Sea to Sky Closure

[Ferryman]

We're starting to run low on a few things. Gas Stations are beginning to shut down, and some are now selling Premium for the price of Regular (I'm just about to head out and fill my car with premium, because that's what it uses) seeming they're already out of Regular and Mid Grade. Some gas stations even jacked their price up to show how valuable gas is around here now by raising it from 142.9 to 152.9 today. Looks like I get to test my little Honda Prelude out on the Duffy Lake road for the first time to head out to Kelowna.

As for Marine ports, we have a freighter terminal, that can take on two Freighters at a time. There's no sort of Seaspan operations up here, and now our Ferry infrastructure is apparently no good anymore. There's actually water taxis no running between the Government Warf in Squamish to Horseshoe Bay or Porteau Cove. I've heard that it is $100 one way, and takes an hour and a half to get to Horseshoe Bay.

[Scott]

Wow, 100 bucks one way. Sounds like BC Ferries is running the outfit;)

The Duffy Lake Road is quite beautiful... I've done it a few times. Not an easy drive though. Wouldn't really want to do it with a lot of traffic.

[Ferryman]

Conditions on the highway might get worse today....

We're having quite the downpour of rain right now. It's been raining really hard since about 9:00pm last night, and hasn't let up. Our gutters our overflowing, and you'd think it's the middle of November right now. Maybe we'll see another rock/land slide which usually follows these extended periods of heavy rains.

[Deleted]

I thought I'd pipe in on this issue because it was raised with us yesterday. Many of you know us as Coastal Link Ferries, the new 70-passenger ferry that will soon be running from Vancouver downtown to the sunshine coast. We are the subject of comment, debate, conjecture, criticism and so forth on our own thread under "BC" Ferries here.

On July 19 we made our first promotional trip with a Global TV New Crew aboard. Yesterday, the reporter called us about putting our ferry into service to help with this disaster. We received subsequent calls and emails from a number of people in various positions all over the West Coast.

A company like ours knows better than to simply "rush in" to exploit an opportunity. I've read the commentary here and it's excellent - BC Ferries cannot just rush-in either. There is dock worthiness and other logistics to be considered.

This thread, and the comments of those here, reflect your level of understanding about such an occurance. If we were to help, it would be at the request of the Emergency Services of the Government. We may have some use as a crew ship or to move people. But the last thing we'd do is jump in to try to operate without the logistics in place, or a directive from the proper authorities.

I actually directed a few people to look in on this thread, to gain a better understanding of what faces the Emergency Services as they look to address the situation.

I want to thank you all - this thread has been very informative and helpful. I hope others are gaining a better understanding of what it takes to address a crisis such as this, through this thread.

Take care
Peter

[Nickfro]

I saw on the news last night about pleasure craft boaters acting as water taxis during this semi-crisis, and the rates that they are charging people. I'm sure some of them are gouging tourists, which is ridiculous. It's important to note that a round trip between Squamish and Horseshoe Bay is not cheap on gas by any means, with the average 23ft boat proabaly costing around $250 in fuel. Therefore, some of the $40 or $60 rates that people are being charged (5 people per boat) are probably reasonable amounts, yet the public don't think so because they feel they deserve help by others stepping up to aid and assist them. If a boat owner wishes to help by acting as an unofficial water taxi service in this scenario, they should only be concerning themselves with covering their fuel costs, or even taking a small hit themselves. After all, this is an unforeseen emergency case. Anybody using this situation by trying to put extra money in their pockets should be ashamed of themselves, and quite frankly they p#%s me off!

[Nick]

This appeared in the Times Colonist today.

[Canucks]

That sounds like a stereotypical thing our leader to the South would set up.

[Canucks]

From CKNW.

Crews working to clear the massive rockslide on the Sea to Sky say if all goes well, the highway could re-open Sunday.

Initial estimates indicated the main road linking Vancouver to Whistler would be shut down for the entire BC day long weekend.

But chief geo-technician Mike Oliver says they have made good progress with all the blasting they have done to remove unstable rock and they could soon start removing all the debris.

"......we are hoping maybe a day and a half, maybe less."


"....has the rain been a problem?

".....no. The rain has not been a problem and we're okay working in the rain as long as it's not really a downpour"

Oliver, who has lost his voice because of all the briefings he has given over the past couple days says close to 4000 cubic metres of rock has now come down on top of the slide that came down early Wednesday.

cknw.com/Channels/Reg/NewsLocal/Story.aspx?ID=1019454

[Ferryman]

Supposebly the highway is re-opening tonight at 11:00pm. They made huge progress while removing all of the debris down there.

Today I bailed out of Squamish, via the Duffy Lake road. Global BC blew the conditions of that road way out of proportion. They labelled it as a rough road, littered with potholes. Well even though it was littered with potholes, each and every one of them had been recently patched. The road was rough, in terms of how it has sunk down in numerous spots, giving you a rocking and a rolling ride the entire time. Traffic on the road was definitely busier than usual, seeming you could usually count how many vehicles you'd pass in the opposite direction (usually at least 5). But today I was stuck behind a PCL bus for half of the trip, and had a line of another 10 cars or so behind me. While the opposing lane had lots of Semis with fuel and groceries. It took 3 hours to get to Lillooet from Squamish, and another 2 hours to get to Kamloops where I had a visit with some family. Then I headed down to Kelowna via Coquilhalla highway. So in total I drove at least 600km, which took a total of 7 and a half hours.

[Hardy]

MoTH stepped up the patch program on DLR after the slide. Not long before the slide a friend of mine on a motorbike had to play "dodgeball" with the potholes. I've driven that route in the winter and spring thaw conditions and it is not too hard to see why the pavement crumbles. Definately worse than 99 from WV to Whistler, and you don't really want to go off-roading along DLR - it's a bad ending most of the time (cliff wall or down a mountain). Love those little bridges too. Nice drive if you have the time to see the sights, and Joffre Lakes PP is a nice place to waste an hour or so taking in nature.

But yes, kudos (large ones) to the crew working the Highway at the slide. Helped that DFO relented and let them shove all the debris into the water. Saved them having to blast some of those larger boulders, as they just tag-teamed them with the two large excavators and gave em a shove! Definately a feather in their cap for getting the road open as quick as they did!!

[CN2972South]

Railway is open as well, I took train 546 over the site of the slide twice today.

[Mill Bay]

CBC.ca is running a little poll right now to gauge opinions on issues surrounding the Sea to Sky.

I thought i'd post a breakdown of the votes so far. And I did vote myself saying that the alternate route should be upgraded as well, but I would be even more in support of the proposed Sasquatch Hwy up the west side of Harrison Lake through the Lillooet river drainage to Mt Currie and Pemberton. This route is actually gaining steam as a viable consideration partly due to the Sea-to-Sky issues and partly as part of native treaty processes, which are asking for this road which is currently several logging roads strung together, to be upgraded to a hard-packed gravel road even if it isn't paved. Since the road already exists, though, the feasibility of paving it is very likely, but no one is considering doing anything substantial before the Olympics.

Anyway, the current poll results:

What should happen to make Highway 99 more safe and reliable?

With the main route to Whistler closed for days due, people are asking what could be done to guarantee safe passage during the 2010 Olympics.

Do you think any of these options are worth considering?

Blast more cliffs to pre-empt more slides
19%

Cut a new pass through the Capilano watershed
17%

Upgrade the alternate route: Duffey Lake Road
16%

Bring in ferry service to Squamish
32%

Leave as is
17%

Total Votes: 318

[Hardy]

While a lot of people in that survey seem to favour a ferry, I don't think that is a viable option. Unless you mean just maintaining a viable dock that could be used in emergency situations. Scheduled ferry service would never "fly" even if the road were tolled.

The option to make the existing road more viable is the one most worth considering. Investment in DLR is a no-brainer, as it boils down to a safety issue. It IS a beautiful drive, and having it be somewhat safer, perhaps even with a few amenities, would be a boost to the tourism of the area.

The alternate routes, via the logging roads through Reserve land should also be explored, but in consultation with not only the Natives, but also industry (mainly the current users of the road), recreation operators, and also the transportation industry in general. For example, would trucking companies use the new road as opposed to the 99? Would it be safe for trucks carrying loads? Would there be DG restrictions? Tolls? Amenities? Grading and curvature concerns exist, as do safety barriers and all the regular stuff that one would think of.