border processes • Border Infrastructure Improvements. • The TBWG supports all of these objectives, particularly Bi-national planning • Our collective task should be to identify a few key public goods for our Action Plan
TBWG Action Plan Action Plan Update • Compendium of Border Infrastructure Needs Assessments • NY DOT lead • Input submitted by provinces, states and inspection agencies • Objective: develop a comprehensive database of border infrastructure needs to inform TEA-21 reauthorization process & infrastructure planning efforts • Next Steps: Discuss finalization, applications, and ongoing maintenance • Border Data • Border data workshop held in Newton, Mass April 28-May 1, 2003 • Collaborative effort: Ontario, TC, FHWA and EBTC • Objective: impart better understanding of 1999 National Roadside Survey/EBTC database and its uses • Next Steps: Identify possible Action Items related to border transit times /performance measures, NRS and BIMWG complementarity
Action Plan (Cont’d) • Border Technology • TBWG Workshop on Intelligent Transportation Systems border-related Research and Development opportunities • Objective/Next Steps: identify ITS R&D projects with border applications • Enhancing Interagency Coordination • Objective: discuss relationship of TBWG to groups such as the BIMWG & continue to share information regarding planning processes • Information Clearinghouse • FHWA developing TBWG website with input of TC, TBWG members • Objective: serve as online resource on Canada-U.S. bi-national planning and developments of common interest • Next Steps: Provide input and identify products (e.g. compendium) to FHWA/TC that could serve as content
Conclusions • Progress has been made but we must sustain our efforts • Information sharing will remain a key TBWG role • Critical as we move towards implementation of measures • TBWG will continue to involve stakeholders • Open to suggestions: involvement of particular stakeholders • Action Plan: TBWG will continue to identify and work on “public goods” of interest to a wide range of players • Next TBWG meeting in December 2003 • Thank you.