[cardwellave]

I was just wondering if anyone here was familiar with the Port Huron area and the growing threat of the Blue Water Bridge Plaza Expansion.

Since 2002 MDOT has been studying the idea of an expansion of the plaza near the Blue Water Bridges that serves as the customs, etc. The current size of the plaza is around 18 acres and is located above ground in the North End of Port Huron near the riverwalk and Thomas Edison Inn. MDOT has now expressed their interest in expanding the plaza to 64 acres, and putting it at ground level. This "City-West" proposal would destroy around 150 homes, and a large amount of businesses including a large auto dealer, Cawood Honda-Buick-Pontiac. It would also force the main artery of Port Huron, Pine Grove Avenue to swing around the complex from the intersection of Pine Grove and 10th Avenue. The complex would in essence divide Port Huron in two, further separating the sprawling Fort Gratiot area from the dying Downtown area. The complex would also be surrounded by a tall concrete wall, which would create a large eyesore in the neighborhood.

There are three other alternatives to the City-West on MDOT's website (City East which is further destructive; Township, which moves the plaza to the other side of the Black River into Port Huron Township which is largely undeveloped; and the no-build option which would leave the plaza as is.

The city of Port Huron has been neglected by MDOT in this study as well. MDOT has not once cited any sort of benefit for the city of Port Huron, which is the opposite of the response those in Buffalo, NY have gotten with the idea of the Peace Bridge Plaza Expansion. In addition, the Peace Bridge would only be expanded to 49 acres, nearly 20 less than Port Huron's proposed expansion and lies in a similar urban environment. MDOT has also neglected to see the steady decrease in traffic since 2002 when the study was started, as well as the litigation to limit Canadian trash via the Blue Water Bridge, as well as the push for another Bridge to be built Downriver south of Detroit. All these factors greatly reduce the need for the expansion, which has a price tag of over $430 million and would extend over a period of over six years. More concerns of Port Huron are the environmental impact of the construction, as well as tons of trucks at ground level contributing to huge levels of noise pollution, property value losses, and loss of tax revenue.

This past week saw the resignation of Port Huron City Manager Karl Tomion, who cited incompatibility with City Council and Mayor Brian Moeller as the reason for resignation. This was followed quickly by a council member's resignation, the announced early retirement of the City Clerk, who was very much an Assistant Manager to Tomion, and a move to recall Mayor Moeller. Karl Tomion had fought tirelessly to keep the plaza expansion at bay, and to get a casino in Port Huron (now personally I very much object to the idea of the casino at the Thomas Edison Inn, I support the idea downtown.

I have an idea to talk to people in the affected area as well as businesses owners and submit it to MDOT so they can see the personal effects their project would have. I love the city of Port Huron, and would hate to see this nail in the coffin on a dying city.


I made this image to show the affected area. The red area is the area that would be cleared for the new plaza, and the blue line shows the new route of Pine Grove Avenue. The image isn't exact, and Pine Grove would actually swing out further east toward the river. Here is the MDOT map: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdot/MDOT_BWB_PineGroveWest_of_Plaza_191109_7.pdf (broken link)



Does anyone have any thoughts?

[cardwellave]

Oops, in the one sentence I said about the map I said further east; I meant west toward the Black River. I can't edit it anymore. Sorry for the mistake.

[TigerDan]

I live about 1/2 a mile from where the expansion would be. This plan that they have put together is one of the best examples of clueless big government that I have ever seen. I've been across that bridge literally over 1000 times (that is NOT an exagerration) and I've NEVER seen all of the customs booths open at the same time. I fail to see how expanding a plaza is going to help, when they don't even use the existing plaza to it's full capacity.

[cardwellave]

I agree with that for sure! I really hope the city can figure something out to avoid this, and it's not looking good with the crumbling government there right now.