Editor:
A look at a previous fixed link project in Canada, the Confederation Bridge, shows up the incredible belief in fairy tales of the proponents of a bridge-road link.
The Northumberland Strait is 240 feet deep at its maximum, a lot shallower (40 to 80 feet) where the bridge is constructed. Howe Sound’s minimum depth is 210 feet, maximum in the region of 750 feet.
Prince Edward island has a population of just under 150,000, is a tourist destination with excellent beaches with warm water swimming in the summer, strong agriculture, seafood and forestry commerce movements by road.
The toll on the Confederation Bridge starts at $45.50, based on costs at the time. Any construction on a Howe Sound crossing would cost at least as much as the P.E.I. bridge with the problems of building in a mountainous area with avalanches and slide areas, not all above water, being a permanent problem not just for the bridges but the various extensive road accesses. Any tolls would probably be at least equivalent to the P.E.I. ones as there would be a lot less commercial traffic. Squamish is already a deep-water port. The idea of another one on the north side of Howe Sound, shipping containers by road as there would be no rail link, is equally preposterous.
The first serious earthquake would probably breach the only north-south two-lane road connection at Chapman Creek.
What happens to the hundreds of foot passengers who use the ferries?
This is a total misuse of government money to even study this. The realization that the SCRD has requested this and also paid for a full page advert in a local paper talking about mission statements and policies and other fluff shows it has little relevance to the real world.
D. Webb, Sechelt
