US embassy cable - 05TORONTO3086

UNCLAS TORONTO 003086 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE PLEASE PASS GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION 
DOT PLEASE PASS FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: ETRD, PBTS, PGOV, PREL, CA, Border Patrol 
SUBJECT: Bringing Order to the Border: Detroit- 
Windsor Crossings Prepares for Big Events 
 
Ref: Toronto 2340 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified - protect accordingly. 
 
1. (SBU) SUMMARY AND INTRO: The Detroit-Windsor 
border crossings are preparing for a large 
increase in the volume of passenger traffic 
heading for special events in Detroit in January 
and February.  Earlier concerns about processing 
times for buses entering the U.S. for special 
events (reftel) are reportedly being addressed. 
However, minor physical infrastructure 
improvements for the U.S. plaza at the Detroit- 
Windsor tunnel that would increase passenger 
processing capacity have been put on hold because 
the General Services Administration (GSA) lacks 
sufficient funds.  END SUMMARY and INTRO. 
 
2.  (SBU) Canada's Border Services Agency (CBSA) 
and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) have 
been working with operators of the Detroit- 
Windsor Tunnel and the Ambassador Bridge to 
improve capacity before the 2006 North American 
International Auto Show (January 14-22) and Super 
Bowl (February 5) swell the number of people 
crossing the border from Canada to Detroit. 
 
3.  (SBU) Though cross-border consultations to 
improve passenger processing procedures are 
proving effective, needed physical infrastructure 
improvements have been stalled by lack of funds, 
according to our sources.  GSA reportedly issued 
requests for proposals to: (a) conduct a 
feasibility study about reopening the Detroit Bus 
Processing area, (b) conduct feasibility studies 
to maximize U.S. plaza capacity at the Detroit- 
Windsor tunnel, and (c) run a simulation using 
Border Wizard software to model cross-border 
traffic.  The bids on the two studies reportedly 
came in well over GSA's available funding so 
those projects have been put on hold.  In 
addition, GSA is currently operating on a 
continuing resolution, so funding is reportedly 
not available to begin the modeling project.  As 
a result, GSA will not be able to increase the 
capacity of the U.S. plaza at the Detroit-Windsor 
tunnel to process bus passenger traffic before 
the January/February 2006 Detroit events that are 
expected to prompt a spike in cross-border 
traffic (NOTE: Please advise if our information 
is incorrect.  END NOTE). 
 
LeCroy