Ferry congestion
Drivers fuming
What’s the saying? Build a bridge and get over it” Well, a while back the Shire had the chance to do that at the ferry crossing over the Daintree River, but a detailed survey carried out by Douglas Shire Council came up with a vote of NO for a bridge.
A YES vote would have seen a bridge replace a ferry that’s clearly not handling the traffic volume at busy times. Take today for example, a huge line up of ferry traffic caused a build-up way past the pay booths and the Croc Tour carpark. You couldn’t even legally get to the priority lane either, so you were stuck. Social media immediately fired up and even some people who voted no for a bridge in that DSC survey have changed their mind.
He was for a two-ferry option which looked a possibility at one stage, but we’re told the high cost of applying for and probably never receiving EPA approval, put that idea in the waste basket by most DS Councillors.
This year they voted for a wider single ferry, that on the surface looks a reasonable option. Lawrence Mason on social media said (in part) “I voted no bridge too…but was banking on the two ferries that DSC staff said was quite possible, right up until this year” But now that’s off the table a bridge is the way to go said Mr Mason “A single lane bridge controlled by lights would solve the problem and still control access”.
The passionate local has also called for a detailed and truly independent audit into the last 20 years of all dealings surrounding the ferry. Like the Sunday Market traffic debacle, this too is a never-ending story.