Get ready for CANAMEX Highway

Dear Editor:

Recently, ADOT (Arizona Department of Transportation) representatives have stated that there is no connection between the proposed freeway through Ahwatukee and the CANAMEX Corridor. To say the least, I was a little surprised to read this because about a week earlier I attended a public meeting where ADOT discussed the extension of Route 801 (formerly known as the Interstate 10 reliever) further west providing a connection to Route 85 (soon to be CANAMEX). Essentially, Route 801/I-10 reliever would travel east from Route 85/CANAMEX making a connection to South Mountain Loop 202.

ADOT referred to this earlier mentioned meeting (Jan 24 at the Liberty Elementary School) as a public scoping meeting, where slides where shown of the potential connection to Route 85/CANAMEX.

CANAMEX is an International Freight Corridor that starts in Mexico City, travels through Arizona, then the Western U.S. and ending at Calgary Alberta. So it is very possible to have Canadian and Mexican trucks pulling off CANAMEX via Route 801/I-10 reliever and ending up in Ahwatukee or Phoenix to load or unload. I wonder if the non-U.S. trucks will follow United States fuel and pollution standards?

The U.S. has the best safety policy and laws concerning freight trucks in the world. U.S. citizens who drive trucks across our nation’s highways receive training, are licensed and insured, helping make U.S. highways safe. How are we to know if these trucks will follow U.S. law, surely we couldn’t stop and check them all once CANAMEX is in full swing? With all this gaining traction, where are the federal, state and county elected officials ensuring their constituents have say in this International Freight Corridor? Do we have a voice anymore in projects such as this?

Since this planned connection will connect Route 85/CANAMEX to the Loop 202, thus allowing trucks from other nations to enter Phoenix, the EIS or Environmental Impact Statement for the South Mountain Loop 202 must also show the full effects from this additional traffic because this potential arterial for CANAMEX rolls through and alongside residential neighborhoods. If the Loop 202 EIS does not show the effects of trucks from other nations then I would think this document could be inaccurate, controversial and uncertain.

David Folts