Trade and Transportation

Participants in two sessions outlined a range of strategies for fulfilling the region’s opportunities in trade and transportation. Attention was drawn to the need to usetechnology more effectively to speed the transit of people and goods across the border, using data bases, computers, identification techniques, telecommunications, etc. to "pre-clear" or otherwise speed up the crossing.

Participants also identified the need to study the "border business" drawing on the lessons of other regions where borders play a major role in the movement of goods and people. How do they do it? How can they teach us to do it better?

The need to coordinate planning for development of a number of transportation corridors was also emphasized. Participants also identified a need to work on them as multi-modal facilities, including pedestrian, air, and rail, as well as truck and auto, and to make sure the planning is bi-national and multi-agency.

It was also proposed planners conduct a comprehensive inventory of visitor attractions that need to be linked as preamble to new investments in transport facilities.

Other specific proposals included:

Building a people mover that will span the river, connecting visitor attractions with visitor accommodations and travel hubs like the Niagara Falls International Airport, Greater Buffalo International Airport, or Downtown Buffalo. Similar strategies for non-auto, non-truck transportation were outlined in both sessions.

Promoting "green alternatives." The second group offered a range of ideas for re-using old bridges ("Ponte Vecchio" on the old Peace Bridge; pedestrians on the CP Rail bridge); new bridges (pedestrian or bike crossings from Grand Island to the Ontario side); and re-configuring existing connections (such as the Robert Moses Parkway) for environmentally friendlier uses.

Creating a lake port in Niagara County, NY to receive ferry traffic carrying trucks to and from the Greater Toronto Area. One participant suggested this as a way to make the trip faster, and to take the load off existing corridors. The business value of this idea remains to be shown and US highway links to the port would need to be upgraded.