LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Bridging the cost gap

Vacationing PM entitled to privacy

Re: “Secrecy shrouds Trudeau holiday” (NP Montreal, Jan. 4)

I can’t help but roll my eyes. I’m not the biggest Justin Trudeau fan, but can we at least criticize him when he deserves it instead of inventing some non-controversy?

All he wanted was some privacy with his family during the holidays, so chose to vacation in the Bahamas. Being elected to the highest office in the country allows some luxurious benefits that the prime minister should not have to apologize for.

What’s next — an op-ed about where Justin is taking Sophie for Valentine’s Day?

Enjoy the conch fritters, Mr. Prime Minister, and be careful while driving on the wrong side of road. Eddy Zorko, St-Bruno

Celebrations come with cracks

Re: “Let’s party with pride” (Editorial, Jan. 3) Contrary to your upbeat tone, there is plenty to “harrumph” about when it comes to the projects proposed to celebrate Montreal’s 375th birthday: $3.5 million for granite stumps on Mount Royal; $55 million for the river-to-mountain walkway; and $40 million for lighting up the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, with no estimate for ongoing maintenance costs.

Meanwhile, Montreal’s infrastructure continues to deteriorate despite massive reconstruction that has caused untold inconvenience to pedestrian and car traffic and financial hardship to businesses located along the road work. And the future reconstruction of Ste-Catherine St. does not bode well for this deplorable situation. Tim Carsley, Montreal The Beipanjiang Bridge, the world’s highest, has opened to traffic in China. It was finished on time and on budget, for the equivalent of about $190 million Canadian. At four lanes and 1,340 metres in length, that works out to about $36 million per kilometre/lane.

Compare this to our new Champlain Bridge, now under construction at a projected cost of $4.2 billion. At six lanes and 3,400 metres, that works out to about $206 million per kilometre/ lane.

Can someone explain to me why our bridge will cost around six times as much per kilometre/lane? Nicolas Roussakis, Kirkland

Time to allow bilingual signs

Re: “Petition calls for bilingual traffic signs” (Montreal Gazette, Jan. 4)

Quebec borders other provinces — and the United States, for that matter — where English is spoken. Whereas many fellow Canadians are bilingual, the same cannot be expected of Americans.

When it comes to road signs, it’s crucial that everyone be able to read what is written, particularly when the signs have to do with safety. Also, why not be more welcoming to visitors who choose to spend their money here and contribute to the local economy?

Last but not least, I would think most francophone Quebecers by now have enough self-confidence in their culture and language to allow for bilingual road signs. Using language as a political tool is simply not acceptable anymore. Hugo Studhalter, Vaudreuil-Dorion

Safety first, in both languages

Many road signs are easily understood by those who are not familiar with the French language. But when safety is a concern, being stubborn just to protect pride in language is absurd.

One glaring example is when one enters a tunnel and the warning sign says “allumez vos phares.” Are we waiting for a tourist who does not understand French to cause a serious accident because we wish the French fact of Quebec to be maintained?

In Europe, it is not uncommon to see the word “stop” on stop signs. Thankfully the universal red octagonal sign is used here, at least. Joseph Jaroslawski, St-Bruno

Shifting gears helps traction

Re: “Expert tips for safe driving in winter” (Montreal Gazette, Dec. 27) The article omits an important part of driving safely. If you have an automatic transmission and find yourself on a slippy road, shift into the Drive 2 position and press gently on the accelerator. This should help the car move forward slowly without spinning its wheels.

Similarly, when descending a hill, shift the transmission into Drive 2 or even Drive 1 if the descent is very steep. This will help slow the vehicle without having to apply heavily on the brakes. You can shift back into regular drive once you feel you’re in control of the vehicle. John Taylor, Châteauguay