Transcript Border Infrastructure Coordination Subcommittee (BICSC) 2008-11-18 – Toronto

Border Infrastructure
Coordination Subcommittee
(BICSC)
2008-11-18 – Toronto
Alicia Nolan – Co-Chair - FHWA
Allan Wilson – Co-Chair – Transport Canada
Session Overview
• Border Infrastructure Coordination Subcommittee
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Its Role & Brief History
• Recent Activities
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TBWG Website Improvements (general)
On-line Border Infrastructure Compendium (OBIC) Update
• Planned Activities
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Western Regional Workshop(s)
OBIC Improvements & Public Access
• Border Infrastructure Project Updates
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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)
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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
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2007 data entry entry – collection challenges & methodology
tweaking (e.g. commodity descriptors)
Collection of project descriptions – ongoing
Goals:
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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
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• Status:
Local consultations (usefulness / availability)
 Scope (large or small POEs … or both)
 Timing (spring 2009 – TBD)
 Others?
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 North
Dakota (Manitoba/Saskatchewan)
Planned Activities
• OBIC Improvements & Public Access
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Consensus – a useful tool, but can it be improved?
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Public Access -- Two Concepts:
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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)
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
[email protected]
[email protected]
www.thetbwg.org