This article appeared in a NE Ohio newspaper today (9-29-06)
There is much support for this project. The transportation costs would be reduced dramatically.
[[[ For Grand River Village Mayor Chris Conley, two years no longer seem too long to wait for answers when hundreds of millions of dollars are in the balance.
Conley is waiting for news that a proposal to bring an international ferry terminal to the village is either viable or not, and Conley believes his vigil is nearly over.
In fact, he was confident Thursday that his answers could come as early as today as he heads to Columbus to meet with Ohio Department of Development officials and others to discuss the proposal.
If successful, Conley expects state and federal officials will chip in $50 million in seed money to launch the project, which will eventually attract an additional $150 million to $250 million in private investment, he said.
"This is the largest public/private joint project that I know of anywhere, possibly in the world," he said.
The initial funds from the U.S. Transportation Commission and Ohio Department of Transportation would be used to build docking spaces for three ferries capable of transporting 60 semi-trailers each to a sister ferry terminal at Port Burwell, Ontario, directly across Lake Erie.
The terminals are centrally located between land bridges at Detroit/Windsor and Buffalo/Niagara so that goods heading from central Ohio or Ontario manufacturing plants across the border can be dropped at one terminal and picked up at the other without having been hauled by semi-truck on a 61/2-hour long drive.
Driverless trailers will be parked on a ferry and delivered to the other side in less than four hours, saving fuel and labor and cutting pollution, Conley said.
Lake County Engineer James Gills, one of the officials joining Conley in the meeting, and at least two of three Lake County commissioners are in Conley's corner. State Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chester Township, provided a letter of support and state Rep. Tim Cassell, D-Madison Village, has offered support verbally, Conley said.
Cathy Haworth, executive director of Lake County Economic Development Center and another official expected to attend the meeting, said she thinks the proposed project will be good for Lake County.
"There is a rail spur and access to Route 44 there, there's a lot of infrastructure already in place. But there will be a lot more investment and infrastructure needed like a terminal.
"I think this makes sense to bring in a bit of tourism and a lot more commercial carriers," she said.
Conley said there is little short-distance shipping done in North America, but similar systems to this proposal are common in Europe and the idea could open up the continent to additional projects of this type.
His challenge today is to convince the state that the project is viable and worth the investment, he said. But he has also been very aware of how challenging this project may seem.
"It's so big it takes a while for people to become accustomed to it. But this will be direct access to Canada that Ohio doesn't have."
"We need the state to believe this is a viable project that will bring new jobs here. I'm very excited," he said.
This is the highest level of government we've met and I think one way or another this will break (today)." ]]]]]]
Be safe.
There is much support for this project. The transportation costs would be reduced dramatically.
[[[ For Grand River Village Mayor Chris Conley, two years no longer seem too long to wait for answers when hundreds of millions of dollars are in the balance.
Conley is waiting for news that a proposal to bring an international ferry terminal to the village is either viable or not, and Conley believes his vigil is nearly over.
In fact, he was confident Thursday that his answers could come as early as today as he heads to Columbus to meet with Ohio Department of Development officials and others to discuss the proposal.
If successful, Conley expects state and federal officials will chip in $50 million in seed money to launch the project, which will eventually attract an additional $150 million to $250 million in private investment, he said.
"This is the largest public/private joint project that I know of anywhere, possibly in the world," he said.
The initial funds from the U.S. Transportation Commission and Ohio Department of Transportation would be used to build docking spaces for three ferries capable of transporting 60 semi-trailers each to a sister ferry terminal at Port Burwell, Ontario, directly across Lake Erie.
The terminals are centrally located between land bridges at Detroit/Windsor and Buffalo/Niagara so that goods heading from central Ohio or Ontario manufacturing plants across the border can be dropped at one terminal and picked up at the other without having been hauled by semi-truck on a 61/2-hour long drive.
Driverless trailers will be parked on a ferry and delivered to the other side in less than four hours, saving fuel and labor and cutting pollution, Conley said.
Lake County Engineer James Gills, one of the officials joining Conley in the meeting, and at least two of three Lake County commissioners are in Conley's corner. State Sen. Tim Grendell, R-Chester Township, provided a letter of support and state Rep. Tim Cassell, D-Madison Village, has offered support verbally, Conley said.
Cathy Haworth, executive director of Lake County Economic Development Center and another official expected to attend the meeting, said she thinks the proposed project will be good for Lake County.
"There is a rail spur and access to Route 44 there, there's a lot of infrastructure already in place. But there will be a lot more investment and infrastructure needed like a terminal.
"I think this makes sense to bring in a bit of tourism and a lot more commercial carriers," she said.
Conley said there is little short-distance shipping done in North America, but similar systems to this proposal are common in Europe and the idea could open up the continent to additional projects of this type.
His challenge today is to convince the state that the project is viable and worth the investment, he said. But he has also been very aware of how challenging this project may seem.
"It's so big it takes a while for people to become accustomed to it. But this will be direct access to Canada that Ohio doesn't have."
"We need the state to believe this is a viable project that will bring new jobs here. I'm very excited," he said.
This is the highest level of government we've met and I think one way or another this will break (today)." ]]]]]]
Be safe.
