Editor:
After the wailing and gnashing of teeth over the government's recent pronouncements for the proposed mega bridge replacing the Massey Tunnel, the following must be considered.
The Laing, Oak, Knight and Queensborough bridges are at capacity during peak hours.
Steveston, Westminster and Highway 91 are also at capacity during peak hours.
TransLink has lost interest in providing a user friendly transit service south of the Fraser.
So the question must be asked; “Where is the added traffic going to go?”
The answer is; “It will be stuck in gridlock at the next choke point, Highway 99.”
The following could be a solution. A tunnel crossing the South Arm of the Fraser in the vicinity of 80th St.; a highway paralleling the CN railway which bisects Richmond; and a second tunnel crossing the north Arm of the Fraser into South Burnaby.
Such a route would draw of a lot of commercial and Whiterock/South Surrey traffic, travelling to Richmond and Vancouver/Burnaby, leaving the Massey Tunnel for more local South Delta/ferry/Ladner traffic.
The Liberal's proposed 10-lane mega bridge was all about optics, ribbon cutting, and blacktop politics. What is needed is rational planning to provide workable transportation solutions for the region that suits the needs of both the car and commercial drivers.
Malcolm Johnston
