August 20, 2009
The construction of the Detroit River International Crossing Bridge(DRIC)has a hidden cost to the State of Michigan. With the support of former Governor James Blanchard lobbying on the behalf of the Canadian Government, the revenue from the trucking industry would be transferred out of the United States to Canada. If this is allowed to transpire, it will be at the expense to the citizens and business in the City of Detroit.
Mr. Maroun is willing to invest his own money in the bridge and Riverfront Park that is on the land adjoining the bridge if approved. Currently this city park is full of potholes in the parking lot that is big enough to swallow 17 inch tires or big enough to make a Pontiac Vibe fall in and damage the undercarriage of the vehicle.
The neighborhood surrounding the current Ambassador Bridge is in need of new revenue and opportunity. Currently US Customs and US Border patrol vehicles frequently drive the neighborhood surrounding the bridge. The old bridge has been modified to handle the additional traffic and US Customs inspection requirements for trucks. With the new span in place, 4000 to 20,000 additional jobs will be generated by pedestrians and trolley service between Windsor and Detroit. The trolley will be similar to the people mover that is currently travelling around downtown Detroit. It would be located on the new span with a connecting station on the Detroit side to a people mover line to Downtown Detroit. It would also be a long and healthy walk or bike ride across the old bridge to Windsor and back on the old span with the cars and trucks on the new span.
The DRIC Bridge located one mile away from the Ambassador Bridge is being built with public funds in a retaliatory measure toward Mr. Maroun. The biggest waste of taxpayer money is the actions of the United States Coast Guard in their opposition to the bridge. Both of the supports for the new bridge will be located on the riverbank of each side of the river. The span going across the river will be 10 to 20 feet higher than the old span of the bridge. The US Coast Guard is saying that it will interfere with boat traffic going across the river and a navigation hazard.
Did they consult true engineers or did they hire a Sara Palin clone to do the research?
This is the same Coast Guard that has to drive their boats under the Mackinaw Bridge and other existing bridges in Michigan. This is an extremely poor excuse by our Government at all levels and, the commanding officer of the Coast Guard has earned a written reprimand from his superiors for marketing this excuse.
The solution to this problem is to allow Mr. Maroun to complete the project at the current location. The residents of the neighborhood could use the additional business and the jobs that it will generate. Mr. Maroun has spent his own money to acquire land rights on both sides of the river including the narrow stretch of land between Highway 401 and the current bridge.
Road construction creates jobs on both sides of the river and this is on the wrong side of the issue. Mayor Bing and our friend George support the completion of the project at the current location. Public Dollars shall not be unwisely used to create an additional project to disadvantage private business. The Ambassador Bridge has been one of the most stable businesses in Detroit. We at The Friends want you to send an email or call Rep Cushingberry to express your concern for the job killing stance on the bridge and, support its completion keeping jobs and revenue in the City of Detroit and the State of Michigan.
Contact for Rep. George Cushingberry Jr.
Phone: 888 347 8008
Email George Cushingberry Jr. gcushingberry@house.mi.gov
Michigan Department of Transportation Gateway Project Information Webpage
MapQuest View of the Ambassador Bridge Area
*** As Corrected August 27, 2009 *********
6 comments:
How much money has Mr. Maroun given to Mr. Cushingberry?
Reply to Anonymous:
How much money has the Canadian Transportation Department given James Blanchard?
George Cushingberry and friends are completely WRONG about the views of the residents of southwest Detroit. If he wants to get elected he should meet us and change his awful tune.
I suggest he run in some other district that doesn't care about long term, sustainable economies and jobs and environmental issues and house values. The Bridge Company is a ruin to southwest Detroit. We've watched for years and we know. And the Bridge Company is not a significant employer for southwest detroit residents. Nobody I know works for them. So, we are not going to be quiet about it anymore. Detroit is lawless, drug dealers and business men and now politicians all the same. However, Rashida is our ally.
Reply to AliccaBB
Your girl Rashida is on the wrong side of the issue. You choose to insult the residents of Detroit by calling them lawless drug dealers and thugs. We have a fine Police Department with very competent officers.
She is standing in the way of progress and in the pockets of the Canadian Government wanting to take American jobs overseas. Mr Cushingberry is going to run in any district he chooses.
Why are none of your friends working at the bridge? Are they drug dealers, thugs, or prostitues? Do they have the ability to do the job? Do they have a job now?
Mr. Maroun has invested in SW Detroit when no one else did. And you should support people who want to make a difference instead of a bunch of luddies who want to maintain the status quo of poverty..
get real.
I don’t think I have seen more misinformation in a post, other than on a rightwing blog. In fact, if I didn’t know better I would think that is where I’m at. The DRIC study looked at every option at where to build the new bridge, and it chose the best option. Without a single permit, Matty Moroun has already begun to build his bridge to no where – and that is an accurate description because the Canadians will not grant a permit for it at that location – and he has already taken a portion of Riverside Park just because he wants to. There is a lot of money involved here, and Moroun is spreading it around to keep a monopoly.
The fact is Moroun’s monopoly will be funded in the same way the DRIC bridge is funded. In March the Michigan Strategic Fund approved the issuing of private bonds out of a $15 billion U.S. Department of Transportation fund to build the private border crossing.
Reply to Communications Guru:
The problem is where the Canadians want the bridge; another community on the other side has to lose their homes. Whereas the current location with Mr. Maroun, he owns the property on both sides of the river and there is one or two holdouts on the Canadian side of the river. Otherwise he owns the land outright.
The permission from the Canadian Government is so that they can get the trucking lanes moved on their side at the expense of jobs on the American side.
The solution is to grant the permit and pay a "small penalty" for additions. And Mr. Maroun is willing to resurface the pavement at Riverfront Park and the surrounding property of the bridge.
Otherwise Tliab's position will deny the residents of that community and the state the opportunity to walk to Canada and back.
This is in addition to the lost revenue on duty free hemp products sales on both sides of the border. Currently Michigan imports Industrial Hemp from Canada and the send us trash at the moment. This must change for the betterment of all the people!
Converting the old span into a walkway/bike path will generate jobs on local, state, and federal levels.
On both sides of the border.
We are willing to sit down and talk with her about it.
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