The Problem with the Lions Gate Bridge | CBC Short Film by Uytae Lee

Every ship that’s headed for the Vancouver Harbour needs to fit underneath the Lions Gate Bridge, which has a clearance height of 61 metres. The problem, according to Uytae Lee, is that many of the largest cruise ships in the world are too tall to pass through and are choosing instead to dock at other destinations such as Victoria and Seattle. In 'The Problem with the Lions Gate Bridge' Uytae Lee dives into why that might be an issue.
Video
Uytae Lee
Writing
Uytae Lee
SOCIAL MEDIA
Twitter: @aboutherevideos @uytaelee
Facebook: @abouthere
The 'About Here' KZbin channel: / @abouthere

[@AboutHere]

This one was fun, thanks for having me on again CBC Vancouver! My apologies to Delta.

[@xogus8551]

About Here but it's true...

[@cjmel3927]

Amazing work

[@juliansmith4295]

Did whoever suggested Delta as an alternative have any ideas on how to get those passengers to Vancouver, or were they just expected to hang out in a bog somewhere. Anyway, excellent video, as always.

[@JunSian1001]

Really like the reporting style of Uytae Lee. I wish he posts these videos on his own channel.

[@xogus8551]

Jun Sian Lee He does! His channel is called About Here and he discusses a lot about city/urban planning topics on it. Super fun to watch :)

[@JunSian1001]

@@xogus8551 Yup, I have subscribed to his channel and watched all his videos there. He has not posted anything for 2 months.

[@somethingsomething404]

I suspect CBC has signed him to an exclusivity deal

[@VacantCard]

This guy makes some of the best content out there. Pay him more, give him staff, get these things going on a weekly basis.

[@xaninator]

I'm always excited when I see there is a new Uytae video

[@JunSian1001]

Me too! :D

[@nicholaskraak7108]

I legit think it's the only channel where I actively drop whatever I'm doing when I see a new video.

[@TheNewTravel]

I'm glad you addressed the problems with the cruise industry at the end of the video. Without any limit on the number of tourists, your city quickly becomes one giant souvenir stand for boat boomers.

[@Dino-uv2ng]

1.5 billion liters of sewage into the Straights from these cruise ships. Add that to raw sewage from Victoria. But outta sight.....

[@TheoWerewolf]

I hope I live long enough to enjoy whomever comes after Millennials spending their time laughing, calling Millennials names and putting them down for things like avocado toast and whatever environmental disaster the Millennials accidentally create.

[@0xsergy]

@@TheoWerewolf What do you mean 'accidental'? how do you 'accidentally' dump tons of garbage. 100% intentional. Noone rags on boomers for accidental problems because they didnt know better.. its the common sense ones like putting your trash in a can not the ocean

[@CRAZYMANIAC44]

@@Dino-uv2ng Sorry. We're working on it. Takes a while for construction around this place *cough* bridge *cough*

[@TheMagicmanH]

“This chonk” Love it!

[@jacobravanal1184]

CBC, please more Uytae Lee videos please

[@reggiemilla8298]

only ever problem i ever thought of, was the traffic, the bridge makes because it is only 3 lanes ..............

[@jasonbeallie5535]

it needs to be widened to 6 lanes for sure.

[@lm1584]

@@jasonbeallie5535 that would just place congestion at the North end of the bridge in the afternoon, and on W. Georgia in the morning. There are so many bottlenecks up and down that corridor.

[@naruto0123456780]

@@lm1584 true. Honestly just adding one more lane to make it symmetrical would be fine.

[@jfhow]

@@jasonbeallie5535 all the traffic has to go onto existing streets, which are already very congested

[@johnleach7879]

I agree to a point. And that point is financing. The GG bridge in SF was paid for years ago. It is 8-lanes. Yet, today, the toll is $8!! WHY? Watch out what you wish for.

[@Sashazur]

I think this is a problem with cruise ships being too big, not bridges being too low. Anyway it seems like if this really is a problem for Vancouver, it’s probably cheaper and faster to build a cruise ship trip terminal rather than modifying or replacing the bridge.

[@lesliengo8347]

ships can also be built longer, not taller.

[@EVILBUNNY28]

I’m going on a 7 day inside passage cruise of Alaska, starting in Vancouver this summer. Stay strong champ 💪

[@Brick-Life]

WE NEED MORE OF THIS GUY

[@RoboJules]

I think Delta would be a fine place for a cruise terminal. Passengers can enjoy Tsawwassen Mills, Save-On Foods in Ladner, and that sketchy area where Highway 17 meets Highway 99. It's the unique west coast experience everyone is craving.

[@welfare201]

This is a serious issue. Seattle’s cruise terminal is right downtown, within walking distance of the Space Needle. Victoria’s cruise dock is not as walkable from downtown, but it’s close enough that you can run rapid shuttles. Delta would be bad for tourism, unless there was a rapid service to downtown, costing hundreds of millions.

[@NoSpam1891]

@@welfare201 SkyTrain is rapid.

[@innosam123]

@@NoSpam1891 Not fast enough for Delta. It'd still take about an hour by SkyTrain to go from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to Downtown.

[@jens_le_benz]

@@NoSpam189130 minutes on a crowded train between Richmond and Vancouver might not be “rapid” enough for tourists

[@dougmc666]

The Lions gate bridge is the same height as the Bridge of the Americas over the Panama Canal. Cruise lines are much more concerned with transiting the canal than they are with Vancouver!

[@charlesharper2357]

Good point...I didn't believe it at first so I actually checked. The Bridge of the Americas was built in the early 60s with the approval of the US Navy...

[@philiphu597]

when he said delta was known for krispy kreme i felt that

[@Kisai_Yuki]

It's not just cruse ships, it's container ships too. To which raising the bridge might be a reasonable idea, but it would cut off West/North Van during that process. It's a landmark as much as the golden gate in SF is, so we can't just tear it down like any of the others. However, if the flight costs are really the issue driving cruise ships away from Vancouver, then that's probably for the best. The bridge issue comes along with the problem of how to just get people between downtown Vancouver and North/West Vancouver, and until there is a decision to extend the Skytrain, it probably will something kicked down the road until it is too late to do anything without cutting off North Van.

[@vonn1334]

You don’t have to demolish the bridge to raise it.

[@steven_jahn]

This isn't an issue. The Jones Act means (with rare exceptions) every single one of these ships will need to dock at a Canadian city. Even if they leave from Seattle.

[@czechsanchez01]

is that because they're registered under flags of convenience rather than being US vessels?

[@steven_jahn]

@@czechsanchez01 Correct. They have to either start and finish in Canada or make one stop in a Canadian city. Since Victoria is limiting their cruise ship intake, Vancouver is the only other option that is appealing to cruise itineraries. The video raises a concern that isn't an issue unless US law changes.

[@garryej]

@@czechsanchez01 Jones Act requires ships going within the US must be US carriers. Stopping off at Vic or VR circumvents this law.

[@RomanAKozak]

CBC is lucky to have this host.

[@spelunkerd]

The economic math is a little complicated, because clients on cruise ships have everything paid for, including all food. Sure, they may drop a bit of change at either end of the cruise, but mostly they buy only trinkets. Some money goes to local tours, though that cash is narrowly focused. Likewise a few Canadians work on those ships, though most are from elsewhere. Cruise ships drop off many tons of garbage, which needs to be accounted for. Cruise ships generally run their diesel engines continuously at port, so pollution is a factor. They use fuel and food purchased more cheaply outside of Canada so they don't pay Canadian taxes for consumables. Yup, there is a continuous stream of port taxes that can be addictive to local cities, but out of that the city is expected to upgrade the port and provide support services. There is pretty much no charge for the real adventure, an amazing trip through the Vancouver Island inside passage, our home.

[@Phingolfina]

Watching this video during Covid19 pandemic and seeing the beating the cruise industry is taken, I don't think the height of the bridge is going to be the main issue for Vancouver's tourism cruise industry.

[@vladbcom]

Excellent reporting. Uytae Lee is a natural talent.

[@smallstudiodesign]

I love this guy’s news editorial stories ... always very compelling & watch worthy.

[@fredferd965]

Very well balanced analysis of the problem! Excellent.

[@steverogers8163]

Fun fact Seattle is planning on converting at least on slot in the cargo terminal to accommodate another cruise ship. Currently 3 cruise ships can be docked simultaneously.

[@joeyhwang8822]

Such an informative well constructed video! Always looking out for vids by Uytae!

[@jermsp]

These are all fantastic. Glad to finally have some bad ass video essays about our city!

[@TeachersOnFire]

Excellent report. Thanks for this piece of journalism!

[@bobcarter4343]

I picked Seattle as the air fair was less for my AK cruise. Both SEA and YVR are great cities. To visit YVR I landed in Seattle (watch those airport taxes - Yikes), rented a car and drove to YVR and then took ferry's to visit Vancover Island. SouthWest has some very reasonable fares to Seattle. Excellent video. Your right about the pollusion from these ships as most use "Bunker Oil" to run engines that create electricity to power the props. This fuel is so dense that to burn it, it has to be heated prior to being burned in the engines. I toured the engine room of a cruise ship and it is amazing, but this fuel is one dirty dude. It looks like sludge or tar prior to being heated.. Look at the port of Long Beach air quality and you willl see the smoke from the many ships that dock there. Love Vancover, and Victoria, and Seattle.

[@mikescott7123]

You also need to realize why those Seattle departure ships need to make that Canadian stop at all. If they didnt stop in Canada, the ship would only be travelling between American ports, and then would be subject to American labor laws making ship labor very expensive. That stop in BC is just as important to the cruise company as it is to the port.

[@jackmacdonald8499]

I knew there was a requirement to stop in Canada, but did not understand the reason. Thanks for the info.

[@billmcmeekin7909]

Thank you Uytae, well done. If anyone needs a new bridge it Taylor across the Peace River, just South of Fort St John. It's an old worn out steel deck bridge, with welders burning rod constantly to keep it whole. Please come North and make us a video, we could use your honest insights. Best analysis of a subject ever :-)

[@Joseph-qb1es]

Finally a good video by CBC. Nice job.

[@zackkassian7538]

Uytae is back baby.

[@soundslikepuget]

What's the best part about living in Delta, BC? Never having to say you're Surrey.

[@ekim131]

Another great video. Keep up the good work Uytae!

[@ronh2660]

Good presentation style. I actually learned something!

[@haukechrestin6994]

I am so happy to hear you came to that final conclusion: it’s a blessing in disguise. Or... why not have the passengers of those large monster ship use shuttle boats to Wreck Beach? From there it’s an easy stroll into downtown...🤣🤣🤣

[@cpF01]

Another great video👍

[@CarmafilmworksTO]

Thoughtful video with deft touch.

[@MrHaydyne]

This guys videos are great.

[@TheoWerewolf]

Hm I would have though that a three lane bridge with one reversing lane that's the only connection from North and West Van to downtown might have been a slightly more significant issue.

[@bjoern1980]

Thanks for this great content

[@jamesewanchook2276]

good analysis.

[@Juan-fv4sg]

more videos like this pls !

[@harkaranbhullar3863]

We need one more bridge atleast. We can't keep up with traffic anymore

[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

No mention in this story of the shock tourists receive when they disembark right into Canada's poorest neighbourhood. It's not just the sheer number of homeless it's also their staggering level of destitution, addiction and untreated mental illness. That's what cruise ship tourists remember about their visit to Vancouver.

[@crosswire7777]

Yeah!! Right into the Fairmont Pan Pacific, Alberni, and the financial district. YOU TELL EM!

[@brianmcdonald9502]

The tourists can get pictures with all the skid row drug addicts.

[@charlesharper2357]

I drove taxi in Brisbane, Australia for a few years. Whenever somebody who traveled to Vancouver found out I was from BC they almost always talked about how horrified they were about all the beggars, junkies and drunks they saw.

[@aberdeenbelfry316]

Very interesting

[@s.n.7990]

Good job man, well-made content. Please do the next video about airline monopolies in Vancouver which makes the costs skyrocketed.

[@JudeColins]

This guy is awesome!

[@mtk6190]

Wooohoooo my favourite creator showcase is back

[@thomasyerosic6134]

Love your videos👍👍Keep it up😉

[@wilsoncheng7581]

cool vid!

[@leongkinwai9709]

Seems like the anxieties of "we don't have enough space for this economically profitable but also environmentally damaging venture!" are a common theme between Vancouver and London, as are KZbin documentary videos about them.

[@jt8280]

Well done articulate video. Never too late to raise the Lions Gate Bridge.

[@lesliengo8347]

or not allow super tall ships. The Lions Gate Bridge is already tall enough, and ships can be made longer, not taller.

[@harsumit]

So does Lion's Gate Bridge creates problem or not? I am confused.

[@joeuser2360]

If the problem is the cost of travel to Vancouver vs. Seattle. The loss of the cruising industry isn't a blessing in disguise, it's the canary in the coalmine.

[@wesley_b]

I see I'm a little late to the show... but this was really well done. Took you for a ride while weighing all the pros and cons.

[@ROBLOXGamingDavid]

Just like the Bayonne Bridge, they could raise the deck, although it is very expensive. Otherwise, they'll just have to build a taller suspension or cable-stayed bridge right alongside it.

[@MikeBaxterABC]

Bravo!!! .. Good decision .. I say, eventually the bridge will need to be replaced and make it taller THEN! :)

[@PrivilegedPat]

These ships are major polluters so why raise the bridge for them?

[@Grahameajohnson]

Because otherwise they're going to find another nearby location, and the most-likely plan would be to take the example of Roberts Bank / Deltaport and either add to the square-footage of the existing facility - which, btw, is already poised to add 2-3 more massive cargo ship berths and all related infrastructure - or build their own causeway and separate facility, either of which option would greatly impact wildlife in that ecologically-sensitive area. And no, the cruise ship companies are not simply going to give up going to greater Vancouver, it's simply too lucrative.

[@Cameron-or1fr]

they are not that bad, sure they use a fair amount of fuel but there is often thousands passengers, if you base it on a per passenger basis, an entire cruise is comparable to an economy flight from new york to tokyo

[@twoah927]

Because they are just gonna go somewhere else at least bring in some revenue that could be spent on green initiatives.

[@PrivilegedPat]

CYYZ_Spotter is that money being spent on Green Initiatives now?

[@MrAnonymousRandom]

Raise the bridge? The bridge is obsolete already. It needs to replaced with something that has at least 6 lanes instead of the current 3 lanes. As for pollution, the port is set up to allow the ships to hook up to the local power grid. You're sounding like you've never purchased something that is made in China.

[@MarksCar-rs1nm]

Who remembers Final Destination 5?

[@RicciChoi1109]

Building a new cruise terminal in Delta needs a Canada Line extension to be built from Richmond-Brighouse station, as well as building extended platforms at all Canada Line stations to fit 4-car trains. Raising the height of Lions Gate Bridge requires checking on the legitimacy of performing major works at national historic site, together with performing studies on environmental impact to Stanley Park (if required). It’s clear to decide which proposal is much better. (Of course, flights to Vancouver are really getting more and more expensive...)

[@MrAnonymousRandom]

There's no need for a Canada line extension to Delta. It's just a matter of chartering enough tour buses. It's going to take more than the cruise ships to justify all that construction work. The Canada line's short platforms is a corner that should not have been cut to begin with. Most people who have taken a cruise ship before can tell you that they are not going to risk using public transit to travel such a long distance. The ship is in port for 8-12 hours, you don't have time to waste, and you are going to be stranded if you don't make it back on board in time. But even then, being able to get off the ship at downtown is something that cannot be substituted from a convenience standpoint. Most of the tourist attractions for this kind of day trip are in downtown. The suggestion that the Lions gate bridge can be raised to solve this problem is absurd. If you are going to be spending big bucks on the bridge or tunnel, it would be for a replacement with 6 or more lanes. Going to that length to preserve an obsolete bridge is a waste of taxpayer dollars. The Lions Gate bridge, the Massey Tunnel, and the Pattullo bridge are a disgrace. These crossings really makes me wonder if I am living in a third world country.

[@heronimousbrapson863]

I suspect this mini-documentary was made before covid-19...

[@stanpatterson5033]

05:24 ... wait a minute here... Victoria is concerned about the environment, yet they still flush their raw sewage straight into the ocean ?? Pot, meet kettle.

[@smallstudiodesign]

Umm .. why perpetrate really old outdated misinformation? That’s no longer a fact.

[@wolftmfg]

Give the Lions Gate Bridge a Raise! 🔝

[@Brianrockrailfan]

liked video

[@AllWeNeedIsLenonn]

Normally a CBC youtube video is pretty lame, good job with this Uytae Lee

[@erik_griswold]

The video brushed over the Jones Act and how it created the Vancouver cruise business in the first place. Couldn’t a new terminal be built at Kitsilano Beach? ;-)

[@charlesharper2357]

You think people in Kits want to lose their beach to cruise ships?

[@smallstudiodesign]

Because I’d oppose it. 🤮

[@johnslater8998]

That 61 meter clearance under the Lions Gate only occurs a few days a year, on the highest king tides. But about six hours after a high king tide, you get a low king tide, when the bridge clearance sometimes reaches about 66 meters. The rest of the year, during normal tides, the clearance ranges from about 62-64 meters. It does mean large ships have to adjust their schedules to work with the tides, but that’s a routine task in navigation. So the problem with the Lions Gate isn’t nearly as bad as suggested here. Except for the very largest mega-cruise ships.

[@cherylsibson8457]

Lions Gate Bridge has always had traffic since the 70's so what if you need to relax, take in the views as your driving across, or below the Lions Gate Bridge. Musical theatre, Mulkin Bowl The Bridge has historical value, and so is Stanley Park. if Delta can take on the bigger ships and let Lions Gate be. Delta can expand its port of call, and invite Cruise ships to be a port of call, are a port of call for crews not just for boomers Silent Generation remained quiet about the Lions Gate Bridge for decades, and now the bridge is passed onto the next generation quietly onto the next generation to discover the blessings and pitfalls of running a major city with and without cruise ships.

[@chrissmith1521]

What exactly is historical about a bunch of metal?

[@ethimself5064]

Just started watching - Hard to imagine the cost to replace it

[@brianmcdonald9502]

Groper will pay for it he loves the lower mainland and all the stupid snowflakes that live there.

[@theemonkeymo]

Can you drop the music list, i feel like the last one song is some italian 60s piero piccioni? Umiliani? Im on the right path right?

[@gmore70]

Love the video. But... We could use this as a reason to finally replace the Lionsgate Bridge. It's long over due.

[@RK-vx2jy]

Let’s consider the problem that every time they know damn well there’s about to be a concert happening at Rogers Arena or even in Richmond, they have 1 lane open going towards Stanley Park and 2 coming back when it should be the other way around.

[@Brick-Life]

0:52 I saw this ship at Canada Place when i went to Vancouver in sep 2019 from melbourne

[@pippinosborne2372]

well done:) Pip

[@CRAZYMANIAC44]

Reporter: This Chonk. Me, a millenial: I relate to this.

[@somethingsomething404]

It’s important to note that non US flagged ships are required to stop in Canada before going to Alaska because of the Jones act foreign ships can’t transport pax between two us ports

[@sklai1907]

Cruise ships now consider to embark at Delta Port to avoid the congestion inside Burrard Inlet

[@chrissmith1521]

The title of this video is "The Problem with Lions Gate Bridge.." but it's about Cruise ship Industry.

[@098saw]

if the lions gate bridge was re-done, would there be a space for a sky train? as a tourist it seemed strange that all the skytrains stop at waterfront and doesn't serve north van at all

[@magnoliaflower3310]

I would pick skytrain over sea bus and bus any day. It would be nice to expand to West Van and North Van.

[@lastone3926]

Seattle .... Much cheaper to be a boat owner .... The big guys know that even if you are just passing by

[@MaxTSanches]

There are many cities in the world where the port is not near the city advertised (like Rome - Civitavecchia 58km away).

[@premiumlegos5854]

dont forget there's barely any support parts dude, and it look very wavy

[@SkinnyKitchen]

i'd say if they're planning on raising the bridge, they should also add 3 more lanes to it; 3 north, 3 south to ease the traffic as the north shore is increasing in population. but i don't see it happening in my lifetime

[@livinginvancouverbc2247]

I don't know about that. The new Port Mann Bridge got built and the old one is gone and mostly forgotten.

[@Grahameajohnson]

Adding lanes could only happen by building a new crossing; the bridge deck is as heavy as safely possible at the moment. A perfect example of this is shown by the replacement of the entire deck back in 2000-2001. Lighter materials had to be used in order to add the little width that they did, including wider lanes and walkways. The cables and superstructure can't take any more weight.

[@Gluteus.Maximus]

They should build an underwater tunnel. All the coolest cities have em

[@RicciChoi1109]

brabus maximus Nope...the geology of the entire BC Lower Mainland basically make any underground tunnels too difficult to be built in “soft” sedimentary rock layers.

[@MrAnonymousRandom]

Only a fool would spend that kind of money to preserve an obsolete bridge. It is as stupid as all the effort that has been put into prolonging the life of the Pattullo bridge. The Lions Gate bridge is long overdue for a minimum 6 lane replacement. If A.J. Taylor had his way when the bridge was built, his 4 lane bridge might have been reworked into 6 lanes instead of the current 2 lanes into 3 lanes.

[@thaik56]

Great research as always! Indeed ships can bring foreign organism from all over the world, so there's always more risk if the business is left untethered.

[@movingdragons]

Agree. Tourism can get outta hand big time.

[@smallstudiodesign]

Iona Island makes sense ... jetty’s already built - and close to jets at YVR

[@adanactnomew7085]

Who wants to go to Iona?

[@wcresponder]

Victoria's mayor and council also likes the money tit. They let a festival company have extension of noise bylaw till two in the morning on the weekend. thus causing a flood of complaints to the police which she then told to not take those complaints. They also lied about sound meter readings, just so they would be seen as the growing nights spot area. It wasn't till threats of lawsuits did they back off. Oh and the mayor , she lives in oak bay.

[@jtmcanada234]

Great little video - Need to pair down big boats and go electric anyhow. Cruise ships cause so much greenhouse gases

[@kentokyo]

I thought this video is about traffic problem over the lion gate bridge.

[@kolbeycam1328]

I love Vancouver

[@kephalopod3054]

61 m between the bridge and water: high tide or low tide?

[@wapow006]

Did CBC Vancouver hire some geo majors or urban planners lately? 👍👍

[@RockwellF]

Chonk. Legend.

[@wayneyd2]

The bridge is a very narrow bridge. Is way outdated.

[@smallstudiodesign]

It’s a National Historic Site now ... so it’s protected,

[@lesliengo8347]

I think the size of the ships are the problem. Ships can be built longer, not taller, and certain aspects of ships can be adjusted, like how many cargo a cargo ship is carrying. While bridges can be heightened, for the sake of the cruise ship's company profits and the cost of increasing the height, is just not desirable.

[@zigarten]

So doesn’t cruise ships bother the Orcas? Or is it just tankers, from Canada, not the hundreds of U.S. ones that ply the same routes ? Just Canadian ones. Will this be demonstrated? Not likely.

[@ethimself5064]

No problem

[@gregghanson6095]

The solution is to blow up every Vegas-style cruise ship on earth.

[@johnleach7879]

Gregg: I couldn't agree more.

[@gregghanson6095]

@@johnleach7879 :)

[@misterfunnybones]

Cruises out of Seattle miss the inside passage. Cruising is an environmental nightmare, but most things that humans do are environmentally questionable.

[@arosenweig]

Actually, cruising out of Seattle will still give you the opportunity to cruise the inside passage. People prefer departing from Seattle since their airport offers more flight options along with lower airfares than Vancouver does. Especially, for those who live in the US.

[@williamralph8396]

Glad you addressed the cruise ship industry itself , Venice pretty much turned into a toilet, all that waste from the cruise has to go somewhere and most Venetians don't actually live in the city...they're being driven out by tourists.