LANSING – Traffic congestion on the Windsor, Ontario, side of the Ambassador Bridge is costing Chrysler and Ford Motor Company money, officials from the two automakers told a Senate committee Wednesday.

As the Senate Economic Development Committee continues hearings on bills (SB 410 and SB 411 ) that would authorize the construction of a new, government-led bridge between Detroit and Windsor, the two automakers said delays of a few minutes on each trip add up to hours of wasted time, money and resources given the volume of crossings the automakers make each year.

There are storage and equipment costs that add up as a result, said Bill Storves, manager of supply chain management and plant operations for Ford.

“All of these costs eventually get rolled up,” he said.

And William Cook, director of worldwide logistics and customs for Chrysler, said the location of the new bridge, with a direct freeway-to-freeway connection unlike the Ambassador, would shave time off the route from the company’s Trenton engine plant to its plant in Windsor.

“Every extra mile that we can cut out is important,” he said.

Sen. Goeff Hansen (R-Hart) challenged the auto officials on just how much time would be saved, saying if one new bridge would help them save time and money, then maybe they should authorize multiple new bridges.

And Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek) questioned why auto companies didn’t just run most of their shipments by truck at night when traffic levels were lower at the Ambassador.

The Detroit International Bridge Company, owner of the Ambassador and fierce opponent of the proposed New International Trade Crossing, saw testimony on its behalf from those who recently conducted studies on its behalf that showed a new bridge would not work and cost Michigan taxpayers.

But there was some pushback on the testimony. Sen. David Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) called it unfair for Gary Wolfram to draw parallels between the Mackinac Bridge, which initially was to be funded with tolls, but eventually saw the Legislature authorize state payments when tolls fell short, and the NITC. Canada has promised to cover any shortages between toll revenues and costs, but Wolfram said there would be enormous pressure on the Legislature to cover any shortfalls lest Michigan’s financial image take a hit.

Hildenbrand said there would be no automatic payment by Michigan in such a scenario. It would only happen if the Legislature authorized it, a point with which Wolfram concurred.

Nofs said he did not see any risk to state taxpayers. Canada has pledged its full faith and credit.

“They’re investing and paying our portion,” he said.

BRIDGE SUPPORTERS CONTEMPLATING ADS: Supporters of the new bridge are discussing raising funds to put a pro-bridge message on television, said Tom Shields, spokesperson for the bridge supporters.

The DIBC has inundated the airwaves with television ads blasting the new bridge.

Shields said supporters’ research shows a $250,000 cable television buy from the DIBC set to begin running Wednesday in some key senators’ districts. Senators targeted with the ads are Sen. Mike Kowall (R-White Lake Township), Sen. Joe Hune (R-Hamburg), Sen. Tonya Schuitmaker (R-Lawton), Sen. Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights), Sen. Rick Jones (R-Grand Ledge), Sen. Mike Nofs (R-Battle Creek), Sen. Judy Emmons (R-Sheridan) and Sen. Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell).

It was not clear if the ads mention the senators’ names, but they are running in their districts.

Kowall, Nofs, Emmons and Hildenbrand are four of the five Republican members of the Economic Development Committee.

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