By Doug Draper
The Canadian and U.S. governments are installing new technology at the Peace and Queenston-Lewiston border bridges and along car and truck routes approaching the bridges in an effort to reduce wait times for people crossing the border.
A line-up of traffic – and this isn’t even a big one – at the Peace Bridge crossing at Fort Erie, Ontario and Buffalo, New York. File Photo
“Canada and the United States are taking action to promote the safe, secure and efficient movement of people and goods across the border,” said Nicholson. “This technology will make cross-border travel easier for Canadians and facilitate trade by providing reliable, up-to-date information to help drivers plan and choose the fastest crossing.”
The announcement comes as welcome news to businesses, including those in the tourist trade and those dependent on shipments of good by truck, and by border municipalities that have expressed increasing concern over the past decade over lengthening wait times at what are among the busiest border crossings on the continent.
According to a media release circulated by the Canadian and U.S. governments this July 17 – “New and advanced sensor technology near customs plazas and approach roads will measure and report delays, and relay this information to travellers. People will be able to plan their routes better, time their crossing and pick the least busy bridge.”
On the Canadian side, Nicholson also announced funding to provide border wait time information on electronic signs on road and highway approaches to the Niagara border crossings. In partnership with the Ontario government, information will be displayed on electronic signs at the approaches to the border crossings and at key decision points starting in the Spring of 2013.
“While driving to the border, we naturally wonder whether it will be faster to cross at Fort Erie or Queenston,” said Nicholson. “With this new technology, accurate, up-to-the-minute crossing times can be posted on road signs.”
This is expected to reduce border wait times for the travelling public and commercial carriers by up to one million hours per year. Up-to-date information on the Peace Bridge and Queenston-Lewiston Bridge websites will help drivers to plan and save money on fuel by avoiding congestion.
“This technology demonstrates significant progress on behalf of the Beyond the Border Action Plan by updating critical infrastructure at our ports and enhancement of the border-crossing experience for travelers,” said Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner David Aguilar who joined Nicholson for the announcement. “This latest example of US-Canadian collaboration demonstrates our nations’ partnership to ensure continued economic competitiveness.”
“Freight movement is essential to commerce and a healthy economy,” added Federal Highway Administrator Victor Mendez. “This technology will help U.S. businesses move their goods and products more efficiently across the border to help grow our national economy and create jobs.”
The new technology is being installed in the wake of the Beyond the Border Action Plan announced by Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama in December 2011. Under this Plan, Canada and the U.S. committed to reduce, eliminate and prevent barriers to cross-border trade and travel and install border wait time measurement technology at the top 20 land crossings.
The border wait time technology will also:
- Help border agencies better manage traffic volume by providing reliable information for planning purposes.
- Ensure more efficient border operations by allowing border agencies to focus resources on security.
- Reduce environmental impacts by decreasing vehicle emissions from border congestion and delays.
For information on the Peace Bridge, please visit: www.peacebridge.com .
For information on the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge, please visit: www.niagarafallsbridges.com .
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Niagara At Large 
Remember those bumper stickers, “Build the Damn Bridge”?
Windsor/Detroit found a way – why can’t Fort Erie/Buffalo?
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According to all reports the Canadian Government or should I say we the Canadian People are building the new Windsor/Detroit bridge with absolutely NO financial help from the U.S.A. In fact we are even paying the costs on the Michigan side. This information was from an editorial put forth by Harper himself and why are we so totally involved in this costly enterprise Well! one only has to ask the owner of the Ambassador Bridge who is rallying forces in an attempt to stop this invasion into territory that HE feel is against his best interests? I think the cost as reported will be about three Billion Canadian, Our Dollars Yours and Mine dollars???
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