Toll decision may affect replacement of the Pattullo Bridge
Posted August 25, 2017 12:46 pm.
Last Updated August 25, 2017 1:57 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
PORT COQUITLAM (NEWS 1130) – The removal of tolls on the Port Mann and Golden Ears Bridges means you’ll have to pick up the tab to pay off the bridges, which are in debt. This has many people questioning what will be done to replace the Pattullo Bridge.
TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond is offering assurances that the Pattullo will be replaced in a timely manner.
“We are focused with the province to make sure we meet our timelines.”
The chair of the Metro Vancouver Board, Port Coquitlam Mayor Greg Moore, also says he’s not worried about that project being delayed.
“Everybody realizes the importance of replacing that bridge, and that time is of the essence. TransLink has been moving along with all of the detailed designs so they are ready to go to procurement once we have the financial situation. So we are doing multiple things at the same time and hopefully, they all come together later on this year.”
Moore says the decision to remove tolls may help with local traffic.
“It’s going to create some equity in the region. It will probably help us because we have a lot of people who avoid the tolls and use the Merry Hill Bypass which is backed up for four or five kilometres every evening.”
As for the issue of road pricing, Moore admits drivers are not off the hook when it comes to paying for the services they use the most.
“In our 10-year plan our second phase of funding was mobility pricing. So we want to make sure that although the tolls are coming off today on two bridges, that the provincial government is open to the discussion that mobility pricing might be a mechanism in the future.”
Moore adds it will take years to implement any kind of mobility pricing strategy.
