The Windsor-Detroit Gateway is Canada's busiest land border crossing. With increased security, aging infrastructure, and a competitive need to get goods to market quicker than ever, a long-term solution to improve border transportation in this gateway is required that protects the local community while responding to the economic needs of two nations. A team of experts from Canada, the U.S., Ontario and Michigan aimed to address capacity, system connectivity, and redundancy at the Windsor-Detroit border through a comprehensive transportation environmental study. The study process followed the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA), the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) and the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Ontario is leading the delivery of the Canadian access road The Windsor-Essex Parkway. The Windsor-Essex Parkway is unlike any road, anywhere in Canada. The six-lane freeway is 11 km long and is below-grade meaning international-bound traffic is dropped below the line of sight of the local communities. The Parkway features 11 tunnels and a four-lane service road allowing long-distance international traffic to travel unimpeded by traffic signals to a new inspection plaza and river crossing while improving community linkages and providing new recreational opportunities including trails and green space. For the first time Highway 401 will connect to the border uninterrupted. This project was nominated for the TAC 2009 Environmental Achievement Award. For the covering abstract of this conference see ITRD number E220308.
Abstract