Ambassador Bridge "Enchancement" Project (brochure)

[kavok]

I too would like to see the new bridge further south. It would just look better. Further, the Ambassador bridge could focus more on serving Detroit/Windsor traffic where the new bridge could handle long distance traffic (i.e. from/to Toronto, London, and the 401 to I-75 and I-94. ) You really dont need to double the Ambassador anyway. From a traffic standpoint, your choke point is the border inspection, not a lack of lanes on the bridge.

[RustTown]

Looks like Matty is trying to railroad this through, continuing studies be damned. Can we say awkward? lol

Ambassador Bridge owner seeks state's OK for bonds to build another span to Canada

The race to build another bridge from Detroit to Winsor has taken an odd twist.

Ambassador Bridge owner Manuel "Matty" Moroun has applied for $1 billion in U.S. government-backed bonds to pay for a twin span -- and the agency that will help decide his fate is his chief competitor.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../703270455/1003

[statedude3]

found this video on youtube-I'm not sure if embedding video is allowed so I'll just paste the url.

[nofunk]

Thanks for posting that, statedude. I'm curious though: would the Ambassador Bridge still be used if this were to be built? I know it was just a simulation, but the video didn't show any traffic crossing the old span.

Still don't think I like this idea...

[tracer1138]

Thanks for posting that, statedude. I'm curious though: would the Ambassador Bridge still be used if this were to be built? I know it was just a simulation, but the video didn't show any traffic crossing the old span.

Still don't think I like this idea...

[RustTown]

Don't you think it much more stupid that he's even considering the possibility of one of this national's oldest-longest suspension bridge?

I think he's simply talking about the possibility of closing down the Ambassador to allay the fears of the city and neighbors who think two open bridges will kill them. I think if he could have it his way, he'd have a 20-lane bridge crossing the border. lol

[hudkina]

Why would they close the Ambassador Bridge? The whole point of building the second bridge is to create more lanes. How would closing one bridge and opening another bridge alleviate traffic congestion?

[Allan]

I guess because the new bridge will have more lanes? I don't even understand, since the choke point is at customs, not actually while crossing the bridge.

[hudkina]

But is it worth all the trouble to add 6 lanes of traffic only to have 4 lanes be closed down?

[RustTown]

It's an obvious ploy. It's to allay the fears of the community that already have a problem with the Ambassador Bridge, as it is. Matty knows how to play the game.

[mr.rwilson]

Today the Michigan Strategic Fund Board delayed a vote on the One Billion Dollar bond inducement for the Detroit International Bridge Company to build a twin span next to the current Ambassador Bridge. The board decided that it needed more information to make a responsible decision on this matter. The board will take up the issue during its June 5th board meeting. Even if the board approves to induce the bonds they must be approved by the federal government and then they come back to the board for one more approval. The representative for the bridge company said that they are building a new bridge because of the costs associated with the maintenance of the current bridge. He also said that traffic on the bridge has been in decline since 1999

[RustTown]

I have a feeling this is a very temporary setback for Manny. His influence is the epitome of being able to buy off politicians.

[detwaa84]

Doesn't Moran have to get approval from Canada for his expansion. And hasen't Canada made it clear that they do not approve of his plan.

[RustTown]

A LOT of political wrangling is going on, as of late. It seems that the Republican-controlled Senate wants to pull the plug on a public crossing citing cost savings for the state, at the moment. At the same time, the auto industry is fighting for them to keep this plan alive. All the while a private investment company has made a surprise bid for the Detroit half of the Detroit-Windsor public tunnel. It's enough news to make your head spin:

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/220239

New bridge to Michigan hits a bump

Jun 01, 2007

Michigan says it is close to stopping project funding for a multi-billion-dollar bridge between Detroit and Windsor that is critical to the future of the Canadian and U.S economies.

Alan Cropsey, majority leader in the Michigan senate, said yesterday that legislators will likely pass a proposed amendment to the state budget within 60 days that would cut financial support of a continuing study for the bridge project.

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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...PDATE/705310487

Automakers back plan for publicly owned bridge to Canada

May 31, 2007

The alliance that represents the Big Three automakers has come out in support of a publicly owned bridge from Detroit to Windsor.

In a May 11 letter to state Sen. Alan Cropsey, majority floor leader, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers says "the need for an additional crossing to handle current and future trade flows is widely acknowledged and it is imperative that this new crossing be completed as soon as possible."

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http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...METRO/706010377

$60M bid for Detroit's side of the tunnel

A private equity firm emerged this week as a surprise second bidder to control Detroit's side of the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel, throwing a wrench into the city's ongoing negotiations for the Canadian city to assume operations of the international crossing.

New York City-based Alinda Capital Partners, which operates Detroit's side under a contract that expires in 2020, this week offered $60 million cash in exchange for extending its contract through 2080. That's about $2 million more than Detroit would receive under a deal that would allow Windsor to operate Detroit's tunnel for 75 years, beginning in 2020.

[tracer1138]

my guess is, the same lawmakers that want to cancel funding for this, are still pushing to widen I-75 in Oakland County.

[detwaa84]

I can't find the article, but I read on DetroitYes that Alinda has upped their bid by 10 mil. If this goes through, will it be easier for Matty Maroun to take control of the tunnel in the future?

[RustTown]

Detwaa, I already posted the article just two posts back. It says that the cities of Detroit and Windsor have already signed an agreement some time back that binds them to only negotiating with each other. Mayor Francis of Windsor is committed to the agreement, and only Mayor Kilpatrick seems to be considering breaching the contract, but I heard even more recently he realizes how huge of a mistake breaching the contract would be.