Still many questions about what road pricing could look like

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METRO VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A group looking into ways to charge you additional fees to drive around Metro Vancouver is sharing new details about the options it’s looking at.

Some of the possibilities could include tolling all major crossings in Metro Vancouver, or applying a premium for drivers who enter major urban areas like Downtown Vancouver during rush hour.

The Mobility Pricing Commission is also launching its next round of public consultation, and its chair claims there are misconceptions about his commission and its work.

The big issue Allan Seckel has is that none of these ideas has been finalized — and given that lack of certainty, he says we need keep this commission in perspective.

“The first [misconception] is that we’re going to finish our report, and people are immediately going to see mobility pricing implemented in this city,” says Seckel.

“It’s still a long way away. We don’t have the power to implement it as a commission. We’re just going to provide advice to TransLink and the Mayors Council, which essentially is saying — if you’re going to do mobility pricing, here’s how we think you should implement mobility pricing.

“It would then be up to a lot of work to happen to really fine tune what’s going to occur, select the right technology to be able to implement this kind of pricing, figure out exactly where you’d have your charging points in any system that you come up with, the specifics of privacy issues would have to be determined.

“There’s a lot of work that would have to happen, and ultimately the decision lies with our political leaders to determine how and when this will be implemented.”

NEWS 1130 asked Seckel if commuting families will end up being particularly hard hit by these proposed fees.

“I don’t know whether they’ll be paying more for certain because we haven’t done the analysis yet of what the level of these charges should be, how that would impact relative to the gas tax, should we keep the gas tax, should we get rid of the gas tax, and it replace it with something that might be more neutral? Those are all the questions we have to ask ourselves and they’re great questions and we’re not ignoring them,” says Seckel.

The commission has shared some new details online, essentially different variations of the two fee proposals we heard before: distance-based pricing, and charging drivers at congestion points.

Related articles:

What may be next for possible road pricing on the Lower Mainland

Extra traffic, crashes leading to regular delays on toll-free Port Mann Bridge

Toll decision may affect replacement of the Pattullo Bridge

Fraser Valley mayor concerned about mobility pricing

Commuters south of the Fraser Valley are among many drivers wondering just how much mobility pricing could impact them.

Langley City Mayor Ted Schaffer says smaller communities like his are full of people who can’t afford to live in large urban areas like Vancouver.

“So if they can pick up a nice townhouse in the Valley area. I don’t know what is affordable anymore, but say it’s 600-thousand dollars compared to a million dollars. That big difference is so important and the travel time –the travel time spending with their families. That’s the big thing.”

He adds many are already struggling.

“It’s one of the reasons people are moving out of the large urban areas, you know, whether it’s Montreal or Toronto or Vancouver. You know, they’re going into more smaller communities where it’s more affordable.”

Schaffer’s also worried about the impact of tolls being re-introduced to the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges, but he doubts that will happen.

“People do not want to pay a toll per se, so it will be a challenge. Tolls are not popular and this government eliminated the tolls on the Port Mann and the Golden Ears. I don’t expect them to look favourably at a tolling option.”

He points out many drivers forced to travel long distances are already sacrificing time with their families.

“They’re challenging times. There’s only one taxpayer and where’s the money going to come from –bottom line. There are different options out there. It’s not just a toll on the road. There might be other options that come to the table and so, it’s not without some challenges. We’re waiting to hear back from what stakeholders have to say –the people that drive the roads out there. That’s the big question –what do people think?”

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