Brian Lee
Today I had an appointment in Sechelt. I was running a little late but the road was dry and I knew that if I pushed the speed limit a bit, I could easily make it. After all, it was a weekday in September so the RVs and ubiquitous cars with two kayaks on top should be gone.
Who hasn’t made a sub-25 minute run from Madeira to Sechelt? It used to be a bit of competition — I’ve heard tales of running to Sechelt for smokes in half that time. Drive BC estimates the 34 kilometre trip takes 30 minutes but we all know we can safely do it under 25. Not anymore. On this day, as soon as I pulled onto the highway I was stuck behind a five-ton truck that was stuck behind an electric car that was stuck behind someone whose adult children are probably urging him to give up driving altogether. So, where the speed limit was 60, we did 35.
Usually I’m happy to get in the slow lane and relax while I listen to interviews on CBC radio with transgendered Syrian refugees tackling climate change — but today I was in a hurry. But there’s nothing you can do about it until you reach the passing lane in Secret Cove so when I did, I tromped on it and had the road to myself again. That is until I reached the other end of Secret Cove Road where I caught up to another line of Sunday drivers. So, I passed them on Halfmoon Bay Hill but by Trout Lake, I rode up on another senior who seemed to be struggling to keep his car rubber-side down. I got by him by Leaning Tree Road but after that there’s really no alternative but to join in with the throngs of West Sechelt commuters. So, I was late.
This summer was the busiest I’ve seen on the Sunshine Coast Highway. Though it’s nothing like the torture of driving on the other side, it’s increasingly difficult to make out what used to be an obvious spike in ferry traffic anymore — the 101 is plugged all day. And when there’s a bad accident, well, I hope you brought water.
Now, as if our rural roads weren’t already strained, there’s talk of building a bridge to the place we love to hate for its traffic congestion. Do some think our ridiculous little highway with its sudden curves and hidden driveways will suddenly accomodate whatever volume increase will be delivered by a fixed link? I would hope that during the recent feasibility discussions, those taking part recognize there can be no discussion of a fixed link without first twinning the Sunshine Coast highway. We’ll find out soon — a draft report is due this fall. Hopefully it also considers other infrastructure weaknesses like the south Coast’s limited water supply and our finite landfill capacity.
So far, much of the hysteria I’ve come across has been about the wash of crime that would flood our community. Sure, the pedophiles and drug addicts on the other side must be absolutely frothing for an alternative to BC Ferries but, right now, a fixed link would overwhelm the Coast’s infrastructure so quickly they wouldn’t make it past the off-ramp. Don’t get me wrong, the idea does appeal to me. It would bolster our fragile economy and what homeowner doesn’t warm to the idea of cashing out on a rise in property values? But all things considered, we have it pretty good here and if I wanted a life like on the other side, I’d still be there.
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