The American-Canadian commission pushing for a plan to expand a New York bridge to relieve truck congestion at the border broke a deadlock Wednesday when it announced plans to begin a new court-ordered environmental study.
According to Associated Press reports, the Peace Bridge Authority also agreed to consider alternatives to its proposed bridge design, a plan that has been under debate for more than two years.
The authority had threatened to appeal state a Supreme Court ruling that required a complete environmental-impact statement before moving forward with construction plans. The authority's U.S. and Canadian members had said it would delay the project and harm the region's economy.
However, Peace Bridge Authority Chairman Victor Martucci said the authority's board of directors has decided that the quickest way to relieve congestion is to comply with the ruling.
The agency has also proposed a joining forces with the two cities connected by the bridge - Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ontario - to develop and evaluate project alternatives and their potential effects on the environment, AP reported.
As many as 6,000 commercial trucks cross the Peace Bridge over the Niagara River daily. The Ontario Trucking Association forecasts that commercial traffic between the United States and Canada will double within five years thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
According to Associated Press reports, the Peace Bridge Authority also agreed to consider alternatives to its proposed bridge design, a plan that has been under debate for more than two years.
The authority had threatened to appeal state a Supreme Court ruling that required a complete environmental-impact statement before moving forward with construction plans. The authority's U.S. and Canadian members had said it would delay the project and harm the region's economy.
However, Peace Bridge Authority Chairman Victor Martucci said the authority's board of directors has decided that the quickest way to relieve congestion is to comply with the ruling.
The agency has also proposed a joining forces with the two cities connected by the bridge - Buffalo, N.Y., and Fort Erie, Ontario - to develop and evaluate project alternatives and their potential effects on the environment, AP reported.
As many as 6,000 commercial trucks cross the Peace Bridge over the Niagara River daily. The Ontario Trucking Association forecasts that commercial traffic between the United States and Canada will double within five years thanks to the North American Free Trade Agreement.
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