NAFTA Superhighway

As of late, there has been much media attention given to the "new, proposed NAFTA Superhighway". NASCO and the cities, counties, states and provinces along our existing Interstate Highways 35/29/94 (the NASCO Corridor) have been referring to I-35 as the 'NAFTA Superhighway' for many years, as I-35 already carries a substantial amount of international trade with Mexico, the United States and Canada. There are no plans to build a new NAFTA Superhighway - it exists today as I-35.

NASCO’s mission is to develop the world’s first international, integrated and secure, multi-modal transportation system, along the International Mid-Continent Trade Corridor, to improve both trade competitiveness and the quality of life in North America through:

* Strategic Planning
* Advocacy
* Infrastructure and Non-Infrastructure Improvements
* Trade Facilitation
* Technology Applications and Solutions
* North American Inland Ports Network (NAIPN)
* Education

Funding:

* Known as the strongest International Trade Corridor Coalition on Capitol Hill
* Lobbying efforts have helped secure more than $150 million in corridor transportation project funding to date
* Helped gain more than $79 million in Corridor projects in FY03 through the National Corridor Planning and Development Program, ITS Program, Interstate Maintenance Program and the Discretionary Bridge Program.

General NASCO Statistics

* NASCO Corridor drives the North American economy
* International trade drives 25% of the country’s economy
* Total commerce between the 3 NASCO nations already nears $1 trillion a year
* By 2020, total domestic freight tonnage will increase 67%
* Three of North America’s Top 20 NAFTA land ports can be found along the NASCO Corridor: Detroit (1st), Laredo(2nd) & Pembina, N.D.(11th)
* The Port of Laredo has seen a 17 year increase of 621% in cross border loaded trucks and a 363% increase in cross border loaded rail cars.
* Traffic in North America has increased up to 37% in the past decade, yet only 1% in new capacity has been added
* The 11 NASCO Corridor states have identified at least $6.3 billion in needed construction and maintenance
* 16% of interstate miles are in poor condition; 21% of bridges are obsolete
* 65% of I-35 will require major upgrades and maintenance in the next 20 years
* $80 billion is lost in congestion costs, nearly quadruple the impact of congestion in 1982
* For every $1 invested in the NASCO Corridor, $5.70 is returned in economic benefits
* Every $1 billion in highway investment generates 47,500 jobs
* Transportation accounts for up to 14% of the price of products we buy
* Since 1999, the Federal Government has directed more than $234 million in project funding towards the NASCO Corridor

http://www.nascocorridor.com/pages/about/about.htm