Higgins says that the tunnel will cost $20 million more than a new elevated ramp, but that the difference can be made up in $25 million in Federal Highway that was earmarked for Peace Bridge community enhancements. Of the entire $750 million Peace Bridge expansion project, Higgins says he looks forward to the "thousands of jobs" this will create for the construction trades, and that the Public Bridge Authority is close to final approval from the Federal Highway Administration.  

Higgins reiterated from earlier speeches concerning the bridge project and its environs that the flow of goods and commerce would be restored.  Once again, he said, "It's not about trucks, it's about people."  When asked, he said he believes that the state of the homes in the Peace Bridge community that will come down for the truck plaza are "borderline" and that their removal will enhance the homes that will be left.  He said limiting the size of the truck plaza is not being considered because he believes it will be another component in moving traffic more quickly.

When suggested that the plaza would be a site for a larger duty free store that Americans would not benefit from, and that the 3-story parking ramp might be excessive, Higgins again said that with the restoration of the park, and the elimination of Baird Drive and the homes, would enhance the neighborhood for those homes left.  He also said that moving traffic further away from those homes would eleviate the high incidence of asthma in proximity to the plaza, just as it had on the Fort Erie side of the bridge.  When asked if there were statistics to back that up, Higgins suggested that Public Bridge Authority General Manager Ron Rienas might have that data, but Rienas had already left the press conference.