Wednesday, December 19, 2001

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
from Seattle P-I

VICTORIA, B.C. -- The idea of building bridges between Vancouver Island and the Vancouver area on the mainland should be studied, provincial Transportation Minister Judith Reid says.

"It is a concept that should be considered and we should look at whether it's viable," Reid said Tuesday.

Her comment followed release of an independent report on the British Columbia Ferry Corp. by investment banker Fred Wright that suggested consideration of bridges to link several of the Gulf Islands in the Strait of Georgia.

For example, the report said, bridges between Galiano and Vancouver islands would reduce the ferry runs between Tsawwassen, south of Vancouver, and Swartz Bay, north of Victoria on Vancouver Island.

"The economics of fixed links are very good," Wright said. "You can build a fixed link for almost the same cost as a ferry, but then you have the cost of operating the ferry."

Reid said Wright's recommendations will be considered as the provincial government tries to make ferry service more efficient, a review scheduled for completion in February.

She said the 8-mile Confederation Bridge between Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, the longest span in Canada, aroused considerable controversy before construction but was more widely accepted after it was completed in May 1997.

Private investors spent about $750 million (U.S.) to build the two-lane span. Round-trip toll for a passenger car is $37.75 Canadian, about $26.15 U.S.

No estimates have been prepared for building bridges to link Vancouver Island and the mainland. The distance from Tsawwassen to Galiano Island is more than 10 miles.

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