Published: September 02, 2008 11:03 pm      

BORDER: A new Nexus of cross-border travel

Appilcations for program now available at Whirlpool Bridge

Residents on both sides of the border can now enroll in the NEXUS program — for low-risk, pre-approved travelers — at the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge in Niagara Falls.

The first NEXUS center in Western New York, the new facility that opened Tuesday, eliminates the need to travel to Fort Erie, Ont., to enroll.

“This (NEXUS) program affords many benefits not only to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection but to the many trusted and legitimate travelers that rely on efficient cross-border travel,” said James T. Engleman, director of field operations for the CBP’s Buffalo Field Office.

Engleman spoke at a media briefing that included federal and local government officials from the U.S. and Canada, Niagara Falls Bridge Commission officials, and tourism agency representatives from both sides of the river.

“NEXUS is a common sense, modern way to strike the right balance between enhanced security and faster, more efficient travel between Canada and the U.S,” Engleman said.

The non-refundable processing fee for the NEXUS card, valid for five years, is $50. The Whirlpool Bridge is restricted to NEXUS card holders who often complete the crossing in less than a minute or two, unless a secondary inspection is warranted.

Applicants must be 18 years of age and older; While there is no cost for children 17 and younger, they are still required to submit applications.

To date, nearly 38,000 individuals have been enrolled, Engleman said.

Rep. Louise M. Slaughter, D-29th District, said people must keep in mind that $1.5 billion in trade crosses the border every day. “We have to do everything we can to expedite the continuation of that since it is our economic life blood,” she said.

After helping cut the ribbon with about a dozen other officials, Slaughter immediately entered the enrollment center to become the first applicant for the NEXUS there. The congresswoman quipped that she had applied for her card in January “but it was misplaced somewhere.”

Gary Burroughs, the Lord Mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., was the first person to have a NEXUS card renewed at the new enrollment office.

Minister of Justice Rob Nicholson, who also is the attorney general of Canada, said the new center will make it more convenient for residents in the Niagara Region to apply for the program. “With trusted programs like this, our government is taking action to facilitate the flow of commerce and travel while securing our border.”

Janice A. Thomson, chair of the eight-member Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, noted the current $2.35 round-trip toll on the Whirlpool span for Nexus card holders is the lowest rate for any of the international bridges. It is 28 percent cheaper than the toll at the other crossings, Thomson added.

The enrollment center adjacent to the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge was formerly a commercial shipping facility. The building with state-of-the-art equipment was renovated by Customs and Border Protection for an estimated $180,000.

The center will be open Tuesday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.



What you’ll need to cross the border

Effective June 1, 2009, travelers will be required to present a valid and acceptable document that proves both identity and citizenship when entering the U.S. by land or sea.

On the U.S.-Canada border, travelers will be able to select from one of these options:

• A passport

• A state-issued enhanced driver’s license

• The new U.S. passport card

• The two Trusted Travel Program cards (NEXUS and FAST), which are accepted already.

Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of Homeland Security.