Clear Full Forecast

Cameron Street Bridge Ribbon Cut

By 250 News

Monday, August 24, 2009 11:33 AM

Minister  of Transportation Shirley Bond, Mayor Dan Rogers, and M.P for Prince George-Peace River  Jay Hill prepare to cut the ribbon (click on  photo for  video of  event, including the first official vehicle crossing of the bridge)
Prince George, B.C.-The Cameron Street Bridge will be open to traffic shortly after noon today.
Nearly four years have passed since the bridge was closed to traffic because of structural issues with the previous bridge.
The new crossing cost $10.5 million dollars and includes traffic lights on the south side at River road, and a traffic circle at the north end.
In addition, the new bridge has a safe laneway for bicycles and pedestrians.   (  at right,  some who attended ceremony  took the opportunity to  take a walk across the new  bridge)
On hand this morning for the official ribbon cutting were City Councillors past and present, Mayor Dan Rogers, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Shirley Bond, and M.P. for Prince George-Peace River, Jay Hill.
About a hundred members of the public were also on hand.
The crossing is expected to save industry half a million dollars a year in fuel costs as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions as vehicles will no longer have to wait and idle for access to the bridge as was the case   when waiting at the old bridge for the one lane crossing to be clear.
 

Previous Story - Next Story

Email Email | Print Print | Share on Facebook Facebook | Tweet! Twitter | Digg Digg | Del.icio.us Del.icio.us

Posted on Monday, August 24, 2009 11:33 AM in News by 250 News

Return to Home
NetBistro

Comments

Comment Posted by: Water_Witch on August 24 2009 11:47 AM
About 100 members of the public were on hand? How terribly interesting.
Comment Posted by: Loki on August 24 2009 12:16 PM
The only ones interested in this bridge are the political stakeholders.

The daily users just want the thing open.

Didn't Jay have dark hair once?
Comment Posted by: squirl on August 24 2009 12:28 PM
if it saves industry half a million dollars a year why are we taxpayers paying for it
Comment Posted by: gus on August 24 2009 12:42 PM
Because if they were to pay for it, they would not save any money.
Comment Posted by: Vdesign on August 24 2009 1:06 PM
Well industry pays taxes too, so they paid part of it. Be thankful that you will have a lot easier time getting thru the intersection at 5th and Central.

I remember seeing may cars idling waiting for the bridge as well, myself being one of them, now all I have to do is figure out how that silly circle works.
Comment Posted by: Born in BC on August 24 2009 2:04 PM
Didnt Dan Rogers rail against that very bridge.

Oh wait a photo op! Well that changes everything now doesnt it.
Comment Posted by: opinionated on August 24 2009 2:48 PM
This was a good day for PG. Can't you folks ever say something positive? There were many folks at the ribbon cutting that were plain old folks interested in this community, like myself.
If you hate it here so much...move!!!!
Comment Posted by: curiousgeorge on August 24 2009 3:07 PM
I dont call myself a religious person, but AMEN to that bridge being open!! It feels like forever since we have had an alternative to 5th and Central coming in from the Hart, or leaving downtown to the Hart. It is indeed a good day for PG!!
Comment Posted by: travism on August 24 2009 3:20 PM
YES!!!!! Home at least 5 mins sooner.
Comment Posted by: He spoke on August 24 2009 4:26 PM
Gus, I like your retort. That is good.
Comment Posted by: metalman on August 24 2009 5:29 PM
opinionated, will you help me move?
Anyhow, PG has a couple of new bridges, and traffic will flow better as a result, that's positive. One intersection with a roundabout, 1,273 to go. That's positive.
Only 3,285 days to go until retirement on a shitty pension, that's not so positive, sorry.
metalman.
Comment Posted by: Eagleone on August 24 2009 6:31 PM
This is a good day for PG.

On a side note... the top picture behind the politicians at the top of that cut bank that is intersected by the light pole is a fantastic lookout spot overlooking the new bridge, the new circle intersection, and the downtown in the background. The trail leading to it is world class IMO with a huge canopy of trees and lots of challenging terrain. Awesome trail that goes the whole way along that bank all good green trees mostly fur and spruce, and I notice its all marked out for logging...? IMO that hill side should be part of a broader park system for the benefit of all future generations in this city.

Comment Posted by: MrPG on August 24 2009 7:14 PM
Long overdue. I'm agreed with most of the posters, this has been sorely needed for a long time.
Comment Posted by: BC Mary on August 24 2009 7:44 PM
Eagleone:

I hope you get your wish ... there are so few recreational beauty spots in and around the City,

plus

those established trees are probably holding a lot of cutbank hillsides in place

not to mention pumping oxygen into the air.

Good luck with making that hillside part of a broader park system. It sounds lovely.
Comment Posted by: cougars fan on August 24 2009 9:27 PM
This bridge is definitely a good thing, but I cannot see anything good coming from having a round-about at one end of it.
At least they cut out the square center of it. I guess time will tell how it works out.
Comment Posted by: foxtrapper on August 24 2009 10:40 PM
Traffic circles are a blast--I can hardly wait.