Mayors’ Council urges provincial government to make commitments on transit plans
Posted May 29, 2017 10:46 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – It’s time for leaders to make good on some of the promises they’ve made in relation to transportation around Metro Vancouver.
A 90-Day Action Plan to #CureCongestion by the Mayors’ Council and TransLink Board calls on the provincial government to make a quick decision on various components of the 10-Year Vision for Metro Vancouver Transit and Transportation.
“The Mayors’ Council was very active during the provincial election to highlight the importance of investment of transportation infrastructure in the Metro Vancouver region,” says Jonathan Cote, mayor of New Westminster. “We’re hoping to follow up post-election with the new government to make sure they’re aware of the needs and what the mayors are hoping to get commitments on.”
The action plan highlights five priority areas to be reviewed over the summer, but according to Cote, the most urgent project at this time is most likely the Pattullo Bridge Replacement.
“We need to make it very clear we don’t have the next two years to work on the Pattullo Bridge. We need it sooner rather than later.”
Cote adds it’s critically important for the government to understand how time-sensitive some of the projects are, citing some tight deadlines.
“The Mayors’ Council and TransLink need to have the firm financial commitments for the replacement of that bridge by the end of this year or we may run the risk of having to close that bridge before a new bridge can be built.”
Other items on the priority list include securing provincial funding for new transit projects like the LRT and the Broadway subway, legislating a new development levy for transportation, and eliminating a referendum requirement on transportation projects in the Metro Vancouver region.
Cote says a minority government could be more responsive to local needs like transportation in Metro Vancouver, but claims there are concerns that it may not be able to take on as big or as aggressive an agenda.
