November 26, 2008 -- The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has received Federal Highway Administration approval of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and 4(f) Evaluation prepared for the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Study.
The FEIS identifies the Preferred Alternative for a new border crossing between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, consisting of a road connection from I-75 to a new U.S. border inspections plaza and a new bridge to Canada (X-10B in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement). The proposed plaza area is bordered by Post, Jefferson and Campbell streets and the Southern Norfolk Railroad tracks between Fort Wayne and I-75. The location of the proposed interchange is the Livernois/Dragoon corridor and the proposed bridge would connect to the southwest corner of the plaza and cross the river just upriver from Zug Island.
The DRIC Study is a bi-national effort to complete the environmental study processes related to a new Detroit-Windsor crossing. It identifies solutions that support the region, state, provincial and national economies and meet the civil and national defense and homeland security needs of the busiest trade corridor between the United States and Canada. The DRIC Study covers transportation alternatives that improve the border-crossing facilities, operations and connections to meet existing and future mobility and security needs. The FEIS evaluates the Preferred Alternative in addition to a No-Build Alternative. The Preferred Alternative includes facilities for collecting tolls, a customs inspection plaza, an interchange connection and a bridge from the plaza that spans the Detroit River.
Leading the study is the Border Transportation Partnership, comprised of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), MDOT, Transport Canada and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation. The Border Transportation Partnership completed the Planning/Needs and Feasibility Study for the DRIC Study in February 2004, released a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for public review and comment in February 2008 and conducted public hearings in March 2008. The FEIS includes responses received during the DEIS public comment period. No sooner than 30 days after the publication of the FEIS in the Federal Register, the FHWA will issue a Record of Decision, the next step in the U.S. environmental clearance process. All approvals will be consistent with the U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). The Canadian environmental clearance process also is nearing completion.
The FEIS is available at 21 locations, including:
- MDOT Bureau of Transportation Planning, 425 West Ottawa St., Lansing
- MDOT Metro Region Office, 18101 W. Nine Mile Rd., Southfield
- MDOT Detroit Transportation Service Center, 1400 Howard St., Detroit
- MDOT Taylor Transportation Service Center, 25185 Goddard, Taylor
- Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave., Detroit
- Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Ave., Detroit
- Bowen Branch of the Detroit Public Library, 3648 W. Vernor, Detroit
- Library at Southwestern High School, 6921 W. Fort St., Detroit
- Delray Recreation Center. 420 Leigh St., Detroit
- Allen Park Library 8100 Allen Rd., Allen Park
- Ecorse Library, 4184 W. Jefferson Ave., Ecorse
- Melvindale Library, 18650 Allen Rd., Melvindale
- River Rouge Library, 221 Burke St., River Rouge
- Kemeny Recreation Center, 2260 S. Fort St., Detroit
- Campbell Branch of the Detroit Public Library, 8733 W. Vernor, Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Central District, 2 Woodward Ave., Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Northwestern District, 19180 Grand River Ave., Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Northeastern District, 2328 E. Seven Mile Rd., Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Western District, 18100 Meyers Rd., Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Eastern District, 7737 Kercheval St., Detroit
- Neighborhood City Hall Southwestern District, 7744 W. Vernor St., Detroit
The document also is available on the Internet at www.partnershipborderstudy.com. Comments must be received on or before Jan. 5, 2009. Substantive comments will be responded to in the Record of Decision. Written comments and requests for printed and electronic copies of the FEIS may be submitted by mail, fax or e-mail to: Robert Parsons, Public Involvement and Hearings Officer, Bureau of Transportation Planning, Michigan Department of Transportation, P.O. Box 30050, Lansing, MI 48909; Phone: 517-373-9534; Fax: 517-373-9255; or e-mail: parsonsb@michigan.gov.
The FEIS is available in alternative formats such as large print or audiotape; assistance with Spanish or Arabic translations also is available upon request. Requests should be made to Robert Parsons, MDOT Public Involvement and Hearings Officer, at 517 373-9534 or e-mail: parsonsb@michigan.gov.
MDOT says: Remember - in Ice and Snow, Take it Slow!
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