Coast Guard tells bridge company to halt work on second Detroit River span

Tom Greenwood / The Detroit News

http://detnews.com/article/20090615/...oit-River-span

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The United States Coast Guard today ordered the Detroit International Bridge Co. to halt work on building a second span of the Ambassador Bridge across the Detroit River.

In its ruling, the Coast Guard suspended the bridge company's bridge permit application process for the second span because of a "doubt of the right of the builder to construct and utilize a bridge."

According to the Coast Guard, the "[[bridge company) has yet to provide the Coast Guard with evidence that they have acquired the necessary property rights for Riverside Park from the city of Detroit to build the [[bridge) as described in their bridge permit application...."

The Coast Guard said that the bridge company's evaluation process must be halted until the issues are resolved to the satisfaction of the Coast Guard.

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great news

Is Mr. Maroun going to obey this or is he going to treat it as another "scrap of paper" [[as German Chancellor von Bethmann-Hollweg famously referred to Belgian neutrality in the early days of World War I)?

He is quite well known for simply ignoring legal edicts which are passed down onto him or his companies. I'm not sure why he'd treat the Coast Guard with any less disdain than he routinely treats the City of Detroit or the Michigan Department of Transportation.

Here is the official letter from the USCG:

On Monday, June 15th, the U.S. Coast Guard issued a letter of abeyance to the Detroit International Bridge Company [[DIBC), suspending the USCG bridge permit application process for the proposed Ambassador Bridge Enhancement Project [[ABEP).

The existing Ambassador Bridge, privately owned by the Detroit International Bridge Company [[DIBC) since 1927, currently serves as the busiest international crossing between the U.S. and Canada, linking Detroit, MI with Windsor, ON. DIBC submitted a permit application to the Coast Guard in July 2006 to construct a new six-lane bridge parallel and adjacent to the existing bridge. Prior to commencing construction of the bridge, DIBC must first obtain a Coast Guard Bridge Permit, since the proposed structure crosses a navigable waterway.

Under the National Environmental Policy Act [[NEPA), the Coast Guard released a Final Environmental Assessment [[EA) and Draft Finding of No Significant Impact [[FONSI) for the ABEP on February 27, 2009. The public comment period closed on April 30, 2009 and significant comments were received.

The Coast Guard has advised DIBC on several occasions that 33 CFR 115.05 prohibits the USCG from issuing a bridge permit when there is doubt of the right of the builder to construct and utilize a bridge. DIBC has yet to provide the Coast Guard with evidence that they have acquired the necessary property rights for Riverside Park from the City of Detroit to build the ABEP as described in their bridge permit application and as analyzed by the ABEP Final EA.

The Michigan Department of Transportation [[MDOT) has advised the Coast Guard that the Ambassador Bridge Gateway Project [[ABGP), currently under construction, is not being implemented by DIBC per the project’s contractual agreement. This impacts ABEP since there is a clear link between the ABGP and the ABEP through the bridge plaza; therefore, the accuracy of the NEPA analysis contained in the ABEP EA is in question.

To summarize, based upon:
1) the uncertainty of the final outcome of ABGP construction on DIBC owned property;
2) uncertainty over final ABGP impact on NEPA for the ABEP; and
3) City of Detroit allegations that DIBC does not have the right to build the ABEP on Riverside Park, in effect requiring a change in proposed design of the ABEP,

Coast Guard has determined that the ABEP, with the current information available, cannot be accurately evaluated under NEPA. The evaluation process must therefore be placed in abeyance until these issues are satisfactorily resolved and such is made known to the Coast Guard. Once all documentation required is received, and DIBC specifically requests that the Coast Guard recommence processing the bridge permit application for the ABEP, the Coast Guard will make a determination regarding issuance of a FONSI or elevation of the proposed project to an Environmental Impact Statement. It is only after the NEPA process has been completed that the Coast Guard can make a final determination as to whether to issue a Coast Guard Bridge Permit for the ABEP.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/906159974

Manny has the locals paid off. This is the feds here. A whole new ball game.

How big a joke is this? How many people have been asleep at the switch. Manny and his minions have built a massive bridge approach and only now, MDOT and the USCG are seeing that things have not been done to plan? With Bing in place, you can bet that Detroit's interests in the park will be sold out.

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Originally Posted by Novine

How big a joke is this? How many people have been asleep at the switch. Manny and his minions have built a massive bridge approach and only now, MDOT and the USCG are seeing that things have not been done to plan? With Bing in place, you can bet that Detroit's interests in the park will be sold out.

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MDOT and the Coast guard always knew, the DIBC has never been shy about saying that they were building a second span or that it was a part of the Gateway Project. Whether they were in agreement or not they knew, they didn't expect the backlash that they're getting, that's all.

Bill Shea of Crain's, on the ball as usual:

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...FREE/906169969

My take on this is, as I suspected, Mr. Maroun and his colleagues [[henchmen?) are going to try to wriggle out from under, or ignore, what the Federal government says. After all, living in their underground lair under a volcanic islet in the South Atlantic somewhere, of course they aren't subject to the same rules as the rest of us.

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Originally Posted by professorscott

Bill Shea of Crain's, on the ball as usual:

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really? am i the only one here that thinks it highly dubious for the journalist so often reporting on bridge issues for crains to openly and often opine on dyes, on these same issues under the moniker "BShea"? smacks of crap journalistic integrity [[in the D, shout out) to me

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Originally Posted by gravitymachine

really? am i the only one here that thinks it highly dubious for the journalist so often reporting on bridge issues for crains to openly and often opine on dyes, on these same issues under the moniker "BShea"? smacks of crap journalistic integrity [[in the D, shout out) to me

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Did he get any of the facts wrong? Is it an opinion piece?

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Originally Posted by kraig

Did he get any of the facts wrong? Is it an opinion piece?

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all i'm saying is that it must be difficult to be objective in one's work, while so openly opinionated here, when the subject matter is one and the same

all i'm saying is that it must be difficult to be objective in one's work, while so openly opinionated here, when the subject matter is one and the same

No, you confuse asking tough questions with a lack of objectivity. You're so utterly blinded by your hatred of Moroun that anyone who doesn't instantly call him a criminal slumlord is automatically labeled as a hack. You want the line towed on your viewpoint.

You think Metro Times is a serious, traditional, fair news outlet on this subject, too, which speaks volumes.

I don't buy the propaganda on either side of this nor the DRIC debate. I want evidence. And when I see some hamfisted crap, I'll call it out. I've reported when Moroun has been slapped down, and I've reported when his opponents get smaked down.

There's nothing I won't say on here that I won't say in person, and that I haven't said to Dan Stamper, Matt Moroun, Rashida Tlaib, Steve Tobocman and anyone else involved in all this nonsense.

You wish to cower behind a screen name, that's your right. I choose to be myself.

I also write about Chrysler, and I drive a Dodge Charger. I must be in the tank for 'em!

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Originally Posted by gravitymachine

all i'm saying is that it must be difficult to be objective in one's work, while so openly opinionated here, when the subject matter is one and the same

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Why what's his opinion here? Have you known him to say anything that's pro-DIBC or anti-DIBC? He's done a lot of posting on DetroitYes. So, if he has, you should have any problems finding it and pointing it out.

I'll quote Hunter Thompson again, this time with feeling, so you get it:

"So much for Objective Journalism. Don’t bother to look for it here -- not under any byline of mine; or anyone else I can think of. With the possible exception of things like box scores, race results, and stock market tabulations, there is no such thing as Objective Journalism. The phrase itself is a pompous contradiction in terms."

Objectivity is bullshit. It's what you get from the New York Times on WMD reporting prior to 2003.

You have to be FAIR, and I'm brutally fair. I also won't willy nilly repeat bullshit from anyone, and I'll always air all sides.

I have no dog in this hunt. I don't ever go to Windsor and I don't own a logistics company. I could personally give a rat's ass if they build 20 bridges or none. But I do care if people state things and can't support the facts when millions of dollars of public money is at stake, and when government power is potentially abused.

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Originally Posted by BShea

You think Metro Times is a serious, traditional, fair news outlet on this subject, too, which speaks volumes.

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find where i said, alluded to or insinuated this and i will award you a pulitzer

Why what's his opinion here? Have you known him to say anything that's pro-DIBC or anti-DIBC? He's done a lot of posting on DetroitYes. So, if he has, you should have any problems finding it and pointing it out.

He's referencing a post months ago when Rashida Tlaib issued a ill-though press release that called the Ambassador Bridge itself "a monstrosity" -- a tactless, politically troubling mistake from a rookie politician. Some of her allies in Lansing told me off the record it was a "bone headed" thing to do.

Attack Moroun -- plenty of fodder there. Attack the bridge itself and you're insulting some of the choir you're trying to preach to, and needlessly irritating people and potential allies.

For all the things for which you can attack the DIBC -- and there are plenty, which I've reported on -- the old bridge isn't a smart one to go after. Everyone agrees the bridge is a good thing [[unless you're some weird isolationist).

She also wrote in the Freep, in an oblique way, that the bridge and its traffic cause cancer, asthma and prostitution [[never mind the hundreds of smokestacks within site of the bridge). That drew more catcalls from allies.

I have zero problem with a politician being an activist for whatever cause, but as a reporter I'm going to report the missteps. Same thing with the other side. And that causes fellow travelers/sycophants to scream about objectivity, etc.

Ya can't win 'em all. I choose to engage with the community, and posters on here have e-mailed me to point out facts, stories, etc. It's a valuable tool.

find where i said, alluded to or insinuated this and i will award you a pulitzer

My apologies. You are correct. I confused your screen name with a similar one on another thread, so I don't, in fact, have proof that you maintain such a belief. You may very well, but I've not seen you say that. It was someone else, so my bad.

I can admit when I make an error. Not many here can say that.

Cough -- hack -- cough ...

I see Nerd is weighing in with his usual high-brow intellectual contributions.

"She also wrote in the Freep, in an oblique way, that the bridge and its traffic cause cancer, asthma and prostitution [[never mind the hundreds of smokestacks within site of the bridge). "

i guess you have to be here to see it. Trucks in large numbers draw prostitutes to fort st and Junction Ave & all around. Deisel pollution causes asthma and heart disease.

It hasn't been fun to be here with the Ambassador Bridge.

As for Tlaib - she continues to be hugely supported by her constituents [[envious Kraig notwithstanding) and she does seem to have a large number of heavy-weight allies on both the State and Federal level who don't appear to have backed away at all. Can you provide an example of any "catcalls."

Just a coughing fit, Bill. Must be something in the air here. :D

i guess you have to be here to see it. Trucks in large numbers draw prostitutes to fort st and Junction Ave & all around. Deisel pollution causes asthma and heart disease.

And the trucks at the DRIC bridge which she supports also will draw prostitutes and belch diesel particulate. The current location of the bridge is the fault of no one alive. The Gateway plan -- which I'm told DIBC is jeopardizing by changing plans -- was designed in part of help the air in the area ... but the air is never going to be much better because it's an industrial area.

As for Tlaib - she continues to be hugely supported by her constituents [[envious Kraig notwithstanding) and she does seem to have a large number of heavy-weight allies on both the State and Federal level who don't appear to have backed away at all.

That is correct. She also has opponents. No dispute there, and it's her job to push for what people want. It's how you push that can be the problem. I recently had a good lunch with her, too.

Can you provide an example of any "catcalls."

Those are privvy sources who asked not to be named, but they're in Lansing and they're DRIC supporters.

The air was much better until recently. The factories put scrubbers on their smoke stacks to comply with EPA rules and address resident complaints. Life was much better until the Bridge become a monstrosity in our midst. I do beleive that one man's greed has made it so.

And by the way, I encourage you to drive over the Bridge and look it over. Maybe your journalist's eagle eye can determine if there is a 'demolition by neglect' story there - rusted through barricades, concrete deck sporting holes, no rust abatement for years.... Maybe I'm imagining things but it looks to me as if the DIBC is treating the bridge the way Moroun treats the MCS.

Funny though - why would anyone ever even think that?