– Toronto Alicia Nolan – Co-Chair - FHWA Allan Wilson – Co-Chair – Transport Canada Border Infrastructure Coordination Subcommittee (BICSC)
Session Overview Border Infrastructure Coordination Subcommittee Its Role & Brief History Recent Activities TBWG Website Improvements (general) On-line Border Infrastructure Compendium (OBIC) Update Planned Activities Western Regional Workshop(s) OBIC Improvements & Public Access Border Infrastructure Project Updates Canada -- Hal Parker – CBSA U.S. -- Ralph Scalise – GSA
Role & Brief History Role: evolutionary -- “keeper” of border data Border Crossing Information / Data – a TBWG priority from the start Spring 2002 – TBWG notes need to compile traffic, trade, and project-related data 2003 – Subcommittee prepares the 1 st version of the Border Infrastructure Compendium (top 33) 2004/05 – expanded to top – Online Border Infrastructure Compendium (OBIC) launched 2006 – OBIC expanded to 120 crossings
Recent Activities TBWG Website Improvements (general) Reorganized and expanded on-line library (24 entries) Border-related glossary (23 programs & terms) Subcommittee updates (descriptions & minutes) Updated Membership Directory & Meetings Archive Expanded Links section (55 – states, provinces, regional organizations, programs / initiatives, and research organizations) OBIC Update 2007 data entry entry – collection challenges & methodology tweaking (e.g. commodity descriptors) Collection of project descriptions – ongoing Goals: Traffic & Trade – End of December 2008 Project Updates – End of March 2009
Planned Activities Western Regional Workshop(s) Modeled on August 2007 QC-NY State event Potential participants: Washington State, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia, Alberta, plus federal agencies Status: Local consultations (usefulness / availability) Scope (large or small POEs … or both) Timing (spring 2009 – TBD) Others? North Dakota (Manitoba/Saskatchewan)
Planned Activities OBIC Improvements & Public Access Consensus – a useful tool, but can it be improved? change in database format - opportunity to upload material from other data bases and/or convert data into other formats (e.g., Excel spreadsheets) ability to query & sort data fields with greater specificity (e.g. ability to compare specific ports using specific characteristics) Public Access -- Two Concepts: Interactive Border Map (e.g., pop-up box for each crossing) Canada-U.S. “Border Facts” section on TBWG website TC – Potential resources to pursue OBIC examination & Interactive Border Map
Border Infrastructure Project Updates Hal Parker – Canada Border Services Agency Ralph Scalise – General Services Administration Calais / St. Stephen Update – Ralph Scalise on behalf of Kevin Rousseau (Maine DOT)
Discussion & Questions