When will the province build a bridge to Vancouver Island??

[northwest2k]

When?



The plan was considered in the 80's but it never came to fruition. Personally I think Route 1 would be the best choice. We seriously need a fixed link to the island. Ferries are a slow, outdated form of transportation. If Japan can have 4 bridges linking all their islands. Why can't we have at least 1???

[mr.x]

Probably not for a long while considering the huge cost, probably at least $30-billion. The money is better spent on upgrading Victoria and the Lower Mainland's transit systems as well as the existing ferry system, and at a much less cost altogether.

There is no proven technology available today to build such a span. The Strait of Georgia seabed is always moving, the waters can be rough, there can be high winds, there's a lot of ship traffic, and of course there's an earthquake factor.

If you want a bridge today, be prepared to pay $300 for a one-way trip for your car.

I'm sure most people would prefer an affordable and scenic ferry ride over an overpriced road trip.

[northwest2k]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Probably not for a long while considering the huge cost, probably at least $30-billion. The money is better spent on upgrading Victoria and the Lower Mainland's transit systems as well as the existing ferry system, and at a much less cost altogether.

There is no proven technology available today to build such a span. The Strait of Georgia seabed is always moving, the waters can be rough, there can be high winds, there's a lot of ship traffic, and of course there's an earthquake factor.

If you want a bridge today, be prepared to pay $300 for a one-way trip for your car.

I'm sure most people would prefer an affordable and scenic ferry ride over an overpriced road trip.

I'd say Japan is more prone to earthquakes than we are and they seem to make it work. A floating bridge is another option. We have the technology. It's just that BC Ferries will never let it happen. They've got a monopoly on all traffic going to and from the island.

And unless you're talking about a toll, I don't see why I'd have to pay $300 to travel there by car.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by northwest2k

I'd say Japan is more prone to earthquakes than we are and they seem to make it work. A floating bridge is another option. We have the technology. It's just that BC Ferries will never let it happen. They've got a monopoly on all traffic going to and from the island.

And unless you're talking about a toll, I don't see why I'd have to pay $300 to travel there by car.

LOL, you're thinking about driving on it for free??? Don't bet on it, it will be tolled.

As for Japanese bridges, they only have one bridge/crossing that can be compared to the length of a Strait of Georgia crossing (up to ~26 kms). The Tokyo Bay crossing, which is about 4-kms of bridge and 10-kms of tunnel for a total of a 14-km length crossing pales in comparison to the Strait of Georgia.

The maximum depth at Tokyo Bay is 15-metres. At the Confederation Bridge, it's 35-metres and 65-metres for the Rion Antiron. At the Strait of Georgia, it's well over 300-metres.

And to compare us with Tokyo?....which has a huge population to support the cost of such a crossing as well as a huge demand for such a crossing with the population density they have?

Oh wait, you're against population density.

[Punkster]

Here's a link from the MoT's website.
http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/publications...fixed_link.htm

It seems more than anything, the depth of the Strait of Georgia is the problem. At 365 meters, it's 4.5 times as deep as the deepest convential bridge in the world.

[amor de cosmos]

China's Donghai & Hangzhou Bay bridges are both >30km, & they have another similar one in the works across the Pearl River estuary so the 26km length between the mainland & Van Island is definitely realistic. 365m is hugely deep though. Some piers would be almost 80 stories below the surface. & besides earthquake risk there are strong currents in the Strait. I don't see a bridge to the mainland happening anytime soon.

[Yume-sama]

Small time thinkers. TUNNEL IT!!! And also put in a maglev.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by amor de cosmos

China's Donghai & Hangzhou Bay bridges are both >30km, & they have another similar one in the works across the Pearl River estuary so the 26km length between the mainland & Van Island is definitely realistic. 365m is hugely deep though. I don't see a bridge to the mainland happening anytime soon.

How is it realistic at all? It's not realistic nor feasible probably for another 50 years. The length and depth is a huge issue......and most importantly perhaps is the cost: $30-billion.

I don't know how it's possible, but the Hangzhou Bay Bridge you mentioned cost only RMB 14-billion.....which is equivalent to CAN$2-billion. I'm not sure how the Chinese could have built a 36-km cable-stayed bridge for just $CAN$2-billion. That's the entire Canada Line budget, which we all know wasn't enough for the project.

And with Donghai Bridge, which is 33-kms in length, it cost RMB 10-billion or a ridiculous CAN$1.4-billion. That would be just enough for us to build just the Evergreen Line or the Golden Ears Bridge.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Small time thinkers. TUNNEL IT!!! And also put in a maglev.

365-metres......under the Strait of Georgia???? Even for the Chunnel Tunnel, the deepest point for the seabed is 55-metres.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

365-metres......under the Strait of Georgia???? Even for the Chunnel Tunnel, the deepest point for the seabed is 55-metres.

I didn't know we were supposed to suggest anything feasible...

Anyways, the Confederation Bridge linking PEI with New Brunswick is 12.9KM long... but, comes with a rather hefty tolling price!

$41.50 two axle car
$6.75 per extra axle
$16.50 motorcycle

Would people really pay this, and presumably A LOT more, over taking the slower ferry?

[amor de cosmos]

Building a 26km bridge would be possible, meaning it wouldn't be a world record or anything. That's not the hangup with a fixed link, there are plenty of other though.

[Yume-sama]

Yes, the length isn't really a problem. The longest bridge over water is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in New Orleans at 38.4KM

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

Would people really pay this, and presumably A LOT more, over taking the slower ferry?

I think flying is cheaper.

Building a 26km bridge would be possible, meaning it wouldn't be a world record or anything. That's not the hangup with a fixed link, there are plenty of other though.

I think we have other transportation priorities to take care of before building a Strait of Georgia crossing.

The BC Ferries system will be fine for quite a few more decades if we keep improving and expanding the service.

[northwest2k]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

I didn't know we were supposed to suggest anything feasible...

Anyways, the Confederation Bridge linking PEI with New Brunswick is 12.9KM long... but, comes with a rather hefty tolling price!

$41.50 two axle car
$6.75 per extra axle
$16.50 motorcycle

Would people really pay this, and presumably A LOT more, over taking the slower ferry?

Yes they would. A high toll price would be perfect for the bridge. It would discourage people from living on the island and commuting to work in vancouver each morning. While still providing a fast, reliable mode of transportation for freight and recreational travel.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

I think flying is cheaper.





I think we have other transportation priorities to take care of before building a Strait of Georgia crossing.

The BC Ferries system will be fine for quite a few more decades if we keep improving and expanding the service.

It's $268 to take a seaplane round trip from the island.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by Yume-sama

It's $268 to take a seaplane round trip from the island.

Take in account the toll cost and gas, and it'll be cheaper. The tolling prices for such a crossing would be quite a bit more than the Confederation Bridge.

[giallo]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

I don't know how it's possible, but the Hangzhou Bay Bridge you mentioned cost only RMB 14-billion.....which is equivalent to CAN$2-billion. I'm not sure how the Chinese could have built a 36-km cable-stayed bridge for just $CAN$2-billion. That's the entire Canada Line budget, which we all know wasn't enough for the project.

And with Donghai Bridge, which is 33-kms in length, it cost RMB 10-billion or a ridiculous CAN$1.4-billion. That would be just enough for us to build just the Evergreen Line or the Golden Ears Bridge.

The average wage for a construction worker in China is around 10rmb an hour or $1.40CDN.

[Yume-sama]

Originally Posted by giallo

The average wage for a construction worker in China is around 10rmb an hour or $1.40CDN.

Really? I thought it was per day...

[eduardo88]

Originally Posted by northwest2k

Yes they would. A high toll price would be perfect for the bridge. It would discourage people from living on the island and commuting to work in vancouver each morning. While still providing a fast, reliable mode of transportation for freight and recreational travel.

How would that at all help to pay for the bridge if you're discouraging people from commuting? Anyway it'd probably be way more efficient and cheaper to move freight by ship...its slower, but one ship can carry what hundreds of trucks can do in a single trip. Theres no logic in transporting by truck across the straight.

Anyway a bridge across is probably not economically feasible, perhaps even technologically feasible due to the extreme depths. The money would be much better spent improving infrastructure in Metro Vancouver and augmenting ferry services.

[amor de cosmos]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

I think flying is cheaper.

I think we have other transportation priorities to take care of before building a Strait of Georgia crossing.

I think so too