MI Ballot Proposals: Proposal 6

As we continue looking into the six proposals on the Michigan ballot, tonight we focus on the sixth and final proposal.

Proposal 6 would force a statewide vote on any bridge or tunnel project that was not already open to the public and serving traffic as of January 1st of this year.

All new international bridges and tunnels would require the approval of a majority of voters at a statewide election before the state of Michigan may use state funds or resources.

The Canadian consul general came to the U.P. to share information on why he believes Michigan needs a replacement for the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit and Windsor.

Dr. Roy Norton has the job of promoting Canadian interests in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.

He says the 83-year-old Ambassador Bridge was built at a time when bridges were built to last 50 years.

Norton says the proposed replacement would not cost Michigan taxpayers a dime.

And he says he believes it would be a good idea to build a new bridge so that the 25% of U.S.-Canadian trade that travels the Ambassador Bridge still has an option to pass between Detroit and Windsor should the Ambassador Bridge ever cease to be fucntional.

Other Michigan residents think the bridge is unnecessary and don’t believe that the bridge will be entirely cost-free.

Dan Stamper of the Detroit International Bridge Company says financial and traffic projections on the new bridge have been proven to be way off.

He says he believes the replacement bridge is a bad project and says it’s unreasonable to think that the bridge will be free of charge.