Editor:
It was with interest I read Christine Wood’s article on our ferry schedule modification and port upgrades for BC Ferries’ Route 3 at Langdale next year (“More sailings won’t translate to more service,” Sept. 2). Unfortunately, details on what the upgrade is to accomplish remain scarce.
I have often wondered why the bus and pedestrian drop-off at Langdale is so far from the boarding gate. I have no issues walking the extra 100 metres (now). But I watch elderly couples struggling to keep up with the crowd or young mothers dragging a distracted toddler. You get the picture. I also wonder if the port engineers purposely designed the pedestrian access so customers had multiple opportunities to experience the gales that blow in from Howe Sound. Is upgrade money available for easier pedestrian access with less climatic exposure? Will there be well-marked and safe access for bicycles? It isn’t easy for non-vehicle users of our “marine highway.”
So when you are in your car at Langdale and the rain has obliterated the lane numbers, the discussions of our “marine highway” should not solely be costs, comparisons, subsidies and priorities. The discussions and upgrades should include those people who are truly getting soaked.
Joe Vechter, director, TraC (Transportation Choices)
