LANSING – The prospects for a new bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor appeared to come crashing down Thursday when Senate Majority Leader Mike Bishop declared it unlikely that the Senate would vote on legislation authorizing it this year.

Bishop’s (R-Rochester) comments come as Sen. Jud Gilbert (R-Algonac), the Transportation Committee chair, has circulated a draft substitute bill for HB 4961 that would set up a public-private partnership to oversee the construction of the so-called Detroit River International Crossing. And the comments appear to be a major setback for the broad coalition of business and labor organizations, which includes Governor Jennifer Granholm, that have mounted an all-out effort to convince the Legislature to authorize legislation enabling the construction of the new bridge.

“I support my committee chair. I think he’s done the best he can to put something together, but there are so many legal issues involved that I am sure there is no way to get a DRIC issue in this budget cycle,” Bishop said. “It’s just too complicated, too involved. There are too many outstanding legal issues to get it done.”

Bishop, asked if that meant the Senate could act on DRIC once the Legislature completes the 2010-11 fiscal year budget, presumably by September 30, said, “I don’t believe there will be agreement on DRIC this year.” Mr. Bishop said he was not declaring the issue dead and noted anything could happen during the post-election lame-duck session.

“I would never declare anything dead,” he said. “That’s not my role to declare anything dead. We all know how lame duck works. But I’m just telling you, as candid as I can be, I don’t see light at the end of the tunnel for this particular issue.”

Critics of Bishop’s decision will question the influence of the Moroun family, which owns the bridge through the DIBC. The Morouns recently gave $30,000 to the Senate Republican Campaign Committee, the Senate GOP’s political arm. And they put $35,000 into the Capitol Affairs political action committee from May through July. That PAC later gave $20,000 to Bishop’s attorney general campaign fund (a major donation also went to the gubernatorial campaign of Oakland Sheriff Mike Bouchard).

Rep. Pam Byrnes (D-Chelsea), chair of the House Transportation Committee, said she still expects DRIC to move forward and questioned the role the Morouns played in Bishop’s comments.

Granholm press secretary Liz Boyd said the governor agreed with Bishop that considerable work remained on the legislation and appreciated that he did not close the door.

“We know that DRIC is all about jobs, so that makes it a very critical issue,” she said. “We know a lot of questions remain so we’re going to continue to work through those questions to see if we can get the answers that will help us get to a vote yet this year.”

But Bishop’s comments almost surely will stunt whatever momentum there was for the bill in the Senate. And considering that neither gubernatorial candidate has embraced DRIC while Granholm, who leaves office January 1, is an enthusiastic supporter, supporters of the bridge may have suffered a long-term setback as well.

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Virg Bernero opposes DRIC while Republican Rick Snyder has been lukewarm.

Trying to assemble the votes in the Senate was going to be a difficult task. Most Republicans seemed reluctant, and some Democrats opposed the legislation too. Still, it had seemed enough undecided votes existed to make passage possible.

Asked if work on DRIC was finished in light of Bishop’s comments, a surprised Gilbert said he would continue to work the issue in case the dynamic changes.

Gilbert said in recent days there had been increasing discussion among Senate Republicans about the awkwardness of an incoming governor inheriting responsibility for implementing a massive project he did not support.

Bishop promised an up-or-down vote on the issue after the bill passed House in May. Thursday, he said the Department of Transportation was to blame because it took too long to get senators the information they needed.

“We weren’t able to have our up-or-down vote on this issue because of that issue,” he said.

If the proposed DRIC dies, it will be a major victory for the owners of the Ambassador Bridge, who have furiously opposed a new crossing as unnecessary and damaging to their span. Ambassador officials have proposed building a new span next to the existing bridge and using the old span on a limited basis.

Dan Stamper, president of the Detroit International Bridge Company, which owns and operates the Ambassador, did not comment directly on Bishop’s remarks.

“In the 1920s, a businessman from Detroit built what was then the largest suspension bridge in the world without a dime of taxpayer money,” he said in a statement. “Today, the Ambassador Bridge is the most efficient crossing in the United States. We are fully committed to providing our customers and travelers a great product without taxpayer money or risk. This includes our plans for a new Ambassador Bridge span.”

“You’re kidding,” she said when told of Bishop’s remarks. “There is such a coalition of diverse groups that is on board with this.”

Gilbert said Bishop has raised fair questions on the proposal though he acknowledged critics would blame the Morouns.

“From what Mike said, all those are legitimate issues that he brought up for not going forward with it,” he said.

Sarah Hubbard of the Detroit Regional Chamber, a major proponent of the DRIC, said stakeholders in the issue have been working “around the clock” to address concerns and help Gilbert put together the new version of the bill.

“I was a little surprised that Senator Bishop would say this is not quite off the table, but almost, when we think there is a strong possibility this legislation will be acceptable to those who need to vote on it by the end of the year,” she said.

Hubbard said supporters are holding out hope to address remaining concerns and see action during the lame-duck session and view Bishop’s comments as a setback, but not a fatal one.

“It’s not over until it’s over,” she said.

This story was provided by Gongwer News Service. To subscribe, click on Gongwer.Com

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