Sir: I’m hearing there is the possibility that Chatham-Kent may eventually have to chose to have one bridge to cross the Thames River in the downtown Chatham area because of the mounting costs to keep both the Third and Fifth Street bridges open may not be viable.
From my own perspective, as a driver, pedestrian, and from riding with Chatham Transit, it would be better to make improvements on the Third Street Bridge. There seems to be more room there for expansion, and it seems to get a heavier traffic volume passing through from St. Clair Street /Highway 40 to south Chatham and back, than the Fifth Street Bridge does.
Perhaps if the Third Street Bridge does in fact get overhauled or rebuilt to accommodate heavier traffic, Fifth Street Bridge can be restricted for use by only city vehicles, such as city transit, taxis, police and ambulance, as well as pedestrians, and bicycle traffic, assuming these vehicles would be less of a burden on this bridge’s existence.
How this can be accomplished would be up to city planners and engineers, but again, these are only my suggestions on the subject, based on what I have read on the basic facts of this subject.
Frank Doyle
Chatham
