While slashing or reducing bridge tolls may appeal to voters, Mayor Jonathan Cote says it is bad transportation policy.
Last weekend, the B.C. Liberals promised to cap bridge tolls at $500 a year. The B.C. NDP responded by promising to slash tolls on both the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.
Cote said the cuts will harm the Mayors’ Council’s long-term transportation plan.
“We are playing politics (that) could be significantly damaging to our transportation system based on these very populist-type proposals,” he said.
A new Pattullo Bridge is one of the projects proposed by the mayors, and it would be tolled. Capping or slashing tolls for the new bridge when it is built could potentially halt the project.
“The challenge with the Pattullo Bridge is we need to make decisions probably by the end of this year regarding the replacement, and the previous plan included half the funding of that new bridge to be covered by tolls,” he said. “That funding, overnight, appears to have been significantly reduced or completely eliminated and, unless the provincial parties are prepared to pay the entire cost of that bridge, I don’t see how we’re going to be able to move forward with that project.”
The mayor said a wider discussion with the provincial government about transportation funding is needed.
Lorraine Brett, who is running in New Westminster for the B. C. Liberals, said her party will continue to work with the mayors and support the 10 year plan.
“When you’ve got more people out of their cars travelling on transit systems, New Westminster wins,” she said.
Judy Darcy, the NDP incumbent in New Westminster, said the province currently has a “patchwork system” of tolling and the Liberal government’s strategy is not working.
“Instead of attacking the mayors the way the premier has, (Horgan) says as premier he would work closely with the mayors in order to develop a plan for the long term that reduces congestion,” Darcy said.
In response to concerns that removing tolls would impact future transit projects, Darcy said “I don’t see a contradiction.”
