Thursday, September 20, 2007
           
Bringing Home the Benefits of Trade to North America’s Heartland: The Great Plains Overview

This opening session is designed to set the stage for the entire conference.  From an international perspective, an overview of the growing Great Plains International Corridor trading relationships both domestically and internationally will be presented.  The economies of all three countries are tied to investment in transportation infrastructure.

The Great Plains International Corridor is serving the developing “Middle West” Energy Corridor.  Panelists will tie the importance of the transportation system to traditional, renewable and new technology energy sources that will lessen reliance on the traditional Middle East energy sources.

Panelists will provide a picture of the value of cooperation in developing a safe, secure and efficient transportation system as well as describing the corridor’s role in developing trading relationships beyond North America.

The Future of Transportation Financing
Panelists discuss the current transportation financing situation; explain the future opportunities and role of the corridor.  Participants will learn how they can assist in attaining this vision of economic prosperity.

ITS at the Crossroads: "Hardening" the Border Without Stifling Trade

Speakers will discuss what the current process is for freight movement across the border and what is on the horizon in the way of new technologies for Intelligent Transportation Systems and how these will enhance security and efficiency, decrease pollution and improve traffic flow while reducing congestion.

Highways, Tourism & Economic Development: Best Practices from the Road  

Panelists will describe the value of the transportation system to encourage the leisure traveler along a north-south corridor and address how local communities can benefit economically from the traveler.

Rural Corridors: Untapped Infrastructure Opportunity
The backbone created by the Great Plains International Corridor avoids the urban congestion that is present in many corridors and plagues the Interstate system.  Panelists will address the cost effectiveness and economic value of this growing opportunity to develop that backbone through rural areas and internationally.

Great Plains Success Stories: Bringing Home the Local Benefits of Trade

Participating business interests will share their particular successes in relationship to the transportation system and the value of the development of transportation infrastructure on future business and industry recruitment efforts.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Transportation Cooperation: What Americans Should Know

Everyone has opinion about the security of international borders, but few can describe what the current process is for moving goods across an international border.  What are the technologies and regulations that are currently in place?  Panelists will leave the participants with a clear description of the current border process related to freight.

Trends in Transportation Finance: Federal Perspective

This keynote speaker will share the value of transportation corridors to the economy of the United States and the possibilities and issues surrounding the future development of National Highway System High Priority Corridor and Border Programs.

Planning for Change: New Trade Patterns, New Infrastructure Strategies

Congestion at U.S. east and west coast seaports are resulting in changes to traditional trade patterns that could benefit the Great Plains International Corridor.  Panelists from the U.S. Gulf Coast, Canada and Mexico will describe the opportunity and additionally will describe the trade taking place between Canada and Mexico through the United States.

Return on Investment: Encouraging Investment in Infrastructure

Using Ports-to-Plains as a case study along with other examples, the speaker will show the economic potential of the four-lane divided highway and its relationship to rail and air freight movement in order to make the case for a return on investment to business and government alike from investment in the transportation system over the next thirty years.

Powering the Corridor: North America’s Wind Energy Future

This keynote speaker will address the economic connection created by transportation and energy infrastructure.