Ambassador Bridge company president jailed for contempt

Karma ruled the day in the courtroom of Wayne County Circuit Judge Prentis Edwards when Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) – that owns and operates the Ambassador Bridge - President Dan Stamper was led off to jail Monday in handcuffs for contempt of court.

The jailing, according to the Detroit Free Press, “came as Edwards issued a contempt ruling against the bridge company for failing to comply with his Feb. 1, 2010, order to rebuild the approaches to the Ambassador Bridge as the Michigan Department of Transportation requires as part of the $230-million Gateway project.”

The Gateway Project addresses the long term congestion mitigation issues and provide direct access improvements between the Ambassador Bridge, I-75 and I-96. The project will also reconstruct I-96 and I-75, accommodate traffic for a potential future second span of the Ambassador Bridge, and access to the Mexicantown International Welcome Center. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) was concerned that the bridge company was dragging their feet on the Gateway Project to endangering the project to kill the planned and needed Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) between Detroit and Windsor about a mile from the Ambassador Bridge.

Last February Judge Edwards ordered the bridge company to tear down the illegally constructed gas pumps and duty-free store built on property owned by the city of Detroit, and that the bridge company had to appoint an overseer to proceed with the removal of the structures, which include a duty free shop, refueling stations and toll booths. Edwards later slapped a show cause hearing against the Bridge Company when it failed to meet his deadline, but the hearing was postponed when the Bridge Company took its appeal to the Supreme Court. In May the state Supreme Court rejected the appeal.

The bridge company tried but failed to transfer the case to federal court instead of complying immediately with Edwards' order, leading to the contempt charge. The Free Press also reported Edwards fined the bridge company $7,500 and ordered the company to begin complying immediately with his order to rebuild the approaches as MDOT requires.

“After a brief conference in chambers with Judge Edwards, both sides indicated they expected the judge would free Stamper possibly as early as later today as soon as the bridge company shows some evidence of complying with his order to start rebuilding the plaza.”

Bridge company rolls out some new excuses to kill the popular and bipartisan DRIC bridge

Employees of the Ambassador Bridge Company didn’t miss a trick on why they should keep their monopoly on the 81-year old bridge and the only private international border crossing for motor vehicles in North America.

On Tuesday the Senate Transportation Committee continued hearings on House Bill 4961 that would authorize Michigan to enter into a public-private partnership with Canada, the U.S. and a private sector developer/financier to build the much-needed planned Detroit River International Crossing (DRIC) bridge over the Detroit River between Canada and Windsor. Detroit International Bridge Company (DIBC) President Dan Stamper testified before the committee, continuing his company’s misinformation campaign. Stamper threw in the kitchen sink against the DRIC bridge, including his favorite whipping boy, Canada, for daring to pick up Michigan’s cost for the bridge and wanting a different location for a new bridge to land on the Canadian side.

According to subscription only Gongwer, Stamper said “the DRIC represented a continuation of Michigan rolling over to Canadian interests, citing the practice of Toronto sending its waste to Michigan landfills.” According to subscription only MIRS, Stamper said “Canada is lusting over Michigan's sovereignty by agreeing to cover Michigan's $550 million cost for the bridge.”
"Canada will have powers in Michigan," Stamper said. "This is the biggest power grab in history." Robert Noble, the Consul General for the Canadian government, laughed off the comment as ridiculous in his press availability after the hearing.

One of the more bizarre reasons for the bridge company has put out to kill the DRIC bridge is that the traffic study proves there is no need for a second span, but Stamper offered no explanation on why the bridge company is already building a second span without a single permit. The company has been ordered by Wayne County Circuit Court to tear it down and return the property they illegally took to build on.
Stamper them made the claim that the Legislature would need a two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, along with a public vote, to authorize the financing. When that was debunked, he then went on to claim that it would be a violation of the U.S. Constitution in that Michigan would be entering into a financial agreement with a foreign power without Congressional sign-off, something that is barred by Article 1, Section 10. The only problem with that is that the DRIC project has the support of the federal government.

There was also disagreement between the bridge company and the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) about how the $170 million Gateway Project that addressed long term congestion mitigation issues and provided direct access improvements between the Ambassador Bridge, I-75 and I-96 was configured. MDOT said the Ambassador Bridge folks didn't live up to their agreement in building the project. The bridge company used delaying tactics in the hope it would hamper the DRIC bridge, and it almost required the state to pay back the federal money for the project. Stamper blamed MDOT for not allowing the completed project to open, but the courts ordered the bridge company to tear down the start of the second span.

No vote was taken on HB 4961. Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop, R-Rochester, promised an up or down vote on the bill some time ago, but he reneged last week, saying there would be no vote because MDOT declined to release revenue data on how much money the tolls from a new DRIC bridge would generate. MDOT Director Kirk Steudle said he supplied what was called for and releasing the revenue data would worsen the state's negotiating position when hiring a concessionaire to participate in the public-private partnership that would oversee the new bridge.

However, in an attempt to jump over another blockade thrown up by Republicans going to bat for Ambassador Bridge owner and Republican benefactor Matty Moroun, he released that data to committee members today.

Hopefully, the committee will vote the bill out of committee next Tuesday.

Delivery of 300th commuter MichiVan marks mass transit milestone

A major milestone in mass transit in Michigan was reached today when the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), along with its partner, VPSI, Inc. of Troy, delivered the 300th commuter van to employees at the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center in Detroit.

The MichiVan program is statewide vanpool program operated by VPSI, Inc. of Troy managed through a contract with MDOT that began in 1980. A vanpool is a group of five to 15 people who commute on a regular basis. Usually, one person volunteers to be the driver or coordinator of the vanpool and normally rides free, or the riders can as a group choose to rotate drivers. The passengers pay a low monthly fee to VPSI and share the cost of fuel among the riders, and that gas cost is decided by the riders. The more people, the less gas cost. MichiVan typically pays for insurance and repairs to the vehicle.

“One of the best values for your money is riding in a vanpool," said State Transportation Director Kirk T. Steudle. "Vanpooling with MichiVan is a cost-effective alternative for commuters who enjoy the convenience of sharing a ride to work. The 2,224 people served by commuter vans each day means there are fewer vehicles on Michigan roads. This is good for the environment - - and good for the pocketbook."

As I have said previously, I ride the Michivan to Lansing, along with 11 other state employees. When we meet in the morning in the park-n-ride lot, there are Michivans coming and going. However, I think we are the only van going to Lansing, and we are the largest. But once in Lansing we are one of about four vans that pick up at the newer Cooley Law School building in downtown Lansing, but we are the smallest van. That will change soon, and we are on the list to get a new, larger van. There is a van that also goes to Livingston County, but it goes to Brighton.

The cost savings and comfort are great, but the benefits to the environment and national security are huge.

Vanpooling saves approximately 152,000 gallons of fuel, reduces about 1,500 tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and takes 40,430 vehicles off the road each month in Michigan. The typical vanpooler has at least a 30-minute drive or travels more than 10 miles one-way to work.

It’s easy to find a van just by searching online or by calling (800)VAN-RIDE (826-7433).