Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftWing
I don't know that I'm declaring anything. Some folks were making comparisons with 30 million dollar interchanges, and I was adding some observations to that comparison.
Incidentally, interchanges seem to be largely unaffected by bad weather.
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Like other types of infrastructure, usage will increase as people adjust their travel routines. The first day (and subsequently a few days later) that the large portion of Stoney Trail opened, I drove on it and it was nearly empty. Months later, the traffic volumes are considerably higher. This bridge is no exception - people will adjust their commutes to use it, but a low head count on the third day isn't exactly a surprise.
Obviously, infrastructure that is for outdoor commuting and recreation will see less usage during bad weather. That doesn't mean that it shouldn't exist. There are commuters that will ride or walk in just about any weather, and others that won't/can't. There are hundreds of kilometres of under-used pathways and other infrastructure in the city today (and throughout much of winter). Should we tear it up and build another car lane? Should we have built it in the first place? Even though, during the summer, that infrastructure is at or beyond capacity in some places?