DOT to Cut Congestion at Border

(Traffic World – Thomas L. Gallagher)

The U.S. Department of Transportation signed an agreement with the state of Washington to improve efficiency along the border with Canada.

Freight carriers will be better able to deliver goods on schedule with more accurate and reliable travel information on border wait times, U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters said.
The Cascade Gateway Project will provide border-crossing wait time and travel condition information through a variety of technologies, including sensors, to reduce congestion at four Washington ports of entry, Peace Arch, Pacific Highway, Lynden and Sumas.

“With accurate information, travelers and freight carriers will be able to choose the time and route that is most efficient and best meets their needs,” said Secretary Peters.

The project is one of three projects in the DOT's Transportation Border Congestion Relief Program, which is designed to facilitate and accelerate transportation-related capacity and operational improvements at border crossings.

The project will receive priority access, consistent with current law, to many of DOT's assistance programs, including loans and other innovative financing mechanisms, said Secretary Peters.