Transportation Border Working Group

Border Infrastructure updateMinistère des Transports du Québec

October 27th Québec

Québec and the Canada/U.S. Border

Québec has 32 international crossings: 10 with New York State 15 with Vermont 6 with Maine 1 with New Hampshire

Value of trade: Canada 65.2 G$ CA (2006) United States: 58.7 G$ CA (2009)

2009: 6 millions vehicles (both directions) including 1.25 millions trucks (20.5%)

60% of all traffic and 80% of commercial traffic used 4 main border crossings:

Lacolle (A-15) / Champlain (I-87) St-Armand (A-35) / Highgates Springs (I-91) Stanstead (A-55) / Derby Line (I-91) Armstrong (Rte 173) / Jackman (Rd 201)

Sources:Statistiques CanadaU.S. Department of CommerceEnquête nationale sur le camionnage 2006-2007

Year 2006 Québec – U.S. daily truck volumes at international borders

Sources: Transport Canada National Roadside SurveyTransport Canada – National Multi-Modal Commodity Flow Forecasts – Global InsightCompiled by Rob Tardif – Ministry Transportation Ontario

Additional daily truck volumes at Québec border crossings

Lacolle930

St Armand390

Rock Island215

Other180

In Year 2026, Québec’s international border crossings will be required to process an additional 1,320 trucks per day.

Sources: Transport Canada National Roadside SurveyTransport Canada – National Multi-Modal Commodity Flow Forecasts – Global InsightCompiled by Rob Tardif – Ministry Transportation Ontario

Relative importance of trucking: major mode to support Québec – US trade

• 65% of the value of goods exchanged between Québec and the US is carried by trucks

• This proportion grow up to 75% when considering only northeastern states

• Between 1990 and 2003 trucking had a 122% increase in terms of tonnage carried (more than any other mode)

• Trucking is the best adapted mode to current supply chains and business needs

Ministère des Transports Policy on Road Freight Transport 2009-2014

Line of intervention 3.3: • Make it easier to use road

transport in a context of increased security measures

Create infrastructures suitable to maintaining flow at the border

Harmonized with custom facilities Suppportive of trusted travellers’s

programs

Maintain partnerships and co-operation efforts with stakeholders affected by security issues

Neighbouring jurisdictions Customs agencies Regional coalitions

MTQ’s interests and challenges at the border

• Interests: Road safety Fluidity of goods and people at the border Contribute to maintain security Support to economic growth

• Challenges Balance between fluidity and security at the border: respect of each

stakeholder’s responsibilities Cooperation with U.S. states and federal border agencies Use of new technologies (ITS) Information and consultation of the trucking industry and the trade

community

Concept: •Separation of truck traffic and passenger traffic:

Benefits:•Road safety increased •Fluidity improved•Reduction of Green house gases and air pollutants emissions•Customs operations facilitated•Well accepted from the trucking industry

Armstrong Rte 173

• Main border crossing with Maine linking the eastern part of Québec with I-95

2009: 190 000 vehicles (both directions) including 65 000 trucks (34.2%)

• Extention of Highway 73 until St-Georges de Beauce (230 M$ CA investments*)

• Construction of a second lane southbound exclusively reserved for trucks on the last 1.2 km of rte 173

*Transports Canada: 40 M$ CA contribution via SHIP and BIF programs

Stanstead A-55

• Major link between Québec and Vermont linking the Eastern Townships region with I-91

2009: 630 000 vehicles (both directions) including 80 000 trucks (12.7%)

• Construction of a third lane southbound, separated by islands and road marking reserved for trucks

• Installation of an ITS system allowing to switch lane use (personal vehicles vs trucks) depending on traffic demand

• Investment: 15 M $CA*

*Transports Canada: 50% contribution via BIF program

Stanstead A-55

St-Armand A-35 / rte 133

• Links Montréal to Burlington and Boston

• Extension of A-35 between St-Jean-sur-Richelieu and the Canada U.S. Border (38.9km) Construction expected to end in 2014

2009: 980 000 vehicles (both directions) including 200 000 trucks (20.4%)

• Challenge: limited space (Duty Free Shop, CBSA building): addition of a third lane southbound for trucks

• Budget: 400 M$ CA

*Transports Canada: 58 M$ CA contribution via SHIP and BIF programs

Schedule:

•2007: minor improvement near CBSA facility to improve road safety and circulation near the border (signage, road marking, islands, etc)

•2013: First 24 km (segments 1 & 2)

•2016: Last 14 km (segments 3 & 4)

CBSA facility, Glenn Sutton, QcLewiston/Queenston Bridge, NYS / Ont

Detroit / Windsor Tunnel, Mi / Ont Lacolle / Champlain, NYS / QC

Planning road infrastructure projects at the border is subject to different challenges in each province and state

Local and regional realities

Local and regional realities:

• Quebec cannot ignore infrastructure improvements being completed in other provinces:

Up to 35% of truck trips between Quebec and the United States crosses in Ontario: Ambassador Bridge Peace Bridge (Fort Erie) Thousand Islands Bridge

• Highlight the relevance to be involved in multilateral coalitions dealing with border issues

2026 Ontario-Québec daily truck trips

Sources: Transports Canada National Roadside SurveyTransports Canada – National Multi-Modal Commodity Flow Forecasts – Global InsightCompiled by Rob Tardif – Ministry Transportation Ontario

Conclusions

• Increase of security measures will remain permanent

• Common need for reliable data to support decision making, including forecasts

• Transportation infrastructure challenges at the border are very different from one province and state to the other

• Planning infrastructure projects at the border requires particular coordination and is subject to specific regulation (commitments, approval, agreements, etc)

• 5-10 years is a relatively « short term horizon » in terms of transportation infrastructure projects at the border

Conclusions (2)

• Contrary to usual expectations, provincial ministries of transportation deal mainly with US customs agencies and state Departments of transportation (DOTs) deal with Canada customs agencies

• Partnerships and cooperation between MOT/DOT and border agencies has to be continuous

• Road infrastructure alone cannot solve congestion issues, clearance processes at the border is the needed complement to ensure traffic fluidity

• The use of the same concept to manage traffic at the border facilitate reaching our objectives of road safety and fluidity

Thank you!

Dave HenryMinistère des Transports du Québec

Direction du transport routier des marchandises(418) 644-4719 ext 2351

davehenry@mtq.gouv.qc.ca