Editor:
As we observe the transformative growth of transportation globally, it’s apparent that bridges have become a favored solution.
From Europe to the Far East, bridges have not only revolutionized transport but also emerged as iconic symbols of progress.
The advent of advanced technology and innovative construction materials has made it feasible to build longer bridges, opening new possibilities.
Currently, our primary link to the Sunshine Coast is the BC Ferries service. However, this system is riddled with environmental concerns, overcrowded parking lots, escalating fares, and scheduling woes. It’s time we replace the Horseshoe Bay/Langdale ferry route with a fixed bridge – a modern, more sustainable solution.
The solution is extending the Trans Canada Highway to the Sunshine Coast and connecting it to the Sea to Sky Highway via Anvil Island. This arrangement could repurpose the Sunshine Coast ferry for Vancouver Island service, providing travelers with more options, particularly coming from the North.
Replacing the ferry service with a bridge could significantly trim our carbon footprint. Marine engines emit more pollutants than auto and EV engines and use more fuel. Thus, a fixed link would mean a significant reduction in carbon and sulfur emissions, and a healthier planet.
The benefits of a road connection to the Sunshine Coast are many. It would eliminate travelers’s time waiting at ferry terminals, sometimes captive in your car in the blazing sun for an unknown period, sometimes for a two sailing wait!
Other benefits: there would be less congestion at the Horseshoe Bay terminal, it would reduce the risk of large-scale accidents, provide round-the-clock access to the Lower Mainland for emergency vehicles, generate jobs for local construction companies, lower maintenance costs, lower the costs of building and maintaining ferries, and enhance the region’s appeal.
This proposal is an investment in infrastructure and job creation -– a project that Canadians can be proud of.
As for disadvantages? They seem conspicuously absent.
Hal Lindhagen, Halfmoon Bay
