Back in 2015, 5,680 signatures were gathered supporting a bridge that connects Plattsburgh and Burlington: https://www.change.org/p/lawmakers-plattsburgh-burlington-bridge-connection
Please join our hashtag campaign! #bridgeplattsburlington
(Contact: bridgeforprogress@gmail.com)
To cross this 1.5-mile gap between Cumberland Head, NY and Grand Isle, VT, one has to take the ferry now. This 31-mile trip from Plattsburgh to Burlington takes about 1 hour 15 minutes if you are lucky, but 2 to 3 hours if you were not able to time it well, or during rush hours, or when traffic volumes are high with events, or under unfavorable weather conditions (high wind, ice), or one of the three boats doesn't work, or at night when ferry frequency is lower.
The ferry fare structure is not only based on cars, but also the number of passengers in it. As of Nov. 1, 2021, for a family of four - two adults and two children (6-12) - a round trip costs $43.50. Yes, a child between 13 and 18 counts as an adult here.
An alternative is to drive 25 miles north to Rouses Point, and take the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge to cross the lake. This route effectively increases the trip from 31 to 80 miles, with a predictable travel time of 1 hour and 32 minutes. No toll needed, but extra gasoline burned and extra frustration added. -- NOT really a practical alternative for anyone, especially patients who need immediate care.
Without a bridge
1. Access to critical medical services in VT has become more difficult, more time-consuming, more expensive, and less reliable. Ambulances waiting for the ferries are not uncommon.
After the UVM Health Network (VT) integrated and consolidated with CVPH (NY), more patients on the NY side need to travel to VT.
Life Flight is available, but expensive, with limited capacity and is restricted by weather conditions.
Having to pray for good weather conditions for the Life Flight, and fewer interruptive situations for the ferry to stay in operation and move faster, so that your loved ones can be transported to proper medical care facilities in the 21st Century United States is outrageous!
Build a bridge and Save Lives!
2. Significant financial burdens for regular commuters, patients and their families and friends.
Even though commuter card holders get 30% discount, it's still $15 for their daily commute. Some resort to the difficult option of maintaining two cars on both sides to save some costs.
But for patients and their families/friends, they'd have to pay the high tolls in full every day for the length of their treatment. This quickly adds up and becomes a significant extra financial burden.
Residents express that this financial barrier prevents people on both sides from enjoying the commercial, cultural, and natural opportunities on the other side.
3. Unreliable and often excessive commuting time puts people out of job opportunities, and takes a toll on the mental health of commuters.
The unreliability of ferry services includes varying waiting times, loading/unloading times, weather conditions, and cancellations.
Many commuters describe the experience as "painful", "torture" and unbearable.
A bridge could save them an hour every day. In some more frustrating cases, a few hours. They could spend those hours with families instead of in agony on the road.
Human time is an important, but often-overlooked factor for the quality of life.
4. Continous significant environmental impacts
Resulted from:
- Extra exhausts from a large number of idling cars when lining up, waiting to get on the next or the next next ferry boat.
- Daily pollution from ferry boat engines
- Other wastes and pollutions from the supporting facilities and operations of the ferries.
An Environmental Impact Report of the ferry operations is urgently needed to inform the public!
Community Voices
(A bridge would allow me) to be able to get to UVM faster in an emergency with my child, as there is no pediatric surgeon in Plattsburgh.
Every second counts when in a live or death situation.
Not only would the bridge save me approximately $3000 a year in ferry tickets, it would also give me about an hour more with my family each day that I commute.
I would gladly pay a similar toll towards the cost of building/ maintaining a bridge since my time and quality of life are worth it.
(With a bridge) proper medical care won’t feel like such a burden.
A bridge will encourage a more open flow of commerce and exchange of goods and services.
The economic impact and sustainability of business would improve immensely for both cities. The quality of life - ease of access to other events, medical care, would be enhanced. Shared services could be explored more reasonably as well.
I have often seen postings that align more with my training and at a better pay rate in VT, however, the additional cost of commuting by ferry, plus the time added to a commute waiting for boats, makes these opportunities unattainable.
I have discovered wonderful Jewish community in Burlington that has Jewish Day School. However the commute is far too much for my child to attend 5 days a week. As result my child is missing out on amazing educational opportunity!
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