Traffic Numbers Support Complaints of Traffic Loss

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 03:59 AM

Those who say the loss of the Cameron Street Bridge is having a negative impact on their First Avenue businesses, appear to have a case.

Using the City of Prince George's statistics, (which do not give an actual account of just how much traffic has been diverted off 1st ave since the closure of the Cameron Street bridge) Opinion 250 has extrapolated a figure of five cars a minute in both directions that formerly used the bridge to get to First Avenue to either access the downtown, by pass the downtown, or make their way through the City.

The figures produced by the city show that in a past survey, 4,690 vehicles used 1st Ave to access the Cameron Street bridge turn buckle. Of that number 1,180 turned on to River Road. Conversely, traffic from the north of the bridge was about 5,000 vehicles turning onto 1st Ave.

Using a daily figure of bridge traffic of about 10,000 vehicle movements (that would translate into about 417 vehicles an hour or about seven vehicles a minute), it is enough to see the loss of the bridge would have a significant impact on First Avenue.

The city has included a new Cameron St. Bridge as a capital expenditure in the year 2008.

MLA and Cabinet Minister Pat Bell say he feels the Cameron St. Bridge fits well into a Federal, Provincial and City infrastructure program. Under such a program Bell says each party would contribute one third of the cost of the project and while the federal infrastructure program is, at present, not active, the Minister says he believes it is only a matter of time before the federal government announces a new infrastructure program.

The City has a $190 thousand dollar study underway to see if the existing bridge supports could be used for a new structure. A draft report is supposed to be ready in May. (see also "Firm Chosen...") Should that study indicate the existing piers can be used, Council may be asked to revisit the Capital Plan and revise the timing of the bridge construction.

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Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 03:59 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Gofaster on April 18 2006 7:43 AM

In my opinion Mr Bell will say whatever it is he is told to say. And he does it so elliquently too.

Posted by: Palopu on April 18 2006 8:37 AM

The Provincial Government and Federal Government has other prioritys for spending their money. One is the twinning of the bridge over the Fraser River. The paving and widening of the roads 97 South and 16 West. These are important prioritys and will save lives and should take precedence over the 3rd bridge over the Nechako River.

In a normal City (Prince George does not fall into this catagory) the traffic that uses the Cameron St Bridge does not warrant a new bridge at this time. At best you could make a case for repairing the Bridge and using as a one lane to offset traffic from the Bypass. This was the way it was used for the past 15 years and it worked fine.
Any suggestion that we need a new bridge is either made by the ill informed, or the vested interest groups who stand to make money through construction contracts, or Politicians . In a normal City a new bridge would not be considered.

Posted by: owl on April 18 2006 10:44 AM

I am sorry to have to say this, but the numbers stated in the above are absolutely useless without including a current count. One needs not only privide counts of when the bridge was there, but also a count of when the bridge is not there.

The statment: "it is enough to see the loss of the bridge would have a significant impact on First Avenue" does not necessarily follow, especially when using the word "significant". It also does not necessarily follow that the reduced traffic means reduced use of businesses along First Avenue.

Ask the bottle depot how much business they have lost.