MDOT announces new alternative is under consideration
for Blue Water Bridge
Contact:
Bill Shreck, Director of Communications, 517-335-3084
Agency:
Transportation
March 8, 2006 --The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) today announced that it is deferring public hearings on the proposed expansion of the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron in order to thoroughly review a new study alternative recently proposed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). MDOT was scheduled to hold public hearings later this month.
MDOT's Blue Water Bridge Plaza Study Team said it is reviewing a proposal that CBP believes combines features of the two practical alternatives currently under study. In a letter to MDOT, CBP described the new study alternative as addressing CBP's security and facility needs while reducing the impact on the Port Huron area of expanding the plaza.
"MDOT and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) are eager to receive more information from CBP on the proposal and look forward to a stronger collaborative effort regarding this important project," said Bill Shreck, director of MDOT's Office of Communications.
MDOT and FHWA officials emphasized that any new alternative needs to be evaluated at the same level as existing and previous alternatives to determine compliance with the purpose and need of the project. MDOT and FHWA must follow NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act), the federal law which governs the planning and decision making process for government infrastructure projects. Shreck stated that evaluating the new alternative will delay the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement and the upcoming public hearing. MDOT officials said that while they hoped the new alternative could lead to agreement by all major stakeholders on how to best approach expanding the plaza, any new study alternative would require additional analysis of possible impacts on traffic, air and noise, social/economic impacts, and security.
The Blue Water Bridge connects Port Huron, Michigan with Pt. Edward, Ontario, and is the second busiest commercial border crossing between the U.S. and Canada. In a FHWA –funded study, MDOT found that delays at the Blue Water Bridge were costing the United States economy $150 million per year and will cost $3.9 billion by 2030 if the existing facility is not improved.
"MDOT remains committed to moving forward quickly in the best interests of Michigan and the nation," said Shreck.
Keep Michigan families safe this winter season: Don't Crowd the Plow!
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