One Way Tunnel? Images of morning & afternoon traffic at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel

[Lowell]

One way tunnel? One city, two countries but snapshots of the entrance of the Detroit-Windsor tunnel underlines the interdependency of the two countries and particularly an almost one-sided supply of labor from Windsor to Detroit. Does anyone know the numbers of that? I believe I heard that over 5000 Canadians work in Detroit.

Below: It's after 5PM on a weekday afternoon and a Canada-bound traffic jam forms at the entrance to the Detroit-Windsor tunnel. Minimal incoming traffic is seen entering the US at the top.


At 8:30 AM an opposite story appears.

[DetroitPlanner]

Canadians don't believe in carpooling!

[mtburb]

That's why the Tunnel Bus exists.

[401don]

The closure of the TBQ will only make matters worse.

[mikeg19]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that part of the plan to build a new, larger railroad tunnel near the current portal is to possibly convert the old tunnel into a vehicular tunnel. Maybe this alternative option will alleviate some of the congestion?

Until about three weeks ago, I hadn't been across the boarder in almost a decade. Now that me and my wife both have our passports, we decided to go to Erie street for dinner on a Saturday night. What a clusterfuck going over. We left earlier than we probably would have liked to just anticipating the traffic coming home and not wanting to wait.

[Scottathew]

I work downtown in IT and there are a lot of Canadians that I work with.

[401don]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe that part of the plan to build a new, larger railroad tunnel near the current portal is to possibly convert the old tunnel into a vehicular tunnel. Maybe this alternative option will alleviate some of the congestion?

Until about three weeks ago, I hadn't been across the boarder in almost a decade. Now that me and my wife both have our passports, we decided to go to Erie street for dinner on a Saturday night. What a clusterfuck going over. We left earlier than we probably would have liked to just anticipating the traffic coming home and not wanting to wait.

Even if it were suitable, the new rail tunnel will be too close and will use the existing corridor to enter it. Besides, Obama won't even pay for a customs plaza for the new bridge.

[Islandman]

I work downtown in IT and there are a lot of Canadians that I work with.

Yep, lots of contract IT folks from India with Ontario plates when I worked at DTE downtown.

[dtowncitylover]

...particularly an almost one-sided supply of labor from Windsor to Detroit.

This is probably because Canada has tougher restrictions on foreign, particularily American, labour. My brother in law, an engineer with a Ford contractor, was asked to go to the Oakville plant but when he got to the border he told the truth but was turned around because he didn't have a work visa, which he now does. He was going to be there just for the day but their mantra is, "If there's a Canadian who can do the job, we don't need you." He couldn't disprove that at that point. He was told by his cohorts/mangers to just make the reason up, but then he didn't.

[DTWflyer]

Despite the fact we have an undefended border, free-trade, and friendly with our neighbors across the border, business travel to Canada is absolutely the biggest PITA. Like the poster above mentioned, you get heavy scrutiny upon entry into Canada when you state you are going there for business or a meeting.

Apparently its gotten bad for Canadians coming into the US too, unless they have work permits.

It is one thing if you are working cross-border every day but for periodic business travel its awful. There is no rhyme or reason depending on the agent, what they ask, etc. I've had to get a work permit before, letters or renumberation just to cross the border for meetings for 2 days about every other month.

I have no problems traveling for work to Mexico, China, UK, Italy, France but Canada is the biggest problem.

It is stupid particularly with how interconnected the Canadian and US Auto Industry has its ties back to US-based companies and operations.

[Hypestyles]

build the new bridge [[not Moroun's).