Canada Ambassador Bridge De-construction?
- Thread starter piper1
- Start date
Oh...government involvement with private corps....GM, Chrysler, banks, insurance companies, now Health Care...
greg334
Veteran Expediter
We really don't need another bridge, we need to figure out a way to streamline a uniformed process to get people through customs faster and to make sure that all the lanes are open.
I thought that the ACE system was to help this but it hasn't helped much, and neither has other systems so maybe taking all the land that is on the waterfront with all those nice buildings that Detroit cares for and building a big customs center to process freight may be one solution.
I thought that the ACE system was to help this but it hasn't helped much, and neither has other systems so maybe taking all the land that is on the waterfront with all those nice buildings that Detroit cares for and building a big customs center to process freight may be one solution.
We need another bridge, period. The current state of the Ambassador bridge under the current neglectful ownership is proof. When they finally do re-deck it (and that's very soon) and it is down to 2 lanes, what is the alternative?
The new bridge is a Public / Private partnership with the state of Michigan being the one pushing the private part for their contribution, as for Ontario...this would be the best use of taxpayer money in years. Industry has always complained about the border being too slow.
The current backlogs at the border have nothing to do with customs, usually it is after the booth when 9 lanes of open customs officers trickle into one maybe two open toll lanes...staffed with people who are in no hurry to do anything. Also, right now it seems adequate, trade will rebound, the economy will grow. Failing to plan for future growth is what got us in this mess to begin with.
Also from a security standpoint, if there is a situation and the bridge closes that's it..25% of the total trade the US does...stops. My guess is the officers there are under pressure to "keep things moving" instead of maybe being more thorough, ask them how they feel...they aren't fans of the current bridge either..especially the US guys.
Leo, it is crazy what has been spent so far doing all the now required environmental studies and getting all the appropriate branches to sign off (coast guard, fish and game, cbp, dot, etc) all the while they have spent millions of Michigan taxpayer dollars fighting all the lawsuits that the Ambassador Bridge has brought against the state. The same guys who built on land they knew they didn't own.
The new bridge is a Public / Private partnership with the state of Michigan being the one pushing the private part for their contribution, as for Ontario...this would be the best use of taxpayer money in years. Industry has always complained about the border being too slow.
The current backlogs at the border have nothing to do with customs, usually it is after the booth when 9 lanes of open customs officers trickle into one maybe two open toll lanes...staffed with people who are in no hurry to do anything. Also, right now it seems adequate, trade will rebound, the economy will grow. Failing to plan for future growth is what got us in this mess to begin with.
Also from a security standpoint, if there is a situation and the bridge closes that's it..25% of the total trade the US does...stops. My guess is the officers there are under pressure to "keep things moving" instead of maybe being more thorough, ask them how they feel...they aren't fans of the current bridge either..especially the US guys.
Leo, it is crazy what has been spent so far doing all the now required environmental studies and getting all the appropriate branches to sign off (coast guard, fish and game, cbp, dot, etc) all the while they have spent millions of Michigan taxpayer dollars fighting all the lawsuits that the Ambassador Bridge has brought against the state. The same guys who built on land they knew they didn't own.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I'm sorry, I didn't include the cluster**** of the management of the present bridge into this issue, nor did I mention the fact that the present bridge is falling down by little iron flakes.
Yes I agree with you on this one, we need a replacement bridge with more lanes, a very doable thing but I feel either force the present US side owner to put up the money or condemn the bridge and take it from him.
Once I got passed customs, I never had an issue paying the tolls, 5 pm or 5 am it didn't matter. The backups were always with customs, mainly with spot checks going on and confirming paper work. Maybe the tolls should be collected on the Windsor side?
Gotta go with Greg on the customs holding things up...sometimes when they want to they can clear that bridge in no time...but when things slow down I think they look up to see the backup and then close a booth or 2 and "do paperwork"
Use to do Sat's and Sundays quite often...1 booth open and 4 guys standing around making you run the guantlet as the bridge backs up! And 3 will go for break...remember these people are civil service workers and into job protection....backing the bridge up is job protection...when traffic is light they like to play 20 questions and fool and fart around...never seen a bunch of dog nuts like them...
Use to do Sat's and Sundays quite often...1 booth open and 4 guys standing around making you run the guantlet as the bridge backs up! And 3 will go for break...remember these people are civil service workers and into job protection....backing the bridge up is job protection...when traffic is light they like to play 20 questions and fool and fart around...never seen a bunch of dog nuts like them...
Well I did have toll back-ups as well...like ya said 9 custom booths open and 3-4 toll booths...usually if it is not one it is the other...
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I was just listening to an interesting talk about this issue. It seems the owner of the bridge who also has built things on property he doesn't own, actually runs the tolls booths and one of the callers pointed out that he purposely doesn't open all the booths on the ramp up and at peak times of traffic. She mentioned that this is all seems to be a plan to justify some of the things he wants to have paid by tax payers.
One solution for commercial traffic could be prepaid tolls or prepaid tolls that allow you to cross unlimited amount of times for a set time.
One solution for commercial traffic could be prepaid tolls or prepaid tolls that allow you to cross unlimited amount of times for a set time.
or like the Fort Erie bridge that accepts EZ Pass...
ya see Greg... EZ Pass I have is NY State based not Jersey based and the Erie bridge is fundamentally owned by NY so the the fee paid to EZ Pass so the money still stays in the same pocket..
Manny will not give up 1 cent just to accomodate people
Manny will not give up 1 cent just to accomodate people
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Well OVM, there has been a comment or two about making the bridge public owned on this side for a while all because of his threats. He lost two cases about the property lease and both the state and city are rather p*ssed off at some of the other BS he has pulled in the past.
I am wondering why we can't just take it over based on Kelo Vs. New London and replace it. Under that case, compensation doesn't have to be based on value, but rather need - we needed it so it is a buck.
If the design and building is handed over to a company who would be offered a big fat bonus at the end of the job, it could be finished in less than 18 months and not 5 years as they are now talking about.
Too many idiots want to make it a bridge to reflect some theme while others want to make into something other than a transportation bridge. I think it is a bridge, and only a bridge so lets just get it done.
I am wondering why we can't just take it over based on Kelo Vs. New London and replace it. Under that case, compensation doesn't have to be based on value, but rather need - we needed it so it is a buck.
If the design and building is handed over to a company who would be offered a big fat bonus at the end of the job, it could be finished in less than 18 months and not 5 years as they are now talking about.
Too many idiots want to make it a bridge to reflect some theme while others want to make into something other than a transportation bridge. I think it is a bridge, and only a bridge so lets just get it done.
Today he announced he is going to sue the Canadian government because they are discriminating against " an Arab American ".
Private bridge sues Canada over DRIC offer to Michigan - Today's Trucking, the truck news site.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...-owners-threaten-new-suit-against-canada?bn=1
Guess my tax dollars and the $186 in tolls I paid this month are now going toward lawsuits.
Private bridge sues Canada over DRIC offer to Michigan - Today's Trucking, the truck news site.
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/...-owners-threaten-new-suit-against-canada?bn=1
Guess my tax dollars and the $186 in tolls I paid this month are now going toward lawsuits.
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Hey..He is the one who discriminates..HIS trucks get a FREE pass with Hazmat on while all others have to go up to Port Huron...
It is his football, he gets to make the rules. Canada and the United States did NOT build the bridge. They did not put forth the effort, funds or take the risk.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
Yea layout that is true but neither did he.
I say in the interest of the general welfare of the nation, the court should proceed to take it from him, give him a check for the value of the scrap metal in the bridge and allow someone else to get going on the project.
I absolutely don't like the Kelo vs. New London decision but if they can take waterfront property from families who have lived there before the country was founded and hand it to a condo developer, they can take a rusty bridge from a billionaire so we can improve trade between two nations - there is no difference between the two.
I think it is funny that it comes down to Obama's comments about having enough money, maybe it is time we apply it to some who actually do have enough.
I say in the interest of the general welfare of the nation, the court should proceed to take it from him, give him a check for the value of the scrap metal in the bridge and allow someone else to get going on the project.
I absolutely don't like the Kelo vs. New London decision but if they can take waterfront property from families who have lived there before the country was founded and hand it to a condo developer, they can take a rusty bridge from a billionaire so we can improve trade between two nations - there is no difference between the two.
I think it is funny that it comes down to Obama's comments about having enough money, maybe it is time we apply it to some who actually do have enough.
He has the risk now, does he not? I am missing something?