WINDSOR, Ont. — Despite having their border solution proposal rejected by a binational border selection committee last fall, Ambassador Bridge officials are pushing forward with plans to build a twin span across the Detroit River.

Owner Matty Moroun’s bridge “Enhancement Project” calls for a new six-lane cable-stayed bridge metres west of the existing 77-year-old crossing, according to environmental assessment documents obtained Wednesday by the Windsor Star.

The 34-page document also shows that a controversial four-kilometre “ring road” through the city’s west end, proposed as a new truck feeder route, has been discarded from the company’s plans.

The bridge company plans to use the same Huron Church Road access route and keep the new span contained within existing plazas and property it already owns.

Critics charge that bridge execs are trying to undermine
the new crossing by pressing with twinning plan

The new span would allow traffic to continue uninterrupted while the old bridge “is evaluated and rehabilitated, if found to be economically feasible,” say the documents. The existing bridge would provide “reserve capacity for any unforeseen event until the end of its useful life.”

It appears the bridge company is striving to undermine the government’s bid to build a public downriver Sandwich-Delray bridge and pre-empt pending federal legislation in Canada, which threatens toll, security and maintenance control of their crossing.

Since it’s being unveiled as an expansion of the existing bridge and not a new crossing, bridge company officials are also hoping to avoid the many federal approvals normally required.

Bridge president Dan Stamper did not respond to a message from The Star.

“This project will allow us to maintain traffic on the current corridor,” said Scott Korpi, project manager for the Florida firm who is leading the early phases of the bridge twinning application. “The Ambassador Bridge is aging and there needs to be repairs.”

Design of the twin span has already begun and is expected to be completed within 18 to 24 months. There is no target date slated by the bridge company for construction to begin.

“They want the approvals ASAP, so they can build right away whenever they feel traffic demands it,” Korpi said.

Transport Canada has been speaking with the bridge company about meeting dates and should be getting together sometime within the next few weeks, said Windsor-based spokesman Mark Butler.

“We are obliged to take a look at any project that comes our way,” he said.

The federal ministry is a partner in the binational Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) study — the government effort to determine the next crossing location.

“There are two distinct proposals for a new crossing — one by the private organization and one under consideration by four levels of government,” says Butler. “You can’t characterize it as a race. They have to meet certain requirements. There are certain hurdles they have to cross.”

The binational team is no longer considering any proposal brought forward by the bridge company, said Dave Wake, project manager for DRIC.

“Their recent submission is a separate process,” he said. “We are proceeding as planned and are on target for our timelines. I’ve seen nothing to date to cause any changes in our timelines.”

DRIC, which has effectively selected a new bridge crossing about 3 km southwest of the Ambassador, hopes to complete construction of a new bridge in 2013.

A new six-lane twin span west of the bridge would move air and noise pollution closer to Sandwich which is “totally unacceptable,” said Mary Ann Cuderman, leader of resident’s truck watchdog group. She also had serious doubts about the bridge’s dropping of its ring road plan.

“I don’t trust them for a minute,” she said. “Until I see an official notarized document on that — and even then I won’t believe it. They can change their mind on that at any time.”

MP Jeff Watson (C — Essex) said the bridge was welcome to put forward their best case on why the bridge should be twinned. “(Transport Canada) can determine whether it’s in the best interests of the country,” he said. “The DRIC has already rejected that scenario.”

— Article reprinted with permission from the Windsor Star.