Blue Water Bridge

1. Blue Water Bridge Project Update Michael Szuch, P.E. MDOT

2. Blue Water Bridge • Over 5,250,000 vehicles • Busiest commercial crossings on the northern border

3. Border Wait Times – Our Biggest Challenge • Peak Volumes During Summer Months May through September Holiday/ Special Events • Wait times (30 minutes to 2+ hours)

4. What we are trying to avoid… What we had…

5. Addressing Concerns • 2002-2009-Environmental Study to Design and Approve a new U.S. Plaza to alleviate the congestion $$$$ No Funding $$$$ • 2010-2011- Revised Solution for the U.S. Plaza Also Stalled $$ No Funding $$

6. In the Short - Term • We must improve wait times! • Creating a unique partnership including: • Blue Water Bridge Canada (BWBC) • Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) • US-CBP • US-GSA

7. Consider the Constraints • Funding • Land locked - The U. S. Plaza is elevated 25 feet

8. Solution • Additional Primary Inspection Lanes • Increase Processing Capacity • Reduce Wait Times • To include • 3 Stacked Booths • 3 Staggered Booths

10. Project Details • Design - Fall of 2011 • Let – February 2012 • Construction – Spring/Summer 2012 • Project costs = $1.5million

11. Construction

12. Setting the booths

13. Schedule Milestones • First 3 stacked booths open – 2012 Memorial Day Holiday • Next 3 staggered booths open – 2012 Independence Holidays

14. Stacked BoothsOpened 5/25/12

15. Staggered BoothsOpened 6/30/12

16. Challenges • CBP Statement of Work • Proprietary Hardware • IT Configuration and Coordination

17. IN THE END… We have seen positive outcomes with the project: Positive Press as seen here on tollroadsnews.com Typical wait times under 20 minutes Compliments from U.S. Customs Management and Staff of the booths themselves Increased revenue at the Duty Free and Currency Exchange, due to shorter crossing times.

18. Questions???