The Bridge Effect

Godfrey Baldacchino

Canada Research Chair (Island Studies)

University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

Godfrey Baldacchino

Canada Research Chair (Island Studies)

University of Prince Edward Island, Canada

The Bridge Effect

Understanding the Effects of the Physical Linking of Small Islands to Mainlands

Bridges:

Progress – Communication - Integration

There are some who have swapped their birthright

for a stretch of tar.

A bridge that will allow their cars

to link with roads

that lace mainlanders together

permitting islands to become

like a landlocked place.

Surrendering their separateness

to loop with these larger shores

becoming both part

and prisoners of the whole.

Bridge to Valentia –by Donald Murray

When is an island not an island? When the European Union decides it is not. An island is not an island if it has fewer than 50 permanent residents, is attached to the mainland by a rigid structure, is less than 1km from the mainland, or is home to the capital of an EU state.

The Guardian (UK), 21 January 2003, page 5

Prince Edward Island OR Peninsular?

Confederation Bridge: Federal Promise Fulfilled or Rupture with Identity?

An Inexorable March?

PEI gets connected to the world:1813-Postal Service 1852-Telegraph Cable 1876-Public Ferry Service 1910-Telephone Cable1941-Regular Air Carrier 1990-Cell Phone Service 1993-Internet Access1997- Fixed Link Access?

Aldabra Atoll – World Heritage Site

Ohio Key, Florida – Yacht Haven

Pepparholmen Island – Oresund Bridge

Canso Bridge, Causeway… & Loss of Clout?

Who Benefits, Who Loses?

Traders, Tourists, Consumers, Seasonal Residents, Mass Tourism Operators, Fixed Link Maintenance Firms & Crews - GainEndemic Species, Local Practices, Local Producers, Ferry Operators & Workers, Local Shopkeepers, Local Home Buyers – LoseShort-term versus Long-Term

Bridges Save Communities?

1841 1991Number Population Number Population

Islands with Fixed Link 16 6640 19 5961Islands without Fixed Link 56 27821 27 3570

Irish Islands – after Royle & Scott 1996

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Year (1 = 1992; 12 = 2003)

No

of

vis

ito

rs,

(,0

00)

Tourist Visitors to Atlantic Canada: NS=Yellow; NB=Pink; PEI=Blue

Fixed Links: Bring More Tourists from Closer Locations, Less Visitor Nights? (Distance Decay)

Conclusion .. of sorts

All islands are ‘linked’.

Isolating Bridge Effect is best with an experimental versus control group strategy

IF Island is too small; and IF Mainland Flow to Island is too big: Gentrification is likely with fixed link.

Change will depend on access costs, opportunity costs (money & time) and cultural gap/lag.