rockton

‘Six-lane bridge or tunnel link
to serve North Shore presented

This is the fourth in a series of arti-
cles to focus on the many options
now being considered in the search
to resolve the problem of what to do
with the aging Lions Gate Bridge.

By Kevin Gillies
Contributing Writer

: THERE IS no doubt that the
Lions Gate Bridge has seen
better days.

- A’ Vancouver Province story of
June 1954 said, “The Lions Gate
Bridge is outmoded for the simple

- Soreason that itis not big enough.”

‘Fifteen years, later, in the late

1960s or early 1970s, the provincial

“government decided to study the

2 feasibility of building a third cross-
ing of the Burrard Inlet.

_ Inthe 1990s, 20,000 more cars

per day (60,000 per day in 1970)

Passing over the creek to the west-
em side of the valley.

It would pass over Marine Drive
at MacKay Avenue before reaching
the south foot of Pemberton, where
the bridge would begin ils span of
Burrard Inlet.

There would be an interchange
at Marine Drive and access from
Welch and Third Streets. The
approach would pass through resi-
dential and commercial areas
before going over the water.

The report said “much care has
been directed to minimizing
encroachment on existing residen-
Hal areas. to avoiding developed
and partially developed parkland

and to preserving the natural forest-

ed ravine arens and creek beds.”

It goes on to say that it has been
impossible to avoid the widevel-
oped (in 1968) parkland of MacKay
Creck.

To the south, the approach

use, Lions Gate Bridge and it needs - would access the Thurlow area of

a ‘complete overhaul at the very.

The’ ‘Third Crossing” "study, a
oint venture of Swan Wooster |

the waterfront with a-tunnel going
_ under the downtown core, connect-
ing to the False Creek bridges and
around the eastern point of False

‘Consulting Engineers'and CBA Creek.

Engineers, produced a report. rec-
ommending either a bridge or a tun-
el crossing from Brockton. Point to
he Upper: Levels: Highway via the
MacKay Creek corridor. ;
@ its look at bridging Burrard
“Inlet at Brockton Point the report
id,-"In Vancouver Harbor the real
uestion; which’ must be faced is
iether ‘or; not: the. inlet can be
sed in’a manner which ‘does not .
etract: “frow: the great n natural beau-

:So'as paft-of-its'series, examin= -
ng options: for, Lions. ‘Gate Bridge,
he. ‘North ‘Shore News, examines .

itane!

sal: for the: North

rts with an inter- ‘

nge- onthe Upper ‘Levels -’
iene approximately halfway,

The rai ‘would head ‘south
long the-east side of. MacKay:
Sreék* for a, small: distance before .

“support t

Man-made. peninsulas, Jand-
scaped to appear natural, would be
added to cach shore of the inlet to

: cable- -stayed bridges are:“self-
anchored” and do not require addi- *{

‘choice for the 2

tional anchor blocks for its support-

ing towers — like a suspension |

bridge —— iti: was the design of
900-foot (770 m) ~
Span at the Brockton Crossing.
“Under this scheme the. existing
"bridge would be torn down.”: Ay
in the Brockton’ Tunne! option,
‘the above mentioned’ peninsulas *

2: would. be! lengthened, witha large

tube running between them.”

‘The: rectangular tube would’.

house two thrée-lane, general traffic,

"roadways with a central ‘duct to

‘house. mass “transit” A
(ALRT) and tunnel: maintenance ve

* utilities.
The submerged’ part of the tune

“nel would be made of concrete seg-

ments spanning the 4,400- foot (135
m) gap. ;

The tunnel would be prebuilt on-
‘shore and towed into place. It

would allow for a 60-foot deep pas-
: sageway for boats. :

A tunnel would mean the exist-

: ing: Lions Gate Bridge would be left

standing to acconimodate pedestri-
ans and cyclists. - ‘

: therine Atyeo Ligestecssenestones a7 a] Paul St. Pierre sue: ssrssesraseesnseee OD

) Classified...
) Crossword .

Trevor ‘Lavtens

veseenerse BZ @ What's
Vestasserenoes BP fi Your CALE cssstnseseesensest eel Dd

's Going On... een.)

2 bridgcheads. Because .,

‘facilities. .

he

Hemove:
Simplity Connection &
(a: $0 sidewalk only

Reorganize
Connections §
to Crosstoads g

"Retain Bridge for

Padestrians / Bicyctists /

Emergency Vehicles

Friday, January 28, 1994 - North Shore News - 3

S considered

we

A

Pombeetcr Ay

Maraate

J tevel inlerchange
AeSase{Al
Welch St

frog ated —

=
—S—
h

$8 Mililon to $27 Million

DOWNTOWN STREET
CONNECTIONS ©

" Northbound: Bate St.
Southbound: Jervis St.

Brockton
Point

Bypass tunnel W

Northbound Bypass

NEWS graphic Joan Pedersen.

THE. BROCKTON Tuiinel, would include two’ three-lane traffic

- roadways... A central. duct would accommodate mass transit -

traffic. With the tunnel in place, the existing Lions Gate Bridge
could. become. a crossing for. pedestrians and cyclists. ae

In the tunnel scenario, Lions
Gate Bridge would still need refur-
—bishing. ; .

The causeway would be repfant-
‘ed for the most part, leaving trails
for bridge users. .. :
A..Brockton Point’ crossing

;  wouldn* t come cheap. Recent ‘esti-

mates place it between $600-$80C.

_ million for cither proposal...

In favor of the Brockton align-
ment proposals:

Weather

Saturday, “sunny. High 9°C, low

-1°C,

Has the possibility ofa major
- earthquake affected your life?

‘Emily Bamford
North Vancouver District

The possibility of a major earthquake has kind of got me scared in a
way, but I’m glad we have a root cellar we can all got 10.

We talk about it a lot at school and so I think it’s

we have something to study.

s really interesting. that

& completely avoid Stanley:Park
and Indian land on the North Shore:

@ offer improvements. for transit. -

and ALRT; .
BH maintain the existing skyling
- (tunnel option);

 casy transition from old system.

to new;

B would create new viewpoints for

tourists; "
& offer a bypass of downtown
through the tunnel (if ALRT
doesn’t conflict).

COMMUTER
RAIL TUNNEL
PROPOSED

A RAIL: Stuaine “trom ”
Vancouver’s Pacific
Central Station to North?”
Vancouver's. BC Rail sta
tion is the answer: ty the
seine Lions Gaie. Bridg
problem, ‘according.: to
.Maleoirn: “Johnston: of the:

Trevor Lautens 1 moves. to page SIX

NEW. GROUND is being cultivated
for Trevor Lautens’ Garden of |
Biases column.

Launched in 1990, the editorial
opinion column has blossomed and

flourished on page 4 of Friday’ Ss.

North Shore News ever since. ;

Starting in today’s Friday News,
however, Garden of Biases will
move to the page 6 space that has

~ Wright since February.1984.:

: been so ably and eruditely occupied.”

by Associate News Editor Noel:
Wright's Hithes. and Yon.col- ‘
umn will continue'to appear in the ,
Wednesday and Sunday, editions of
the News...
Garden of Biases will now bear’

“its controversial fruit at the heart of

the News’ editorial opinion pages... ;

The recent earthquake in Los Angeles created emotiona? shock waves
locally. The area in which we live is overdue for a major quake.
Emergency response experts say we must all prepare to look after our:

selves should disaster strike.

Grace Smith
North Vancouver

Of course’ I took out earthquake insurance and P’'m looking for a house

Instead of my apartment.

I don’t want to be squashed by [3 floors or washed into the s sea because,

of the rupture of Cleveland Dain.

THIS WEEK’ S QUEST ION:
Which Lions Gate Bridge crossing. improvement do. you favor?

\