Real Estate & Property Law

The Ambassador Bridge Brawl

By Alan Ackerman

CNN wrote a relatively balanced article explaining the issue of why there is a hotly disputed and contentious fight over  whether the City of Detroit should have a publicly owned bridge or maintain and improve the private bridge.  Arguably, there is no clear answer.  However, the whole notion of who should control the bridge must be, in part, dependent on what Canada wants.  Canada is a 'partner' in the bridge activity.
    It is without question, a new bridge must be built.  The real question is whether the bridge will be delayed forever to the lobbying of the so-called private enterprise side.
 

cnn.com

"We have somebody willing to build this at his own cost, with no cost to the taxpayer," says Rep. Dave Agema, who fought the bill's passage in the House. "To me, this is a no-brainer."

On the flip side, many locals counter that trusting Maroun to modernize the U.S./Canada transit link would be the real brainless move. The billionaire isn't a popular figure in the decaying neighborhood that surrounds his Ambassador Bridge. State Representative Rashida Tlaib, whose district includes that area, has thrown her support behind the House version of the DRIC plan, which includes provisions for community investments.

"The neighborhood has reaped no benefits with the bridge company other than trucks in our neighborhood," she says. "It's a historic district with homes being torn down and blighted homes that the company owns. It's an eyesore. We haven't had a good neighbor when it comes to the Ambassador Bridge."

The government of Canada is also pushing for a municipal solution to the bridge problem. With the land acquired, funding in place and key parties on board, the DRIC project is nearly shovel-ready, according to Canadian Minister of Transport John Baird.

"This is the most important public infrastructure project in the country," he says. "It's essential to the economic well being of both countries."

Full post as published by National Eminent Domain Blog on July 15, 2010 (boomark / email).