Letter from House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member John Conyers, Jr. to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano
regarding the recent bomb threats made against the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge.
Showing posts with label bridge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bridge. Show all posts
Friday, July 20, 2012
House Minority Judiciary Chairman John Conyers, Jr. Letter to Secretary Napolitano on Detroit Windsor Tunnel Bomb Threat, July 17, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
Conyers Applauds Agreement Paving Way for New Detroit-Windsor Bridge Conyers Applauds Agreement Paving Way for New Detroit-Windsor Bridge
(WASHINGTON)—Today, Congressman John Conyers, Jr. (D-Mich.) applauded the signing of an agreement that will allow the construction of the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) between Detroit and Windsor to move forward. The NITC will provide a modern, strategically located bridge that is vital to enhancing the $70 billion-a-year trade relationship between Michigan and Canada. Rep. Conyers is a long-time proponent of constructing the NITC. In January of this year, Rep. Conyers and the other Democratic Members of Michigan’s Delegation in the House of Representatives sent a letter to state leaders urging action on the project.
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| U.S. Representative John Conyers, Jr. |
“This is an incredible moment for our city,” said Conyers. “This new investment in Detroit’s future will expand Southeast Michigan’s trade relationship with Canada, provide immediate economic benefits to the automotive industry, and ease traffic congestion. As a long-time advocate for this bridge, it is rewarding to know that in the near future, thousands of Detroiters will be put to work building this critical new public resource.
“I am also pleased to see that this agreement will ensure that communities affected by the bridge’s construction on both sides of the border, including the Delray community, will receive benefits. As this process moves forward, I look forward to working with the Governor and the Canadian Prime Minister to ensure that these benefits are provided to the citizens of Delray in a timely and equitable manner.”
The benefits of the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) include:
· The creation of 10,000 jobs related to the project.
· A new direct connection between 1-75 in Michigan and Highway 401 in Canada that eases traffic congestion at the border and allows trucks to bypass residential communities.
· Providing an alternative point of access to Canada in case one of the other border crossings sustains a lengthy shutdown.
· The public-private partnership agreement and the request for proposals must contain provisions for community benefit plans and for the involvement of the impacted communities in Michigan and Canada.
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Thursday, January 19, 2012
Conyers and All House Democratic Michigan Members Urge Construction of New International Bridge
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Date: Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Contact: Matthew Morgan – 202-226-5543
Conyers and All House Democratic Michigan Members Urge Construction of New International Bridge
(Washington D.C). – Today, Representative John Conyers, Jr. (D-M14.) and Representatives Hansen Clarke (D-M13), John Dingell (D-M15), Dale Kildee (D-M05), Sander Levin (D-M12), and Gary Peters (D-M09) sent a letter to Speaker of the Michigan House Bolger, Michigan House Minority Leader Hammel, Michigan Senate Majority Leader Richardville, and Michigan Senate Minority Leader Whitmer urging the Michigan legislature to prioritize the passage of legislation authorizing the construction of the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) project early in the 2012 legislative session.
The NITC project will create a world-class international bridge and secure a transportation corridor with Michigan’s largest trading partner, Canada. It will create 10,000 new construction jobs for Michigan workers and generate more than $2 billion in federal matching highway funds for Michigan roads.
The letter is attached as a pdf and the text follows below:
January 18, 2012
The Honorable Randy Richardville
Majority Leader
Michigan Senate
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer
Minority Leader
Michigan Senate
P.O. Box 30036
Lansing, MI 48909
Dear Speaker Bolger and Leaders Richarville, Whitmer, and Hammel:
As you prepare for the 2012 session of the Michigan Legislature, we write to urge you to prioritize the passage of legislation that will allow work to begin on the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) project. Michigan desperately needs the 10,000 construction jobs and $2 billion in federal matching highway funds that would be immediately provided by this project. Additionally, the NITC will strengthen our nation’s bond with Canada – Michigan’s largest trading partner – by providing a secure alternative route to Ontario and significantly increasing the capacity for increased trade between our two countries.
Constructing a second bridge at the Detroit-Windsor crossing will help grow the 237,000 Michigan jobs that depend on trade with Canada. The NITC would provide six new lanes, bringing the total to ten between Detroit and Windsor, while also directly connecting 1-75 to Highway 401. These additional lanes will help prevent the delays that cost Michigan’s shippers and manufacturers millions of dollars each year. Chrysler estimates that current delays at the Detroit-Windsor crossing add more than $600 to the average car manufactured in our region. Without a second bridge, these delays will likely grow worse, with truck traffic across the border expected to double by 2035.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has stated that Canada’s $550 million investment in the crossing’s customs plaza will allow Michigan to receive nearly $2 billion in matching for road construction projects across the state. If the NITC project is approved early in the 2012 legislative session, construction projects across the state could begin putting thousands of Michiganders back to work this year fixing our state’s highway infrastructure and speeding our state’s economic recovery.
We believe the case for moving forward with the NITC project is clear. The NITC project poses no fiscal risk to the state, as the cost of this $1.3 billion dollar investment in Michigan will be borne completely by private investors and the U.S. and Canadian governments. Further, should the tolls collected from the bridge fall short of the dollars needed to repay Canadian or private investors, the Canadian government has agreed to cover any revenue short fall. In short, this project is no risk, all reward for Michigan taxpayers.
Construction of the NITC will ensure that Michigan keeps its edge and continues to be a leading conduit for the $62 billion in annual bilateral trade between the United States and Canada. We urge you to pass authorizing legislation as soon as possible so that we can begin to transition the Detroit-Windsor crossing into a modern, multi-modal system that creates jobs in Michigan and guarantees safe, secure, and efficient commerce across our northern border.
Sincerely,
John Conyers, Jr.
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
John D. Dingell
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
Sander Levin
MEMBER OF CONGRESS
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