[animatedmartian]

Things are moving forward even though DC foot dragging continues.

Crews begin clearing land in southwest Detroit for new bridge to Canada
By Khalil AlHajal. October 29, 2014.



Crews began clearing land to make way for a new bridge to Canada on Wednesday, according to the governor's office.

Officials hope to see the New International Trade Crossing from Detroit to Windsor built by 2020, and the demolition of three abandoned structures on South Post Street, South Crawford Street and Reid Street in southwest Detroit are planned this week in a step toward construction that the governor said "underscores the ongoing progress being made on this vital project."

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A remaining obstacle is federal funding for a $250 million customs plaza on the U.S. side.

Snyder has called the lack of action on the funding from Washington "offensive" to Canada.

Meanwhile on the M1-Rail:

3 Detroit firms win contract to build Penske Technical Center for M-1 Rail
By Bill Shea. October 29, 2014.

A consortium of four companies has won the contract to design and build what will be called the Penske Technical Center for the M-1 Rail streetcar system in Detroit.

Three of the companies awarded the work are based in Detroit: Turner Construction Co., 3.L.K Construction and ABE Associates Inc.

A fourth, Denver-based RNL, is a designer of light rail and mass transit maintenance facilities. It will work with ABE Associates to handle the architectural services for the facility, M-1 said.

M-1 has previously estimated the facility — a maintenance, storage and technical center — will cost about $6.9 million. It would be operational by early 2016, according to M-1 data.

The facility will be built near the northern terminus of the line at Woodward and West Grand Boulevard in the New Center neighborhood, M-1 said in a statement today. M-1 documents show a site west of Woodward between Bethune and Custer avenues.

The facility will be named for Roger Penske, founder and chairman of Bloomfield Hills-based Penske Corp. He has been co-chairman of the nonprofit rail project since 2008 and his company is providing $7 million toward the line’s $179.4 million project cost that includes 10 years of operations funding.

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