Dear Editor:
Surrey, Burnaby and Coquitlam, not to forget Vancouver, have ganged up on New Westminster for this new Pattullo Bridge.
I say forget it. Remember when the bridge was closed for a weekend due to a fire at the Surrey end. How nice it was with very little traffic on McBride, East Eighth Avenue, Sixth Street. Build a new, bigger bridge, and all we will get is more traffic.
Our city first has to address the truck traffic through the neighbourhoods. Just look at the mess on Scott Road around the Tannery Road area due to work on the connector. I do not want to see that happen in New Westminster.
Mind you along our street, East Eighth Avenue, and down to Brunette we have our fair share of noise, smoke, vibration and air brakes from the daylong parade of heavy trucks.
Don't get me wrong, we need a bridge. I like the idea of an upgrade to a wider two-lane, which would be fine for cars and light-duty trucks.
I feel Surrey and Coquitlam should get together and build a bridge upstream that could cross over near the paper mill. That new bridge would have the truck traffic and other traffic head right to United Boulevard. It could also take advantage of the newly built overpass to Lougheed Highway - even add an on-ramp to the widened freeway.
As for truck traffic from Vancouver and Richmond, have that come along the newly opened up River Road using the waterfront road (which Surrey residents don't want) right to that new bridge I suggested. We here in New Westminster would see limited heavy traffic on Front Street, limited or none on 10th Avenue to McBride and East Eighth Avenue, and limited or none on Brunette to Columbia.
McBride could then have a green space down the centre to the Pattullo.
Unfortunately, 10th Avenue through the Crest neighbourhood in Burnaby would have to address extra traffic. Now from Marine Way comes too much traffic shortcutting down to Cariboo Road and into Coquitlam.
Most will hate this last item, but to reduce traffic through our city and neighbourhoods, I would even pay a small toll to cross the newly smaller, less traffic-burdened, Pattullo Bridge. This may not be a solution, but it's an idea.
Alex Bronevitch, Westminster Heights
