July 2, 2009

POLICY STATEMENT REGARDING THE PROPOSED BRIDGES
BETWEEN THE USA AND CANADA

Southwest Solutions is a nonprofit organization providing mental health, affordable housing, services to the homeless, literacy programs, and community organizing in southwest Detroit. The organization’s annual budget is $23 million and its real estate portfolio $70 million in real estate assets in southwest Detroit.

Since 1999 and in collaboration with other organizations, Southwest Solutions has worked intently to maintain a knowledgeable and educated position regarding international bridge-related issues.

By way of background, the Ambassador Bridge, is owned and operated by the Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC), a privately-held corporation. DIBC will strongly benefit from a $200 million investment by the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) in a complete rebuilding of the infrastructure connecting the existing bridge to the interstate highway system. DIBC’s intention is to build a six lane “replacement” span adjacent to the existing bridge.

In addition to DIBC’s plans is the Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC), a bi-nationally sponsored public endeavor to erect and maintain a publicly-owned bridge situated downriver from the Ambassador Bridge. This new bridge would connect the Delray community in southwest Detroit with Brighton Beach, Ontario.

In partnership with the Gateway Collaborative and others, Southwest Solutions has sought to protect the interests of the Southwest Detroit community with respect to bridge-related issues. We believe that the best way to protect the community is to promote vigorous and continuous dialogue between both DIBC and the promoters of DRIC and community residents. This dialogue should include:

o public hearings

o study and analysis of community impacts

o continuous dialogue between the community and the United States Coast Guard, the Michigan State Historic Preservation Office, the Michigan Department of Transportation, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, and the U.S. Federal Highway Administration.

In light of recent developments regarding bridge-related issues, Southwest Solutions:

1. Affirms our position that Southwest Solutions seeks to protect the best interests of residents and the small businesses that serve them in connection with both the current Gateway Project and any new international bridge project originating in our community;

2. Stresses that community protections in connection with such projects must be codified through legally enforceable agreements, such as Community Benefits Agreements, before any bridge plan is approved and before any bridge construction can begin;

3. Opposes any plan that fails to reduce bridge-related traffic volumes on surface streets in our community;

4. Will help ensure that community concerns are presented to appropriate governmental and regulatory bodies;

5. Seeks completion of full environmental impact studies and the sharing of results of those studies with the local community.

We invite you to comment on our policy statement regarding the DIBC and DRIC bridge proposals. Please visit our Southwest Solutions’ Facebook page and click the Discussions tab to post your comment. You must be a Facebook member and a “fan” of Southwest Solutions on Facebook to join the discussion.