[winodog]

Why do we need this massive system in the middle of the country when the vast majority of the people live on the coast? Who made the decision to "abandon" Long Beach in favor of a new improved super port in Mexico, a nation that hates us?

What do these "business people" know that we dont about the future direction of our country?

[Doctor Stochastic]

For about 150 years, people have been trying to get some type of transportation line from Kansas City to the West Coast. The shortest goes south through Presidio Texas, Chihuahua City, and Topolobampo in Sinaloa (spellings?). There was a rail line there about 40 years ago (I've taken the train.) which goes through the Barranca del Cobre, a canyon somewhat larger than the Grand Canyon. It's economically a good idea, except: (hah!) Mexico's government is so corrupt that they can't even make this break even. Topolombampo has a beautiful harbor, much like LAN Francisco's but larger.

The "private sector" has been shipping through Laredo and Nuevo Laredo for years; this is one of the largest PoE's in the US. Again, the corruption of the border officials (and now the drug lords) makes it not so feasible.

What drives these things is that water shipment is cheaper than rail or road shipment. Even a small savings is important when moving lots of merchandise.

[Ben Ficklin]

"Why do we need this massive system in the middle of the country.....?"

You shouldn't believe what Corsi is writing.

This road is but one of the US High Priority Corridors

While Corsi may call this the NAFTA highway, it isn't. The NAFTA Highway is actually the proposed I 69 from Laredo to Port Huron.

As far as the nation, I 69 is the most important. The TTC 35 that Corsi is talking about is most important to Texas because I 35 is is extremely crowded.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Sheesh. The Port of Long Beach (and LA, Oakland, Seattle, etc.) isn't being 'abandoned', they are booming, but are reaching buildout. They've already switched to 24 hour operation, so the ability to expand capacity is about to end. Same for all the US west coast ports, surrounded by some of the most expensive real estate and no other locations suitable for a large port. Where would you build the next port? Not many options for Canada, either, and Alaska doesn't have a rail connection (which would be amazingly expensive and an engineering challenge to build across permafrost and numerous mountain ranges.) Mexico is simpoly a natural overflow for all this trade growth.