A buck seems fair.
That’s what Delta Mayor Lois Jackson is pitching as a nominal $1 toll for all major crossings in the region to help ease congestion.
Saying she believes regional tolling is an idea worthy of exploring though public discourse, Delta’s idea, which will go to the regional district and province, stems from heavy congestion at the George Massey Tunnel and, in particular, the Alex Fraser Bridge.
The latest available numbers from 2011 show 89,000 vehicles use the tunnel daily, while the Alex Fraser experiences the second most volume of any bridge in Metro Vancouver at 117,000 vehicles.
Jackson says the congestion is due to many motorists wanting to avoid tolled and underutilized crossings such as the new Port Mann Bridge.
“On the other side of Delta, the George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project is attempting to provide relief by replacing an aging tunnel that has reached vehicular capacity and is nearing the end of its useful life,” states a new release from Delta.
“The new bridge would provide much needed transit, cycling, and pedestrian improvements, and would improve air quality on either side of the crossing. With the Province intending to fund the replacement bridge through user tolls and both Surrey and New Westminster mayors supporting the tolling of a Patullo Bridge replacement, traffic will likely divert to other free routes that are already experiencing extraordinary congestion like the Alex Fraser Bridge. With this in mind, the Province is committed to receiving feedback to review its current tolling policy.”
When the province released its project definition report on the new bridge to replace the tunnel, Transportation Minister Todd Stone confirmed it will be tolled but the price has not been set. He confirmed the tolls will be in the same range as those on the Port Mann Bridge, but the final price will depend on a number of factors, including funding from the federal government and Port Metro Vancouver, as well as the final construction contracts.
Eyeing a lower rate for Delta residents who will depend on the crossing to get into Richmond and Vancouver, Delta is pitching the idea of spreading out the cost among all the current crossings and eliminating the province’s current policy of free alternatives.
“Transportation has always dominated the conversation in Delta. With the results of the 2015 Metro Vancouver Transportation and Transit Plebiscite, it is apparent now more than ever that we need to explore different avenues to tackle congestion and fund transportation and infrastructure projects,” the press release states.
Delta South MLA Vicki Huntington recently noted that without a regional tolling system, Delta commuters using the new bridge could expect to pay over $1,500 more each year in tolls. An improved regional tolling system could decrease costs for residents south of the Fraser and reduce congestion on all crossings.
“The Lower Mainland is a network of bridges,” she said. “We need a tolling system that distributes infrastructure costs fairly and we need the Minister’s involvement to make that happen.”
The B.C. Trucking Association has also recently called for tolls on all major water crossings in Metro Vancouver while a permanent pricing scheme is worked out
