WINDSOR, Ont. — The Governments of Canada, Ontario and Windsor have announced new measures to help improve the Windsor Gateway, Canadas busiest border crossing.

The measures that are part of a joint $300 million federal-provincial investment announced last year.

The agreement identifies five initial project investments, including:
h Improvements to the Windsor-Detroit Tunnel Plaza in order to provide for more effective traffic management, including the implementation of the NEXUS program;

h The construction of a pedestrian overpass near the intersection of Huron Church Road and Girardot Street by Assumption High School to improve the safety and convenience of residents and children in the community;

h The final design and construction of the Walker Road rail grade separation at Grand Marais Road and the completion of an Environmental Assessment for the Howard Road rail grade separation to reduce traffic congestion and support the efficient movement of goods by rail and trucking modes;

h Improvements to the Industrial Drive/Huron Church Road intersection to support the development of a pre-processing facility on Industrial Drive; and

h The implementation of intelligent transportation systems along transportation corridors leading to the border crossings (eg. changeable message signs) in order to maximize the efficient operation of the network.

The Governments of Canada and Ontario are jointly committing a total of $300 million to Windsor Gateway improvements. Todays announcement represents the first important steps in the new Lets Get Windsor-Essex Moving strategy. It will be a multi-year strategy that will improve road safety, speed up the flow of cross-border-traffic, protect and strengthen local jobs and growth, and beautify transportation corridors.

The strategy will help boost Windsors economy and the vital role the city plays in the economies of Ontario and Canada, said Transport Canada Minister Tony Valeri. More than $140 billion a year in exports and imports pass through Windsor.

Perhaps the biggest change of all is a change in attitude. There is a new spirit of cooperation among all levels of government, said Ontario Transportation Minister Harinder Takhar. We are now working together to build strong and safe communities for the people who live here. I expect to see construction start this summer on some of the initiatives announced today.

This is good news for the citizens of Windsor, remarked Minister of State (Infrastructure) for Canada, Andy Scott. Todays announcement moves us all forward on a package that will benefit Windsor through significant upgrades in infrastructure and increased trade with the USA.

Our new approach is far superior, said Windsor Mayor Eddie Francis. Its much more collaborative and it focuses much more on addressing community and regional needs V including less congested streets. More importantly, it recognizes the dual role of Windsor as both a community in its own right and as the largest Canada-U.S. gateway.

A subsequent agreement will be developed between the three governments on a priority basis to identify additional projects that will be pursued to improve the efficiency of the Windsor Gateway. This new approach replaces the nine-point Windsor Gateway Action Plan.