Sunday, September 22, 2024

The Alex Fraser Bridge (1986)

The Alex_Fraser_Bridge was opened as a 4 lane chokepoint, right from the start. No need for any express_bus_lanes or rail rapid transit, as that would conflict with the congestion planning agenda. 

"Upon opening in 1986, only four of the six available lanes were open. Cyclists and pedestrians share two narrow sidewalks one on each side. All six lanes opened in 1987 after traffic demand justified the need." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fraser_Bridge#Overview

Eventually, the AFB would have 7 lanes, when it should have been designed to have 8-10 lanes. A provision for a lower transit deck would have been nice, but there isn't a vision for an efficient transportation network. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#History It opened with only 4 lanes & no emergency lanes. No provision for a lower deck, but a 5th lane was eventually added. So many times, an inept 4 lane BC bridge that is supposed to be a major crossing, is subjected to the congestive planning agenda. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Old_and_new_Port_Mann_bridges.jpg
By the 1980s & especially the 1990s, many people wished that the bridge had a lower bus & train deck.
When the first Port_Mann_Bridge opened in 1964, it was very symbolic of the antigrowth & chokpoint planning agenda of BC. Despite being a BC_Highway_1 bridge in Greater Vancouver, there was no serious consideration for 2 truck & 2 bus-HOV lanes. Just have all the traffic crammed into a 4 lane bottleneck. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#Dismantling_of_original_bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#New_bridge