A NEW SUPER HIGHWAY
by Mike Howe
 
An interesting project is in the works and very few people are keenly aware of it. Everyone knows about the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and how it is designed to create trading opportunities and the free flow of goods between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. More and more people are now aware of the demonstration program to allow Mexican trucks into the interior of the U.S.. But, how many people know about the alleged plan to build a major – actually a series of major – super highways dedicated to the free flow of goods throughout the United States?

Here’s the deal in a nutshell – the federal government is currently working on the development and construction of a NAFTA Super Highway that could be as wide as four football fields (that is 400 yards) that will basically follow Interstate 35 from the Mexican border at Laredo, Texas, to the Canadian border just north of Duluth, Minnesota. At first glance some might say this is a good thing because we do need to develop the infrastructure of the U.S. But, the purpose behind the Super Highway is not necessarily to benefit the U.S., but rather to benefit all countries involved in NAFTA.

I should mention one point here, the organizations involved in the development of the corridor do not necessarily agree with the statements made in the previous paragraph. But one short visit to the North America SuperCorridor Coalition (NASCO) website will immediately show any viewer the map of the corridor. NASCO explains that this corridor does use existing infrastructure, but it is also very evident that the existing infrastructure will need to be improved in order to accommodate the anticipated trade. As it turns out, this is already happening.

In an open letter to Congress from NASCO, dated September 1, 2006, NASCO denies the proposal of a super highway, but does address current improvements. “The federal government has directed more than $234 million in project funding towards the NASCO Corridor for current infrastructure improvements. In addition, the federal government has allocated $2.25 million directly to NASCO for the development of a technology integration and tracking project.” That project will improve security and trade across the borders. The open letter to Congress is available on the NASCO website.

Yet another interesting aspect to this Super Highway – or super corridor – is the inland port located in Kansas City. The KC Smart Port, according to the web site, is located in Kansas City and “is a prime player in the emerging international trade corridor providing for the efficient flow of goods across America and between the United States, Mexico, and Canada.” In a December 7, 2005 press release, the KC Smart Port reconfirmed its commitment to the construction of a Mexican Customs facility in Kansas City. This facility is designed to simplify the shipping of goods between the U.S. and Mexico. Specifically, the inland port will become an important part of the trade route between the Port of Lazaro Cardenas (a major sea port in Mexico receiving goods form the Far East) and to Kansas City. According to the press release, this corridor and port will allow “companies wanting to avoid the logjam at the West Coast ports” an alternative. In other words, no longer will companies have to work with the longshoreman of the West Coast to receive goods from the Far East, now they can travel directly through Mexico.

Finally, the federal government has coordinated the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). Many watchdog groups and others investigating the concept of the super highway allege that the SPP is actually designed to essentially eliminate the borders altogether. Whether or not this is true is up for debate and personal analysis. But, as it pertains to the proposed super highway, many believe that the U.S. government, through the SPP, has a plan to build this super highway. The SPP, however, says on its website, “There are private and state level interests planning highway projects which they themselves describe as NAFTA Corridors, but these are not federally-driven initiatives.” It even goes as far as to suggest the federal government does not have the authority to intervene. This becomes very interesting when you consider the amount of money the federal government as already dedicated to such projects, as outlined on the NASCO web site.

So, what’s the point of all this? Since this project could impact all of us, we need to know what is happening. Everyone should spend some time on these websites reading the details, examining the maps, and considering the long-term implications. Consider the following: Is it a coincidence that we now have the Mexican truck demonstration program? What will the inland port mean to the longshoremen? What will this port mean to U.S. truck drivers now that Mexican trucks can move the freight into the U.S.? What does it really mean to have a Mexican Customs facility on U.S. soil? Perhaps some are reading too much into this and maybe it is far fetched to think we are essentially eliminating the borders, but even if that is the case, won’t this still have an impact on the U.S. trucking industry and the U.S. truck driver?
 

View the Column as Published in Challenge Magazine