Share the Bridge
An Opportunity to Build
Modern Multi-Modal
International Infrastructure
WHAT IS DRIC/NITC?
Detroit River International Crossing or New International Trade Crossing
•New Border Crossing Connecting
Windsor-Detroit
•Scheduled Completion Date Fall 2020
•Will facilitate trade and travel across
busiest Canada-US border crossing
•Border Congestion is a significant
problem for motorists , pedestrians and
cyclists on Windsor’s West side
•Facilitates direct Highway/Interstate
access
•DRIC will move international border traffic
out of densely populated areas
•Currently despite wide-spread support
there is no commitment to accommodate
cyclist or pedestrian access on the crossing
WHY IS DRIC/NITC IMPORTANT
Problems With the Status Quo
•Current International Crossing
connecting Windsor-Detroit has created
a major traffic congestion problem along
a densely populated corridor of the City
of Windsor
•Border delays cost the North American
economy $1 M every additional 15
minutes international freight idles at a
border crossing
•Ambassador Bridge is also meters away
from a rail line that impacts access to
Bridge Plaza
•International freight traffic bisects the
city-cuts historic Sandwich Towne off
from the rest of the community
•Air quality studies along the corridor
have shown heightened CO2 emissions
DRIC/NITC FIXES THIS!
WHY A MULTI-MODAL CROSSING?
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Stimulate the regional economy
Promote active living
Diversify transportation options
Improve Air Quality
Reduce motorized vehicular traffic congestion
H.G. Parkway
The H.G. Parkway Puts in Place Much of the Cycling Infrastructure
Required to Create a Viable International Cycle Network
•H.G. Parkway: Access Route Connecting New Crossing to Highway Infrastructure
in Canada
•Scheduled Completion: Fall 2016
•Cut and Cover Tunnel Will Include Robust Recreational Trail System
•Connects Into Existing Local Recreational Trail Infrastructure
•The Parkway trail system ends just 300 M short of site where the Canadian
Customs Plaza will be built
WINDSOR IS IMPROVING QUALITY
AND QUANTITY OF CYCLING
INFRASTRUCTURE
•Windsor is actively working to
diversify it’s transportation
infrastructure
•The “Windsor Loop” will be
virtually completed by this
time next year
•Windsor is on track
implementing it’s Bicycle Use
Master Plan (BUMP) a 20 year
vision that began in 2001
SO IS ESSEX COUNTY
CWATS PLAN
•Essex County working to
increase Cycling Infrastructure
through County Wide Active
Transportation System (CWATS)
• Initiated in 2010 CWATS
articulates a 20 year active
transportation plan to create a
County-wide network of
pedestrian and cycling facilities
•Over 800 km of trails will be
built in the County of Essex
over the next 20 years
SO IS DETROIT
The number of bike commuters in Detroit is 1,183
•Cycling infrastructure investment
is an important component of
their recovery
•Since 1990, ridership in Detroit
has risen by 464%, the largest
increase of any American city
•There is already robust capacity
in the Detroit’s entertainment
district
•A waterfront ride from the New
Crossing to the Entertainment
District would be very achievable
•City of Detroit supports cyclist
access on the New Crossing
passing a Council Resolution in
2012
AS A REGION WINDSOR/ESSEXDETROIT HAS A ROBUST CYCLING
COMMUNITY
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Tour de-Troit, Bike the Bridge
Cycle Tours-Windsor Eats, Detroit Slow Roll
Tour di Via Italia-Annual Professional Bike race
Cycle Club membership on the rise on both sides of
the border
RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR
CYCLING INFRASTRUCTURE IS HIGH
• Return on Investment in Cycling Infrastructure
is estimated to be as High a 24:1
• Economic Benefits of Bicycling in Michigan:
$668/Year*
• La Route Verte—Quebec**
– Generated $134 M in revenue in 2006
– Supported 2861 jobs
– Generated $38 M in government revenue
*MDOT: Community and Economic Benefits of Bicycling In Michigan
** http://www.routeverte.com/rv/retombees_e
Canadian Cycle Tourism Sector
Invest Now To Maintain Growth
• In 2010, 438,000 cycle tourist from Canada cycled in
the following four areas:
– Toronto, (223K), Ottawa (110k), Niagara (84k),
Windsor (21K)
• Large growth in cycling. In 2010, 2 million Canadian /
Ontario visitors participated in cycling activities
• Those visitors spent ~$391 million
• Cycle Tourism is a growth sector in tourism industry:
– Increase of 25% in 2010 from an increase of 18%
in 2009
CYCLE TOURISM IS BIG BUSINESS
• United States:
– $47 Billion (USD)/Year
– Supports 1.1 Million Jobs
– Generated $17.7 Billion (USD) in
Tax Revenue
• Europe:
– 2.3 Billion Cycle Tourism
trips/year
– 44B Euros/Year
– 655,000 jobs
Share the Bridge Will Stimulate Growth
in Emerging Cycling Industry In
Windsor-Detroit
•Detroit Bike City along with Windsor Eats created the
first Binational bike week in North America taking
place March 27-30, 2014
•Detroit’s Slow Roll event attracts 3000 riders/month
•Annual Windsor Tweed Ride
•Culinary industry dovetailing with Cycle Tourseconomic synergies: Bikes and Beers; Wine Trail Rides
•Bike Sales and Manufacturing in Windsor-Detroit are
on the rise: “Bankrupt Detroit’s Booming New
Industry: Bike”-Fortune.com Oct. 9/2014
•Bike The Bridge: Annual event Riders
from Canada and US on the
Ambassador Bridge
•Tour de Troit attacts 1000s of riders
from across the region
HOW WILL A CYCLE-PEDESTRIAN
ACCESS POSTIVELY IMPACT REGION
• International Bike Circuit-Unique feature
• Cyclist access to features in both communities
– Craft Breweries
– Wineries
– National/State Parks
– Robust Entertainment District
– Culinary Destinations
– Major Sporting Events
– Historic Sites
SUPPORTERS OF
SHARE THE BRIDGE
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Brian Masse MP
Wynne Government
City of Windsor
City of Detroit
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder
U.S. Senator Gary Peters
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
Canada’s Federal Government Has Not
Committed
MULTI-MODAL CROSSINGS ACCOMODATING BIKES
AND PEDESTRIANS IS A GLOBAL PHENOMENON
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Golden Gate Bridge (USA)
Brooklyn Bridge (USA)
George Washington Bridge (USA)
Manhattan Bridge (USA)
San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge (USA)
Tower Bridge (UK)
Peace Bridge (Canada)
North Arm Bridge (Canada)
Confederation Bridge (Canada)
Sydney Harbour Bridge (Australia)
Seri Wawasan Bridge (Malaysia)
Tilikum Crossing (USA)
Acosta Bridge (USA)
Juscelino Kubitschek Bridge (Brazil)
Rainbow Bridge (Canada)
Lions Gate Bridge (Canada)
Rainbow Bridge (Japan)
•Nishiseto Expressway ( 10 bridges, Japan)
•Clifton Bridge (England)
•St Johns Bridge (USA)
•Iron Workers Memorial bridge (Canda)
•Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge (Nigeria)
•Guanglu Bridge (China)
•Jingmei river Bridge (China)
•Arpad Bridge (Budapest)
•Kransnoluzhsky Bridge (Russia)
•Alex-Sandton Bridge (South Africa)
•Princess Bridge (Australia)
•Nelson Mandela Bridge (South Africa)
Angus L Macdonald Bridge (Canada)
Carquinez Bridge (USA)
Benjamin Franklin bridge (USA)
WHERE DO WE STAND?
• Currently the Windsor Detroit Bridge Authority (WDBA) is drafting
terms of the Request for Qualifications (RFQ)
– Will create the short list of consortiums approved to potentially to design,
build and operate the new crossing
• Approved Consortiums will then submit proposals to WDBA for the
new crossing, who will then choose the winning bid
Important advocacy moment-Canadian
officials must be made aware of strong
support for cycling and pedestrian
infrastructure on the new crossing
WHAT ARE AVENUES FOR ADVOCACY?
• FACEBOOK
– Share the Bridge
• TWITTER
– @ShareTheBridge
• Email
– brian.masse@parl.gc.ca; lisa.raitt@parl.gc.ca
• Traditional Mail
• Web
– http://brianmasse.ndp.ca/petitions-for-download
WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT
Minister of Transport
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0A6
Lisa.Raitt@parl.gc.ca
Windsor Detroit
Bridge Authority
Michael Cautillo
President/CEO
400-100 Ouellette Ave.
Windsor, ON
N9A 6T3
YOUR LOCAL MP
LOCAL CYCLING ADVOCACY
ORGANIZATIONS
THANK YOU