Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC)

In 2001, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) formed a partnership with Transport Canada, the U.S. Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT). The Canada-U.S-Ontario-Michigan Border Transportation Partnership (the Partnership) was formed to improve the movement of people and goods across the Canada-U.S. border in Southwestern Ontario/Southeast Michigan. The Partnership prepared a Planning/Need and Feasibility (PNF) study, which was published in 2004. The PNF study provides a 30-year strategy for the Windsor-Detroit gateway.

A key element of the 30-year strategy is development of a new border crossing system that includes connections to the freeway systems in both countries.

To identify a preferred end-to-end border transportation solution, the Partnership conducted the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) Environmental Study. The environmental assessment (EA) process in Canada commenced in 2004 with the preparation and approval of the EA Terms of Reference, required under Ontario’s Environmental Assessment Act (OEAA). The DRIC study was launched early in 2005.

The Partnership's coordinated planning process enabled the joint selection and assessment of a preferred river crossing location to meet the requirements of the OEAA, Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), and U.S. National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) effectively and efficiently.

The Partnership identified Illustrative Alternatives, including 15 possible river crossing locations in June 2005. As part of the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) study, a thorough and systematic process was used to analyse and evaluate the alternatives resulting in an Area of Continued Analysis being identified in November 2005. Continued study lead to the identification of three bridge, three plaza and five access road Practical Alternatives in March 2006.

A Parkway alternative for the access road was presented in August 2007 and a refined access road - the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway - was identified as the Technically and Environmentally Preferred Alternative (TEPA) in spring 2008.

Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway provides a 11 km, six- lane below-grade freeway, 11 tunnels, separate service roads for local traffic, 20 kilometres of new trails, and more than 300 acres of green space. It also meets the communities' and study team's goals of improving quality of life, getting trucks off local streets and improving the movement of traffic across the border.

The DRIC study team presented the TEPA for the bridge and plaza locations in June 2008. The preferred location is in west Windsor in an area known as Brighton Beach.

During the study period, January 2005 to December 2008, the DRIC study team participated in over 300 consultation events. The study team met with members of the community, various stakeholder groups, and municipal, provincial and federal elected officials to discuss the project, and seek their feedback.

On December 31, 2008, the DRIC study team filed the EA detailing the Recommended Plan, including the Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway, with the Ontario Minister of the Environment for review and approval.

On August 24, 2009, Ontario announced that the provincial EA was approved.

On December 3, 2009, the Government of Canada announced that the federal EA was approved.

With provincial and federal EA approval, work on the Canadian portion of the end-to-end border transportation system could begin. Initial construction began in December 2009.

On September 27, 2010, the DRIC study was recognized by Transportation Association of Canada with an Environmental Achievement Award.

Read more about the bi-national Detroit River International Crossing study.