When will the province build a bridge to Vancouver Island?? - Page 3

sacrifice333 · #41 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 4:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

We have a winner!

I think a bridge to the Island would be great, but its too deep to make a normal bridge, and the water is too violent in areas for a good floating bridge.

Show me a bridge to Gibsons first! Its not even an island!

As much as a bridge to the various Islands, Sunshine Coast, etc. would be great for transportation it makes far more economic sense to spend the dollars which we probably don't have on other items as noted earlier.

Besides, part of the charm, of the various routes accessed by ferries is that they're somewhat remote and accessed by ferries!

jlousa · #42 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 4:58 PM**

I'm confident that a bridge could be built for under $5Billion today. Due to the depths it would need to be a floating bridge for most of it, you would only need one maybe 2 raised spans for ship traffic to pass under. I don't see it happening within the next 10-15yrs though, but I would be surprised if there isn't a bridge in the works within 25yrs.

phesto · #43 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 5:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by northwest2k

You have no proof that the toll would be $300. Please stick to confirmed facts

Actually, the Ministry of Transportation's 2002 review of four previous feasibility studies indicated that on a break-even basis, the project would require a minimum toll of $260 each way. Given construction cost escalation since that time, it's reasonable to assume that it would be in the range of $400 in 2008.

http://www.llbc.leg.bc.ca/public/Pub...dlink_2002.pdf

Nutterbug · #44 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 6:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Show me a bridge to Gibsons first! Its not even an island!

Or just extend the Port Mellon highway to join up with the 99 in Squamish.

twoNeurons · #45 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 6:52 PM**

Japan built the Seikan Tunnel, which is both deeper and longer than the Chunnel. The Tunnel, at its deepest point is 240m underwater.

It connects the Main island to the Island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido is similar to Vancouver Island, in that it's not really that urban. However, 5,000,000 people live on the island. For Japan, the tunnel is questionable now... as air flight has become cheap and fast... but the tunnel was finished about 25 years ago.

Once you see Vancouver Island's population reach 2 million something like this WILL be realistic.

Saying all that... if something like Mag-lev between Vancouver and Seattle ever happened... a trip up the sunshine coast and across at campbell river MAY be feasible... given the speeds of Mag-lev.

phesto · #46 Posted **Jun 13, 2008, 9:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintinium

Once you see Vancouver Island's population reach 2 million something like this WILL be realistic.

Most of us won't be around to see the Island's population hit 2 million. Given current population growth levels (hovering around 1% annually), it won't even reach 1 million for another 20-25 years.

eduardo88 · #47 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 2:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintinium

Saying all that... if something like Mag-lev between Vancouver and Seattle ever happened... a trip up the sunshine coast and across at campbell river MAY be feasible... given the speeds of Mag-lev.

I doubt there will ever be the demand to justify building a maglev up to the sunshine coast and on to the island. A bridge/tunnel link i could see in 50-75 years tho.

vanman · #48 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 5:25 PM**

I would bet money that a bridge to the Island won't happen in my lifetime. It is retarded to be even considering the idea as it is basically an over the top luxury for only a few 100,000 people.Like other people have said, there are far more pressing transportation needs in BC to justify wasting countless billions on a trivial at best link. Add to that the fact that most people on the island probably do not want to become a suburb of Vancouver anyway (can you imagine what would happen to the gulf islands if a bridge was built).

ReginaGuy · #49 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 6:07 PM**

Excatly, I have a feeling that a lot of people move to the island to get away from it all. I doubt many of them would actually want a huge bridge connecting them to the rest of Canada

Mike K. · #50 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 6:07 PM**

The best we can hope for, which was an approved plan in the 1970's believe it or not, is a direct ferry link from Richmond to Galiano and two bridge spans connecting the Island from there. One towards Nanaimo, one towards the south Island/Victoria.

Again, this WAS the province's plan but before it could be implemented the NDP got into power and trashed it. As a result we saw construction of the Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo, but that was about it.

Nutterbug · #51 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 6:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReginaGuy

Excatly, I have a feeling that a lot of people move to the island to get away from it all. I doubt many of them would actually want a huge bridge connecting them to the rest of Canada

You gotta fight...

For your right...

To NIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMBY!!!!!!!

Nutterbug · #52 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike K.

The best we can hope for, which was an approved plan in the 1970's believe it or not, is a direct ferry link from Richmond to Galiano and two bridge spans connecting the Island from there. One towards Nanaimo, one towards the south Island/Victoria.

Again, this WAS the province's plan but before it could be implemented the NDP got into power and trashed it. As a result we saw construction of the Duke Point terminal in Nanaimo, but that was about it.

In retrospect, though, it was a good thing it never went through, eh? I can't see even the (ex-Socred) Liberals reviving the idea now in the current political climate.

The focus should shift more towards passenger ferries instead of increased road link. Let Seaspan handle the cargo. They'll do it more cheaply and efficiently than individual trucks crossing multiple bridges and tunnels anyways.

deasine · #53 Posted **Jun 14, 2008, 7:32 PM**

Exactly. Moreover, imagine how much money we would be wasting on a bridge like that when we could be using it to improve public transportation and road infrastructure in many regions of BC.

eduardo88 · #54 Posted **Jun 15, 2008, 2:01 AM**

Is there any point discussing this any further? It seems the consensus here is that it's a HUGE waste of money that would only benefit a few and that the money would be much better spent in improving public transportation and infrastructure across the province.

urbanfan89 · #55 Posted **Jun 15, 2008, 5:59 AM**

Quote:

If Japan can have 4 bridges linking all their islands. Why can't we have at least 1???

Japan: Population 120 million

BC: Population 4 million

You do the math.

MistyMountainHop · #56 Posted **Jun 15, 2008, 8:04 AM**

I wouldn't want a bridge. I enjoy taking the ferry to the island.

crazyjoeda · #57 Posted **Jun 15, 2008, 1:54 PM**

Probably never.

lightrail · #58 Posted **Jun 15, 2008, 4:49 PM**

An interesting engineering problem, but a compalte waste of money. The bridge would go across several Gulf Islands and destroy them. It would not serve Victoria well, where over two-thirds of Vancouver Island residents live - the Victoria ferries would still be needed, as the bridge would offer no time saving.

The bridge would also span a major fault line, connecting two actively moving plates, so how do you design a bridge to accommodate one end moving a few millimetres every year? The Vancouver Island plate is moving north, shortening the distance every year between Vancouver and Victoria.

High winds would cause frequent closures.

The bridge would encourage more automobile traffic - unless it is designed for trains only!

The distance is 4 times the distance of the Confederation Bridge

The depth of Georgia Strait is such that the support columns would be the highest structures in Canada - going down well over 200 metres below mean sea level.

Waste of money - nobody on the Island really wants it - and if you do, go and live on the Mainland. (I live on the Island)

en2 · #59 Posted **Jun 16, 2008, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tintinium

Japan built the Seikan Tunnel, which is both deeper and longer than the Chunnel. The Tunnel, at its deepest point is 240m underwater.

It connects the Main island to the Island of Hokkaido. Hokkaido is similar to Vancouver Island, in that it's not really that urban. However, 5,000,000 people live on the island. For Japan, the tunnel is questionable now... as air flight has become cheap and fast... but the tunnel was finished about 25 years ago.

They are building the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hokkaido now. The first phase is going to terminate at Hakodate first and it is going to use the Seikan Tunnel. I think eventually it will take a maximum of 5 hours to reach Sapporo by train ffrom Tokyo (which is maybe 1 hour more than the COMBINED time of flying, getting to the airport, waiting etc.)

Interestingly enough, you can visit the Seikan Tunnel as there are 2 underground stations inside. I have been there before

You can see them here where I have posted them: http://ngaie.blogspot.com/2006/07/in...tunnel-in.html

twoNeurons · #60 Posted **Jun 17, 2008, 10:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by lightrail

An interesting engineering problem, but a compalte waste of money. The bridge would go across several Gulf Islands and destroy them. It would not serve Victoria well, where over two-thirds of Vancouver Island residents live - the Victoria ferries would still be needed, as the bridge would offer no time saving.

And why would a bridge "destroy" the islands?

In any case, I agree that the best option is to build a couple of bridges from the Island to Galliano and build a Ferry terminal there. Then, you're just connecting some islands to some other islands.