The Detroit River Tunnel Partnership (DRTP) is poised to build a new, high-capacity rail tunnel under the Detroit
River to provide improved freight service between the United States and
Canada. The DRTP is an equal partnership between Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and Borealis Infrastructure Trust. Canadian Pacific Railway — a Critical Component of the United States/Canada Transportation Network
Canada and the United States have the largest bilateral trading relationship in the world. In 2005, the value of that trade reached over $580 billion. The
economies of the United States and Canada are inextricably linked and
Canadian Pacific Railway is critical to the success of that
relationship. CPR owns over 13,800 miles of railroad track. In
the United States, the CPR network covers the U.S. industrial cities of
Chicago, IL; Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Washington, D.C.; New York,
NY; Detroit, MI; and Buffalo, NY. Thus the CPR rail
network is capable of servicing the entire Midwest of the United States
stretching from New York to North Dakota. The CPR corridor that runs between Montreal, Detroit and Chicago is especially important. It links the major producing and consuming markets of the U.S. Midwest, Ontario, Quebec, and Western Europe. CPR is one of the safest Class 1 railroads in North America. In 2004, CPR earned $3.7 billion in freight revenues — with 10% of those revenues coming from the United States. In addition, CPR employs over 15,600 workers — including about 1,600 employed in the U.S. Canadian Pacific Railway — a Critical Component of the United States/Canada Transportation Network Honing
in on the United States, the two maps below show the extent of the CPR
network throughout the U.S. and Canada and the tonnage those tracks
carry. Canadian Pacific Railway — a Vital Economic Transportation Artery
for the Northeast and Midwest United States The
Canadian Pacific Railroad main rail lines enter the United States at
the Canadian borders in North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan and two
places in New York. The network of CPR mainline and
tracks with running rights stretches, smile-like, from North Dakota,
through Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan,
Pennsylvania, and New York. This region represents
approximately 82 million Americans, or 28.6% of the U.S. population,
who live and work along this strategically important rail corridor. And an equal or larger percentage of the Canadian population is served, as well. Also, CPR has large intermodal terminals at Chicago and Toronto serving the Chicago/Montreal corridor. Both of these facilities are expandable. What Canadian Pacific Railway Service Means to These Northeast and Midwest States The Midwestern states serviced by the CPR network gain jobs. Millions of jobs rely on this rail system. Here is a breakdown of the jobs in the region: These states employ over 34 million Americans. And, nearly five million manufacturing jobs reside in these ten states. Those jobs depend on the raw materials, auto parts, and other components carried on the CPR tracks. Canadian Pacific Railway Has a Strong Economic Presence in Midwestern States As
an operating railroad, CPR spends millions of dollars annually on its
business, contributing to the economies of states throughout the
Midwest. During 2005, CPR spent nearly $800 million in these six states
alone. Canadian Pacific Railroad Is Equally Important to the Economies of Ontario and All of Canada Ontario Leads in Population As mentioned before, Canada is the United States’ largest trading partner. And Ontario is the economic engine of Canada. The Detroit, Michigan/Windsor, Ontario gateway is the busiest border in the world. This one province contributes over 40 percent of Canada’s total employment. Ontario has 12,541,000 residents making it the most populous province in Canada. Ontario Is Close to Millions of Consumers Ontario is well positioned to help Canada service the U.S. market. Over 135 million Americans are within a day’s drive of southern Ontario. These U.S. residents represent 44 percent of the U.S. population and 48 percent of the total U.S. personal income. In addition, southeastern Ontario is the gateway to the U.S. through the Detroit/Windsor crossing. Over 450,000 rail cars and over 3.5 million trucks use this crossing yearly. From there, trains and trucks have easy access to the rest of the United States. It
is clear that the CPR track system is a key element in delivering the
products needed to keep millions of Americans working in the Midwest. And,
it is also clear that this system is jeopardized by the restrictions of
a 100-year-old tunnel in Detroit that is not adequate for the
next-generation rail cars coming on line. |
