Windsor-Detroit border project needs $250M from U.S.

Canadian politicians and border critics want U.S. President Barack Obama’s to include $250 million US in his next budget for a new customs plaza in Detroit.

It's one of the biggest and most critical pieces of infrastructure needed in a new international crossing between Windsor, Ont., and Detroit, Mich.

Canada has pledged to pay for the entire $1-billion span and property acquisition in Detroit, but wants the U.S. to pay for and build a new $250-million customs plaza in Detroit.

Last month, Ottawa dedicated $630 million for property acquisitions in Detroit and preparatory construction work...

Last year, Obama issued a presidential permit for the bridge. Only America's commitment to a new customs plaza is lacking...

Earlier this month, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had failed to commit to funding for the plaza on the U.S. side. He called it a major hurdle in the construction of the crossing.

In an effort to force the funding, U.S. Representative Gary Peters introduced the Customs Plaza Construction Act of 2014. It calls on Washington to commit $250 million to the new plaza...

In February, two senators and five members of U.S. Congress sent President Obama a joint letter asking for his support of the project...

The bridge has been authorized, but construction is not underway and completion is a long way off. It was to be completed by 2020...

The crossing is one of Canada's top infrastructure priorities. In addition to the new six-lane bridge, the project will include state-of-the-art inspection plazas and an interchange with Interstate-75 in Michigan.

One quarter of all U.S.-Canada trade crosses at Windsor-Detroit, making it the busiest border crossing in North America.

This has been excerpted from the 4 March 2014 article by CBC News, and is available in its entirety at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/windsor-detroit-border-project-needs-250m-from-u-s-1.2558216.