2008-11-18 – Toronto
Alicia Nolan – Co-Chair - FHWAAllan 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 1st version
of the Border Infrastructure Compendium (top 33)
• 2004/05 – expanded to top 65• 2005 – 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)