Transportation Minister Todd Stone’s bolt-from-the-blue vision to integrate the Sunshine Coast with the rest of B.C. is still in its infancy, and has a long, long way to go.
But the ministry is advancing the notion he pitched last summer. Reaching into the file of dream projects, Stone announced in August he wanted a closer look at one of the dreamiest ideas of all, a fixed link of some sort that would give the Sunshine Coast an easier route to metro Vancouver and the world at large.
Powell River residents now have to drive a two-lane highway and take two small ferries to get to Vancouver, a trip that takes most of a day. Or take a ferry to Comox, drive to Nanaimo and take another ferry to Vancouver, a trip that’s even longer and more expensive.
Stone invited people to think big in terms of a new transportation system on that remote stretch of coast. The ministry is floating the idea of a new highway through the mountains around Jervis Inlet. Or bridge connections along the coast that eliminate ferries. The sky seems to be the limit in terms of what they’re willing to entertain as possibilities.
The concepts are in keeping with Stone’s approach to his ministry. He has shown a willingness to shake up traditional views of the coastal ferry system. The cable ferry to Denman was undertaken by B.C. Ferries on his watch. And a study is due for release soon on bridging Gabriola Island, near Nanaimo.
The underlying economic argument is that ferries will always be expensive until the end of time, so fixed alternatives, even with tolls, might work out to be more economical. The underlying political dynamic is that of an ambitious transportation minister who’s familiar with how blacktop gambles in B.C. — such as the Coquihalla Highway — can pay off.
The ministry has budgeted up to $250,000 for a closer look at some kind of fixed link on the Sunshine Coast and is looking for a consulting firm to start work. The terms were posted recently and they reflect what an audacious project it could be.
Four possible concepts are on the sketch pads: a Powell River to Highway 99 road link through the mountains; a link further southeast, from Port Mellon to Squamish; a bridge over Howe Sound; or a bridge on the coast from Earls Cove to Saltery Bay.
Combinations or permutations that retain some ferries might also be feasible, says the ministry.
The ministry is asking for bids from consultants, and included in the background documents are two studies from years gone by. There was a 1998 study of linking Powell River to the Squamish Valley. It stressed the extremely difficult terrain, some of which requires tunnels at up to $4 million per kilometre. Total cost was pegged at $1.2 billion.
There’s also a 2001 study of a link from Port Mellon to Squamish. It looked at a new highway hugging the west side of Howe Sound and also emphasized how challenging the terrain was.
“The challenge and cost of constructing a highway from Port Mellon to Squamish would be extraordinary ... To put it mildly, the construction of such a highway will be extraordinarily difficult.”
The rough estimate came in at $1 billion for about 40 kilometres of two-lane highway.
The new study is expected to include a cost-benefit analysis of the options or combinations and the feasibility of the variations. Bids on the job close later this month. The winner is expected to outline the business case for a new link, and estimate the future potential use patterns out to 2041. Historic ferry ridership numbers will be used to forecast future traffic.
There’s also a need for an analysis of “suppressed demand,” trips not taken due to schedule limits or high fares. Powell River-Sunshine Coast NDP MLA Nicholas Simons said there is interest in the study, because the ferry system is so bad now that any alternative looks better.
There’s also a line about “possible partnering opportunities.”
Whether or not the concept advances much, people are talking about it. An informal online poll got 400 respondents, 80 per cent of whom were interested in the ideas.
