Introduction

Proponent

Ontario Ministry of Transportation (in Partnership with Transport Canada, Michigan Department of Transportation and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration)

Location

Within the geographic area of the County of Essex and the City of Windsor in Ontario (as well as Wayne County and City of Detroit in Michigan)

Type

Transportation

Reference number

05087

Contact

Environmental Approvals Branch

Current status

Environmental assessment: approved, August 21, 2009

Project summary

The purpose of the undertaking is to identify a solution to provide for the safe, efficient and secure movement of people and goods across the Canadian-U.S. border in the Detroit River area.

Project history

Environmental assessment: approved
Date submitted: December 31, 2008
Expiry of public comment period: February 27, 2009
Expiry of public comment period for ministry review: May 29, 2009
Decision date: August 21, 2009

Terms of reference: approved
Date submitted: May 20, 2004
Expiry of public comment period: June 21, 2004
Decision date: September 17, 2004

Environmental assessment

The Ministry of Transportation (MTO) sought approval under the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (EAA) for an undertaking, namely the Windsor-Essex Parkway portion of the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Project. The Windsor-Essex Parkway portion of the DRIC Project includes the proposed highway connection between Highway 401 and the proposed plaza and bridge between the Cities of Windsor and Detroit, as well as any ancillary aspects of the Windsor-Essex Parkway, including features such as service roads, interchanges, and commuter parking lots.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) process was summarized in a report, which was submitted to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE) on December 31, 2008 for formal review and approval, in accordance with section 6.2(1) of the EAA, and the approved Terms of Reference. The first comment period, which lasted for seven weeks, was from January 9, 2009 to February 27, 2009. Comments about the EA and the proposed undertaking were accepted.

Following the end of the first comment period, MOE staff prepared the Ministry Review. A Notice of Completion of the Ministry Review was published on April 24, 2009. The five-week public comment period on the Ministry Review expired on May 29, 2009, during which time any comments about the proposed undertaking, the EA, and the Ministry Review could have been made. Also during that time, requests for the Minister to refer the application to a hearing were allowed.

Terms of reference

Purpose

The Detroit River International Crossing Project is being undertaken by the Canada-U.S.-Ontario-Michigan Border Transportation Partnership. As a member of the Partnership, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation has developed a Terms of Reference (ToR) for the preparation of an Environmental Assessment. The TOR was submitted to the Ontario Minister of the Environment under section 6(2)(a) of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act. If approved, the TOR will serve as the framework for an Environmental Assessment (EA) Study.

The EA Study will examine a range of transportation alternatives to identify a solution to provide for the safe, efficient and secure movement of people and goods across the Canadian-U.S. border in the Detroit River area. Given the importance of this trade corridor to the local, regional and national economies and recognizing the negative effects associated with poor traffic operations and congestion already occurring at existing crossings, the partnering governments must take all responsible steps to reduce the likelihood of disruption to transportation service in this corridor.

The transportation problems in the Detroit River area to be addressed by this EA Study are as follows:

  • The lack of reasonable options for maintaining the movement of people and goods in cases of major incidents, maintenance operations, congestion or other disruptions at any of the existing border crossings;
  • Lack of sufficient capacity to meet the long-term (i.e. 30-year) travel demand at the Windsor-Detroit border crossings; and
  • Increased security requirements creating impacts on the movement of people and goods at border crossings.

In addressing the above transportation problems, the EA Study will consider opportunities to reduce impacts and enhance benefits to the border region.

Background

The Canada-U.S.-Ontario-Michigan Border Transportation Partnership includes the transportation authorities from two federal governments (Federal Highway Administration and Transport Canada) and two provincial/state governments (Ontario Ministry of Transportation and Michigan Department of Transportation).

The Partnership jointly commissioned a Planning/Need and Feasibility Study (P/NF), which identified a long-term strategy to address the safe and efficient movement of people and goods between Southeast Michigan and Southwest Ontario. The transportation problems and opportunities identified during the P/NF Study provide the basis for the Partnership to initiate the environmental study processes for the development and assessment of transportation alternatives at the Detroit River international crossing.

The process for developing and selecting a recommended plan will meet the requirements of the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, and the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act.