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Idaho assumes role in international corridor

Famed Route 66 that connects Chicago and Los Angeles provides a glimpse of Americana that still evokes feelings of nostalgia. CANAMEX, a new corridor that will slice through five sates and join three countries, will open new vistas, surpassing even that of Route 66, for those seeking to experience the West firsthand.

The foundation for the CANAMEX corridor was laid in 1995 by the National Highway Systems Designation Act as a high priority. The route follows I-19 from Nogales to Tucson, I-10 to Phoenix, U.S.-93 to the Las Vegas and I-15 through Idaho and Montana. As a major leg in the journey, Idaho and its transportation system will become a showcase for both tourism and trade.

Arizona assumed the role of the lead state and acquired $1 million from the TEA 21 federal authorization in FY 99 to develop a comprehensive CANAMEX Corridor plan. It provides areas of collaboration by the states with the ambitious goal of stimulating investments and economic growth in the regions it serves and enhancing safety and efficiency along the route. The plan was completed and published in April 2001.

The comprehensive plan will ensure efficient allocation of resources along the corridor to maximize the region’s economic potential for the U.S. Canada and Mexico. It identifies four distinct elements:

  • Physical infrastructure—Development of a continuous four-lane highway from Mexico City to Edmonton, Canada, following the route established by congress. The highway requires multi-modal enhancements as well as efficient ports of entry. This includes roads and telecommunications infrastructure.

  • Commercial infrastructure – This includes transportation entities and distribution warehouses, as well as regionally integrated technological infrastructure such as corridor-wide trade databases and electronic transportation information systems.

  • Business and professional services – Efficient trade movement requires the availability of various professional services including internal finance and legal expertise, customs brokers, consultants and the support of academia.

  • Social, political and business linkages – Preservation and sustainability of the CANAMEX region is important to all sectors. By investing in linkages between the relevant governmental institutions, business sectors and social organizations and entities, CANAMEX can channel growth and development in a way that is consistent with local development values and planning policies.

CANAMEX includes commerce, communications and transportation components, the latter of which are primary concerns in Idaho, explains Bob Koeberlein, coordinator of the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS).

A coalition of the five states agreed in May to contract with the Western Transportation Institute (WTI) at Montana State University to begin developing a “smart” corridor action plan, Koeberlein said. WTI is charged with completing an inventory of the telecommunications capabilities along the corridor recommend improvements to support the corridor plan.

The telecommunications initiative will use government authority to:

  1. Leverage telecom companies to install broadband computer service to smaller towns and rural communities, encourage deployment of fiber optic and other telecommunications lines within the corridor,
  2. Review the status of wireless local loop technologies and facilitate “last mile” access in rural areas, and
  3. Establish a north-south broadband backbone to facilitate ITS and related enhancements.

The inventory began in June, looking first at cellular phone coverage, the attributes of the 511 national highway information system and the needs of tourist attractions, such as Yellowstone and Teton national parks in far eastern Idaho.

Koeberlein expects the telecommunications survey to confirm major gaps in cellular phone coverage along Idaho’s portion of the corridor, and the need for kiosks in information centers and rest areas. The State of Idaho can provide assistance in addressing cellular coverage by streamlining the process of locating new towers and by coordinating with other players such as the tourism bureau and the private sector.

Idaho’s role in the immediate and long-term development of the CANAMEX Corridor will provide numerous opportunities to increase exposure to the state’s tourism and commercial amenities and to improve the transportation system along the state’s 200-mile segment of I-15.

For more information on the CANAMEX Corridor please click here.