I chuckle every Friday and Sunday afternoons when I see the hordes of cars and campers form the world’s slowest parade on Highway 99. It is a scene I grew up with in Southern Ontario, along Highway 400.
For the unaware, Highway 400 is an eight-laner that carries GTA dwellers to their cabins up in cottage country north of Toronto. The pattern is the same there as here: every Friday a crush heading north, every Sunday a crush heading south.
Build it, and they will come. And we have been building lots of it lately. Houses, tourist attractions, you name it. Squamish’s population has increased by 50% since I moved here. In summertime, it is wall-to-wall people.
Highway 99 remains the sole gateway to Paradise, as well as the main thoroughfare for our town. Although substantially improved prior to 2010, the Highway is still a gauntlet of differing widths, wicked curves, speed limits and traffic lights.
If I were a prankster terrorist, I could hold thousands to ransom just repeatedly using the Britannia crosswalk on weekends. And that is to say nothing of the geophysical risks – one good rockslide at the wrong time of year would cut us completely off from the world and cost us dearly in terms of economic disruption.
And yet we continue to build as if there is no problem in front of us. We continue to add more attractions, one boardwalk coffee shop, apartment building or festival at a time, each proponent claiming their project will have minimal environmental and quality-of-life impact, while leaving out the cumulative effects of all of these projects together – especially the crush of traffic they create.
So, what to do?
A second highway would be a good start.
In a 2002 interview published in Pique Magazine, former Councillor Paul Lalli posited that with Squamish primed for explosive growth, we needed an alternate route, especially for those bound mainly for Whistler and points beyond.
But the routes proposed, up through Indian Arm or the Capilano watershed, were dismissed as too risky, both for people and the environment. Instead, the Province opted to improve Highway 99.
Today we are seeing the limits of that approach. Engineering studies have shown upgrading 99 much beyond its present form simply is not feasible. What improvements are possible will only bring temporary relief.
I know a new highway will not be popular with some – recall the protests for just trying to add a few kilometers through Eagle Bluffs – but it needs to be considered again.
The present mass in-CAR-ceration (get it?) will only get worse as we add more human attractants, along with more negative environmental impacts. A new route will give us a backup plan if another devastating natural disaster happens, like the slide of 2008.
It is either that or take our foot off the development accelerator until we figure something else out.
Brad Hodge is a local citizen and an IT business owner.
L Gerhardt says
Yes, I love the thought of this…but there is no where to put another highway, and even if there was it’s just not going to happen..to expensive ( especially now with COVID payouts there’s no money 💴 unless we want our children and children’s children to be paying for it forever..)and too invasive…(like you mentioned the protests from west Vancouver …)
A nice thought but….
David Lassmann says
As Mr. Hodge indicates, the increased traffic through the Sea to Sky Corridor is not unprecedented. The upgrade of Highway 99 for the 2010 winter olympics made a huge difference to Squamish. As you might recall, the winding down of industry in Squamish led our local government to seek recreation and tourism as Squamish’s new raison d’être. Mission accomplished.
Don Youngson says
Unfortunately with the expansion plans that is in store for Whistler//Blackcomb, the housing developments planned for Pemberton, Squamish, Britannia and Porteau, traffic congestion will get worse.
It’s unfortunate that the provincial government has shown no interest in developing a strategy for passenger service fro Pemberton to Vancouver.
Francine says
Yes an attractive choice and mode of transportation that in itself reduces the car traffic volume.
Forget a new highway through the sensitive watershed.
A beautiful ferry cruise up HowSound.
A wonderful commuter train /excursion with stops in all communities all the way to Pemberton and behond that would be such a relief for the highway.
So many cars would be eliminated! If one’s only choice is car rental or bus I take car but if it’s car ,cruise or train …i take the train or cruise that’s a holiday choice that is offered all around the world maybe we should be paying attention to how great destination have done well for so long.
D M says
More helicopter service perhaps and a ferry, but the latter wouldn’t be going further than Squamish, yup looks like a mess created by the powers that be with no thought of how things will pan out for future generations. Good luck people of Squamish, hope you’re ready for more crime, becoming as unaffordable as Whistler, paying more taxes, finding no parking spots, lotsa tourist littering and the list goes on.
Stephen Rees says
There is a railway. It was given away (“leased”) but now sits unused. It has a lot of potential capacity to carry people. Even if if is not improved it could still carry more people per hour per direction than if the highway had indeed taken over the road bed – as was once contemplated.
Most places outside of North America have a much better understanding of how to use railways for moving people.
Rick Raynsford says
I guess you never took the passenger rail when it operated but I have twice and I can tell you that it is not fast at all. Too move any number of people would probably need a complete rebuilding of the rail line.
Another alternate route would be to upgrade the existing road from Harrison to Darcy. The First Nations along the route have pressed for this.
David Lassmann says
I went by train to Vancouver, probably in 1957 before the road to Horseshoe Bay was completed. The passenger service offered by the P.G.E. used Budd cars which are now obsolete. The B.C.R. ran Royal Hudson trips for tourists. The C.N.R. has run excursions to Whistler. Highway 99 has been improved and maintained as a public good. The same could be done for commuter train service.
Rick Raynsford says
The BCR was “sold” in 2003 for $1 billion so it was hardly given away. In actuality it was a long term lease.
Peter says
Good god no. Build a train.
Paul says
Really?? right now you are worried about a 4-6 hour window each Friday evening, Saturday mid day and Sunday evening – Just twin the entire highway at highway speeds of 80-100km! As a commuter for 3+ years its a wonderful drive interrupted by a few single lane bottlenecks. If a Britannia bypass could be designed from Porteau to Murin and a widening happen just north of Lions Bay we would be done. Make it two lanes in both directions for the entire route AND teach people that the right lane is for passing only, not cruising for a better view.
Paul says
Actually – lets teach people to use the LEFT lane for passing only… (error on last post)
D Schwangster says
There’s always the option of making a ferry route to Squamish! Look how well it works for VI and the Sunshine Coast! 😝
Emily says
What about focusing on getting a passenger train operating again?
cheryl klassen says
personally I love the idea of a commuter train service. The bud car was awesome. Bring that back!