Third bridge needs to be marketed properly

By Letter to the Editor on December 22, 2021.

Editor:
I believe the third bridge or thoughts of a third bridge are being marketed incorrectly and probably will end up being another fiasco much like the buying of the airport! Then deciding to put all the drug addicts in all our local motels so the motel “star ratings” tank on places like TripAdvisor and Lethbridge gets a bad reputation! So if Lethbridge thinks it truly needs a third bridge, it should be marketed as a bypass not as a subdivision invader that it now appears it maybe.
If Lethbridge wants a third bridge consider thinking of it as a bypass bridge for those that do not want or need to go through the city. So for instance, if the bridge was located south of Southridge subdivision or south of the airport, then It could cross the Oldman River then bend around the back of Sunridge subdivision, Coalbanks Elementary School subdivision (area), back of the Cor Van Ray YMCA, back of Pacific Park, and finally onto Highway 3. On and off ramps could join the end of University Drive, Coalbanks Blvd West, 24th Avenue West and Whoop-Up then join into an extended Quarry Drive West.
To facilitate integration of Highway 4and 5 on east Lethbridge, you create a better connector from the airport area to Stewart Siding and from there to Crowsnest Highway.
Most of this would be federal and provincial money, I would believe and would not destroy existing subdivisions with excess traffic.
It would also promote expansion on both sides of the city. And facilitate faster access to the Airport for the obvious expected growth that is being planned.
Creating a focal point at or near the airport area would facilitate easy access, to and from Highways 4.5, and 3 and the entire backside of West Lethbridge. So if you were going to do this, then do it right!
Make sure there are proper abutments/concrete fencing alongside the bypass so it would disturb no one, something the city never chose to do with the CP Shuttle Yard on Highway 3! South and north Lethbridge adjacent to the CP shuttle yard do not appreciate the past poor planning on the part of the city.
So get this one right if you choose this route or don’t do it at all!
Dennis Bremner
Lethbridge