Detroit's Border Crossing - The More Things Change, The More They Stay The Same

The Native Americans and the early Settlers all used canoes to traverse the Detroit River.  Technology then allowed us to use ships – first, sailing ships then steam ships.  In the 1800’s the Detroit/Windsor region grew quickly and became a manufacturing center.  Railroads moved raw materials and finished goods, but the river at the Detroit/Windsor border interrupted shipments.  There had to be a way to get entire rail cars across the river.  It was decided they would use steam barges to ship the rail cars across the river.

Our forefathers loaded rail cars on barges and shipped them across the river.  A system was designed that raised and lowered dockside tracks so rail cars could easily roll on and off barges.  Each barge held 18 rail cars.  Barges ran year round, despite the weather and ice.   As Commerce grew between the United States and Canada, the railroads demanded even faster passage of goods.  In 1891, a new rail tunnel was built in Port Huron.  This shook up the Detroit powerbrokers in a big way!! 

Detroit needed a new rail crossing to stay competitive. The Michigan Central Railway proposed building a new Detroit rail crossing in the early 1900s.  Civil engineers recommended a trench-and-tube tunnel design.  This type of tunnel had never been successfully built before.  On August 28, 1909 The Detroit Free Press announced “The Michigan Central tunnel is different from all others, its construction marking an entire departure from the methods used in previous tunnel work."  The Detroit Times front page on September 21, 1909 read, “Detroit has taken a position of prominence on the railroad map. . . . it is a remarkable undertaking, this tunnel."

Although the city was excited, the barge companies weren’t. Protests against the unproven tunnel design were heard at City Halls on both sides of the river.  Politically-connected barge company owners tried to use their influence to derail the project.  Despite objections and political maneuvers, the twin tube rail tunnel was built!

This was the first successful trench-and-tube tunnel constructed in the world.  It was 1.6 miles long and completed in 1909.  It has been a successful rail operation ever since.  Last year the tunnel carried over 450,000 freight cars!

As commercial trucks became more prevalent, demand for a new truck crossing grew.  A new four lane bridge crossing was proposed.  If the bridge was built, truck traffic would rival train traffic for lucrative commercial cargo and all short-haul traffic would go to trucks.  The railroads tried to stop the bridge using their political influence.  Despite the political wrangling, the bridge referendum was passed by an 8 to 1 margin.  The general contract for bridge construction was signed July 20, 1927.  Oddly enough, the Detroit/Windsor car tunnel was also being built about that time without much controversy.  That was because it wasn’t a threat to anyone’s vested interests. 

The Ambassador Bridge was built between 1927-1929.  The Ambassador Bridge was built by entrepreneur Joseph Bower.  It was completed on November 11, 1929 – 21 days after the stock market crash and six months ahead of schedule.  At the time, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world.  The Bower family successfully maintained control of the Ambassador Bridge until July 31, 1979 when the bridge and its assets were sold to Matty Moroun for $30,000,000.  The bridge is over 9,200 feet long from entrance to exit and 152 feet above the Detroit River with Four lanes – two in each direction.  Today, the bridge carries over 10,000 trucks a day.

The transportation capacity at the border must be addressed.  The Detroit-Windsor border has the highest-volume commercial crossing point in the world. The question is how best to solve all the problems.

In the last decade, Port Huron has added a new high-capacity rail tunnel and twinned the Blue Water Bridge.  The 1909 Detroit rail tunnel’s days are numbered.  Modern rail cars have outgrown it.  Where do we stand today? 

The Jobs Tunnel Project involves building a new high-capacity rail tunnel. This solves the rail capacity problem.  Completion of the whole train project does not require any U.S. government funds and only $150 million in Canadian government funds.  The Jobs Tunnel will bring competition to this border route for the first time,  provide the redundancy demanded by Homeland Security and the project can be completed in less than four years after the environmental assessment (EA) and government approvals are received.  To recap, the Jobs Tunnel Project is a $650 million (U.S.) public/private project.  In the U.S. there will be no cost to city, county or state.  It will use existing infrastructure, assure continued rail service at this crossing and will save up to 12,000 automotive jobs and creates 1,400 construction jobs.