Canusa Street – How does this work?

[kphoger]

Well, my thinking was more that they cut through the dirt area that goes around and alongside the barrier.

I doubt a car would do that.

Your observation of cars and their drivers differs widely from mine, then.

That could possibly explain Lochinvar Drive, but not Loch Lomond Drive (without driving right through the middle of a grassy lawn, that is).

[empirestate]

Well, my thinking was more that they cut through the dirt area that goes around and alongside the barrier.

I doubt a car would do that.

Your observation of cars and their drivers differs widely from mine, then.

That could possibly explain Lochinvar Drive, but not Loch Lomond Drive (without driving right through the middle of a grassy lawn, that is).

But is there anything to suggest that Loch Lomond was taken in one go? There's no boys playing ball there.

[kphoger]

Considering it's only a few blocks' drive to get from one side of the fence to the other, I think it's more likely the Google car did all the south dead-ends, then did all the north dead-ends, or vice versa.  A basketball game takes longer than that, so it's very probable the same kids would be there for both snapshots.

[empirestate]

Considering it's only a few blocks' drive to get from one side of the fence to the other, I think it's more likely the Google car did all the south dead-ends, then did all the north dead-ends, or vice versa.  A basketball game takes longer than that, so it's very probable the same kids would be there for both snapshots.

Oh, I'm perfectly well sure that's what happened. I was talking about the appearance of things. Picture...another picture a few feet farther along...another picture a few feet farther along...two kids playing basketball, metal barricade...few feet farther along...whoops, now we're on the other side of the barricade, and there's the same two kids. It's just funny, see.

[Quillz]

It took me this entire topic to realize the street name was "Can-USA." I kept reading it as something like "Cah-noose-a."

[freebrickproductions]

It took me this entire topic to realize the street name was "Can-USA." I kept reading it as something like "Cah-noose-a."

Oh wow, you're right! I was thinking the same thing.

[1995hoo]

I have no idea how they pronounce it, but I'd say "cuh-noose-uh." The name's origin is obvious, but I still read it as a word.

[spooky]

I would say can-you-SAH, just to be different. Sometimes I like to put that emPHASis on the wrong sylLABle.

[empirestate]

I would say can-you-SAH, just to be different. Sometimes I like to put that emPHASis on the wrong sylLABle.

If it were in Upstate NY, that would be totally apt.

[Henry]

This is certainly an interesting read!

[Stephane Dumas]

This is fucking insane, and reason #1 why border controls on the US/Canadian border are stupid.

So long as you have significant differences in policy (such as for gun ownership, or immigration) between the two countries, you need some kind of border controls.

There used to be no customs checkpoint between the neighboring towns Hyder AK and Stewart BC. There now is one just on the Canadian side. Hyder is very difficult to reach or leave except through Canada, so the U.S. isn't too worried about terrorists, etc. using Hyder as their point of entry into the U.S. Ditto for Canada, but they are worried about Stewart residents and other Canadians evading high alcohol and tobacco taxes by buying their stuff in Hyder. Until the customs checkpoint was established, Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrols kept a lookout for smugglers, as well as DUIs who didn't hang around Hyder long enough after getting "Hyderized" at a local bar.

Speaking of smuggling, the St. Regis/Akwesasne Indian Reserve was a place where cigarette smuggling pass from the US to Canada.
http://news.nationalpost.com/health/contraband-capital-the-akwesasne-mohawk-reserve-is-a-smuggling-conduit-police-say
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/akwesasne-area-an-ecstasy-smuggling-hotbed-1.1053124

[Rothman]

This is fucking insane, and reason #1 why border controls on the US/Canadian border are stupid.

So long as you have significant differences in policy (such as for gun ownership, or immigration) between the two countries, you need some kind of border controls.

There used to be no customs checkpoint between the neighboring towns Hyder AK and Stewart BC. There now is one just on the Canadian side. Hyder is very difficult to reach or leave except through Canada, so the U.S. isn't too worried about terrorists, etc. using Hyder as their point of entry into the U.S. Ditto for Canada, but they are worried about Stewart residents and other Canadians evading high alcohol and tobacco taxes by buying their stuff in Hyder. Until the customs checkpoint was established, Royal Canadian Mounted Police patrols kept a lookout for smugglers, as well as DUIs who didn't hang around Hyder long enough after getting "Hyderized" at a local bar.

Speaking of smuggling, the St. Regis/Akwesasne Indian Reserve was a place where cigarette smuggling pass from the US to Canada.
http://news.nationalpost.com/health/contraband-capital-the-akwesasne-mohawk-reserve-is-a-smuggling-conduit-police-say
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/akwesasne-area-an-ecstasy-smuggling-hotbed-1.1053124

Heh.  It has been some years since I first heard about the tension between the Akwesasne and the federal government and State of NY, but at some point they were just blowing through any customs booth up there, putting the workers in danger.  This is because back in the 18th Century, a treaty was signed where they were guaranteed free movement into their lands by the Feds.

I forget what boneheaded move NY or the Feds made back then (about 10 years ago), but it ticked them off and caused them to start the protest by just driving through any customs checkpoint -- without hardly slowing down.

[vdeane]

They have plenty of tension with Canada too.  Roughly a decade ago there was an incident over Harper's decision to arm customs agents.  The ensuing riot was severe enough that the customs agents on Cornwall Island had to be evacuated to the US, and a "temporary" booth was established on the mainland (severing Brookdale Ave northbound until a couple years ago when the new northern bridge was built).  Now, traffic going between the island and the US is required to go to the mainland to clear customs and then turn around - making a previously free movement cost over six dollars.  The government even went so far as to move the toll booth to the mainland, even though it was not part of the dispute.

It's possible that Canada may one day operate their customs on the US side here, but I suspect the "temporary" arrangements that exist now are here to stay.  The "temporary" arrangements built with the new bridge don't look very temporary - in fact, were they to be removed, a good chunk of the surrounding roadway would have to be torn up and rebuilt!
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0103248,-74.7378731,430m/data=!3m1!1e3

[freebrickproductions]

It's possible that Canada may one day operate their customs on the US side here, but I suspect the "temporary" arrangements that exist now are here to stay.  The "temporary" arrangements built with the new bridge don't look very temporary - in fact, were they to be removed, a good chunk of the surrounding roadway would have to be torn up and rebuilt!
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0103248,-74.7378731,430m/data=!3m1!1e3

I have to wonder how this dam's situation works...
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0064218,-74.7949396,721m/data=!3m1!1e3

[ghYHZ]

I have to wonder how this dam's situation works...
https://www.google.com/maps/@45.0064218,-74.7949396,721m/data=!3m1!1e3

Here's some info:

http://www.opg.com/generating-power/hydro/ottawa-st-lawrence/Pages/rh-saunders-station.aspx

http://www.stl.nypa.gov/power.html

[froggie]

Regarding the pronunciation....according to a friend-of-a-friend who lives in Derby, it's pronounced Ka-new-saw

[empirestate]

Regarding the pronunciation....according to a friend-of-a-friend who lives in Derby, it's pronounced Ka-new-saw

You mean like Arkansas (Ar-ken-saw)?

[froggie]

Ka, not ken.

Phonetically:  kə-nu-sɔ

[empirestate]

Ka, not ken.

Phonetically:  kə-nu-sɔ

Yeah, I'm OK on the "ka" part; so it's "canoe saw" rather than "canoosa"? Or is it "can you saw", as in the sentence "Go back and grab that can you saw"? (I guess it's not the last one, if you have that schwa in the first syllable.)

[jp the roadgeek]

Had to bump this.  One of the border houses is for sale.

http://www.wfsb.com/story/35636049/ever-wanted-to-live-in-two-countries-at-once-heres-your-chance

[US 89]

Had to bump this.  One of the border houses is for sale.

http://www.wfsb.com/story/35636049/ever-wanted-to-live-in-two-countries-at-once-heres-your-chance

"So I have to go through customs every single time I leave and go to my house?"
"Well, yes"
*crosses off house on list*

This is one of those houses that will be on the market for years.

[amroad17]

If I bought that house, I guess I would have to build an extension to the back of the house and use that as a border crossing--part of it in the USA and the other part in Canada.  The guards could stay there and work their shifts.  Also, we could make them breakfast/lunch/dinner or go out for take-out as long as we pass through that room with our IDs and passports.

Anyway............, I guess the kids couldn't play kickball in the front yard.  A kid would kick the ball off the side of his/her foot or kick the ball too far, watch it bounce or fly across the street, and not get the ball back because you just could not simply walk across the street and pick it up.  I wonder if there is any ordinance/law/mandate that says the neighbor (or neighbour in Canada) couldn't throw it back across the street?

Canusa Street is crazier than the two streets side-by-side in Washington and British Columbia.  I really could not live there--too much hassle and paperwork involved--even for backing out of your own driveway!

[michravera]

Regarding the pronunciation....according to a friend-of-a-friend who lives in Derby, it's pronounced Ka-new-saw

Probably meant to be "can you essay?"

[corco]

Had to bump this.  One of the border houses is for sale.

http://www.wfsb.com/story/35636049/ever-wanted-to-live-in-two-countries-at-once-heres-your-chance

"So I have to go through customs every single time I leave and go to my house?"
"Well, yes"
*crosses off house on list*

This is one of those houses that will be on the market for years.

And frankly, I'd bet CBP wants it that way - I'm almost certain they want these homes to go unsold and go away through attrition so as not to have to deal with these abnormalities. They can't overtly kick folks out and have to accommodate the people that live there, but they can make it miserable enough that nobody new wants to move in.

I want to live there just to stick it to the man.

[english si]

And frankly, I'd bet CBP wants it that way - I'm almost certain they want these homes to go unsold and go away through attrition so as not to have to deal with these abnormalities. They can't overtly kick folks out and have to accommodate the people that live there, but they can make it miserable enough that nobody new wants to move in.

This is surely a practise employed on the highways? Certainly it was policy implemented on the A406 North Circular near Wembley in London: a 1930s arterial that was gradually widened to a 6-lane road that they wanted to make access controlled, so bought up housing as it became available and rented it out while they waited to get the set. About 5 years ago, they gave up and the houses are now far less grotty looking.

PS: is the MS/TN line barrier actually traffic calming? like this in Southampton, UK - there was a plan to make the whole city have a firm hierachy of streets with no through roads outside of the distributor ones and existing streets stopped up mid-way like this. They did a few and then left it alone.