—————— 1992 —————— If you look at the map over there, I think it is NAFTA [Ed note: While EO#12803 does not mention “super- self-evident what it means to the whole country, highways,” a brief description is included because this not just to Texas. And if you look at the NAFTA Superhighway Order encourages the privatization of taxpayer-funded corridor as the trunk of a tree, one that hooks U.S. assets, including roads designated as a part of up Mexico and all those markets down there with Memory Hole the international superhighway/supercorridor system.] the industrial heartland of our country, as well as A review of NAFTA Superhighway history Executive Order #12803: the most important economic centers in Canada. reveals that the marketing of this concept “Infrastructure Privatization” I urge this committee to give careful consid- began well over a decade ago. In that time, eration to this concept. As this trade grows, the Signed by President George H.W. Bush on a growing number of highways have been current I–35 won't be able to handle it. It will de- April 30, 1992, EO#12803 encourages designated as “high priority corridors”— a teriorate. We won't take advantage of all the privatization of U.S. infrastructure assets that are rating that allows easier access to federal funds. imaginative opportunities that this superhighway “financed in whole or in part by the Federal Lobbyist seeking to create an designation can give us. (p.687) Government and needed for the functioning international infrastructure have referred The designation of I–35 corridor as a super- of the economy.” The Order defines privatization to the U.S. National Highway System of highway under NAFTA is extraordinarily impor- to mean “disposition or transfer of an infrastruc- “high priority corridors” as an international tant to the successful implementation of that ture asset, such as by sale or by long-term lease, NAFTA Superhighway system. agreement. (p.690) from a State or local government to a private The “NAFTA Superhighway” label party.” Asset examples cited include “roads, tun- surfaced shortly after the signing of the Excerpt from remarks by Mr. CORNELIUS: nels, bridges, electricity supply facilities, mass I really believe that the intelligent vehicle high- North American Free Trade Agreement transit, rail transportation, airports, ports. wa- way system, the IVHS program, represents our (NAFTA). Concepts and activity connected to terways, water supply facilities, recycling and best opportunity to accomplish those goals, and “NAFTA Superhighway” exist today under wastewater treatment facilities, solid waste dis- IH-35 represents not only the State's, but I be- “NASCO SuperCorridor” — this includes: posal facilities, housing, schools, prisons, and lieve the Nation's most viable candidate for be- 1) establishing an international highway/ hospitals.” coming the first of these new generation of su- corridor system that incorporates an http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=23625&st=&st1= perhighways. (p.699) Information Technology System (ITS) http://commdocs.house.gov/committees/Trans/hpw104-15.000/hpw104-15_5.HTM 2) privatizing U.S. infrastructure assets (which —————— 1995 —————— “NAFTA Super-highway Promoted" opens the door to foreign ownership/manage- Legislation to Approve the National ment of U.S. roads, bridges, ports. .) NAFTA & Inter-American Trade Monitor, Highway System (NHS) and Ancillary Vol. 2, No. 13, April 28,1995 3) charging for use — taxes, tolls, and fees Issues Relating to Highway and Transit 4) increasing use of eminent domain to build Programs (H.R. 842 Trust Funds Off-budget) Excerpt: A Texas coalition, the Interstate High- or widen corridors to accommodate toll U.S. House of Representatives, Subcommittee on Surface way 35 Corridor Coalition, is lobbying to get I-35, highways, rail, and/or utility corridors, etc. Transportation, Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, which runs from Minneapolis, MN to Laredo, TX 5) promoting intermodal/multimodal concepts Washington, DC., March 10, 1995 extended into Mexico as the "NAFTA Superhigh- 6) using public-private partnerships Excerpt from remarks by Mr. GEREN: way.". (government + business partnering helps I think this NAFTA superhighway is a very The group calls for major road improvements overcome obstacles like public dissent) important step in the right direction. and new processes to speed up customs inspec- 7) promoting “smart highways/corridors” — tions, tax collection, which coincidentally requires the same and toll payments. technologies as a continent-wide surveil- David Dean, head lance/monitoring system would use: of the Coalition, de- • surveillance equipment (electronic scribes the plan: readers, sensors, scanners, cameras...) "The idea is that • technology for transmitting data a truck in Monterrey, (fiber optic cable networks, wireless bound for Chicago communications, etc.) or Winnipeg or • command and control centers along wherever, goes into corridors to collect, process, and share data the interior [cus- toms] station in References to the above and other issues Monterrey. Customs are contained in excerpts herein. officials from all Entries are arranged in chronological order, three countries generally according to publishing dates. could inspect the Most entries cite the NAFTA superhighway (Continues next page) by name, but a few that do not are included for their relevance to the topic. Note that all emphasis has been added. Download a pdf of this document: Credit: Federal Highway Administration. Office of Interstate and Border Planning, 9-7-2006 http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/hep10/nhs/hipricorridors/hipri-big.pdf Vicky Davis’ Channeling Reality website: http://www.channelingreality.com/Documents/NAFTA_Superhighway_07.pdf NAFTA Superhighway promotion started with the efforts of the Interstate Highway 35 Corridor North American Union Main page: Coalition (est. 1994) which became North America's Superhighway Coalition, Inc. (NASCO) http://www.channelingreality.com/NAU/NAU_New_Main.htm in 1997.* Around 2005, the organization began using “SuperCorridor” in place of “Superhighway.” Oklahomans for Sovereignty and Free Enterprise (OK-SAFE) website: http://www.ok-safe.com * Articles of Incorporation for North America’s Superhighway Coalition were filed June 30, 1997 with the Office of the Secretary of State of Texas. (See entry on page 3 of this document). Update: 17 Sept. 2007 NAFTA Superhighway Memory Hole 1 cargo, seal the container, weigh the truck, check ment, a roadway that traverses the continent are expected to end in early 1997. emissions controls, immigration papers, insur- would be essential to helping the agreement Pena also has announced a trinational trans- ance, safety standards. The truck files a route reach its full potential. (p.H9273) portation science and technology agreement un- plan, a bar code is affixed to its side or a satel- der which the U.S., Canada and Mexico will col- lite transmitter is put on top; all taxes, tariffs, Excerpt from remarks by Ms. McCARTHY: laborate in advancing safe, economical, efficient duties, overweight charges of every description The National Highway System [NHS] bill we and environmentally sound transportation sys- encountered along that route are pre-paid by the consider today . builds on the 90,000-mile In- tems. He said these efforts will smooth the tran- trucking concern. A smart-card with a computer terstate System by adding an additional 70,000 sition to full NAFTA implementation by speed- chip is encrypted into the vehicle and the truck miles of roads to be included in the new high- ing cross-border clearance of commercial and then enters the Nafta superhighway system in way system. The idea behind the new NHS is to private traffic. Mexico." . connect the interstate system and other roads http://www.window.state.tx.us/comptrol/fnotes/oct95fn.html http://www.etext.org/Politics/NAFTA.Monitor/Volume.3/nm-03.013 of national significance with, airports, sea and river ports, train depots, and commercial and —————— 1996 —————— Congressional Record -- House downtown areas. September 20, 1995 . The measure includes the important des- “Smart Highway” Re: National Highway System Designation Act of 1995 ignation of Interstate 35, a superhighway for NAFTA & Inter-American Trade Monitor, trade connecting Canada, the United States, and Vol. 3, No. 6, March 22,1996 Excerpt from remarks by Mr. FROST: . .Running through the Nation's midsection, Mexico. In addition, the NHS bill includes such Excerpt: ...the I-35 Coalition continues to push I-35 links the entire United States with Cana- roads as Jackson County Roadway, U.S. 50 and for development of a "smart highway" that would dian and Mexican markets through rail, air and Missouri 291. (p.H9304) eliminate the need for most truck inspections at truck links. the border.... It is the hope of the multistate I-35 Corridor “High-Tech Highways” "Smart highway" planners, including Interdex, Coalition that the designation of I-35 as a high Fiscal Notes, October 1995; Contributing to this article: Sandra the U.S. Treasury Department's new International Martinez; Window on State Government, Susan Combs, Texas Trade Data Exchange, are exploring ways to use priority corridor is just a first step toward the even- Comptroller of Public Accounts tual designation of this vital transportation link existing technology to speed traffic between as the International NAFTA Superhighway. Excerpt: Smart highways in Texas . [are] high- Mexico City, Dallas, and Toronto. Railroads al- .I-35 is currently the only fully constructed north- tech transportation guidance systems . ready use electronically readable tags attached south Interstate link between Mexico and Canada The new TransGuide system in San Antonio to rail cars and read by trackside readers that and its high priority designation will enhance ef- includes road sensors embedded in the high- send the information along telephone or fiber- forts to improve the road to accommodate the way, 52 cameras and a high-speed computer. optic lines. Similar technology could be applied increase in commercial traffic that has begun and Electronic equipment detects any highway inci- to trucks. Inspections, including weighing and promises only to grow.