The City of New Westminster is monitoring the potential impacts of the new Port Mann Bridge on local streets.
The city is conducting traffic counts to determine the impact that the new tolled bridge, which opened Dec. 1, will have on the untolled Pattullo Bridge.
"We are doing counts on our arterial roads," said Jim Lowrie, the city's director of engineering. "Royal Avenue, McBride and Brunette are the main roads we are doing counts on."
Half-price tolls of $1.50 are now being charged for each trip across the new Port Mann Bridge, before the full $3 toll takes effect on March 1.
While the city is monitoring the impacts on local streets, Lowrie said the city expects to get a more accurate picture of the Port Mann Bridge toll's impacts later this month.
"The data is being collected on a daily basis," he said.
"We will be in a position to do some analysis on that, at the earliest, at the end of January."
The City of New Westminster's update of its master transportation plan is the engineering department's top priority for 2013. That process will include consideration of the Pattullo Bridge.
In 2012, TransLink consulted with New Westminster and Surrey residents about plans to build a new six-lane bridge near the existing bridge. Four options were presented for public input - options that were rejected by the majority of residents who attended TransLink's open houses.
The City of New Westminster asked that TransLink defer a decision about the Pattullo Bridge until the master transportation plan is complete, as it would ensure that the city and regional road systems were appropriately integrated.
As part of that process, the city presented eight options for the public to consider regarding Pattullo Bridge, including the six-lane options proposed by TransLink.
Other options include: rehabilitating the existing bridge; demolishing the bridge and building a four-lane replacement; demolishing the bridge and not building a replacement; demolishing the bridge and building a crossing from Surrey to Sapperton via Sapperton Bar; and building a bridge in Burnaby, which is known as the Tree Island option.
In response to feedback from residents and the city, TransLink informed the City of New Westminster that it was prepared to establish a "collaborative process" with New Westminster and Surrey to undertake a comprehensive review of a number of issues. The review will include: all practical solutions for crossings and crossing locations; bridge capacity and lane allocations; implications of current and future projects (including South Fraser Perimeter Road/Port Mann/Highway 1 connections) and rapid transit projects; through-traffic in the municipalities, particularly truck traffic; and consistency with local and regional transportation initiatives.
"They have agreed to take a step back and look more closely at some of the previous options that were previously considered," Lowrie said. "It's a good thing at this stage. Anytime you can get sitting down and consulting with the public to get input is a good thing."
Darren Woodworth, senior project manager for TransLink, said TransLink has been working with the cities of New Westminster and Surrey, and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and others since last summer to identify and explore all practical alternatives for the replacement of the aging Pattullo Bridge. The aim is to identify and secure a suitable solution - and funding - that meets regional and local objectives no later than fall 2014.
"TransLink and its partners are committed to continue informing and involving residents and stakeholders early on and throughout the public consultation process," Woodworth wrote in an email to The Record. "We will engage local residents, bridge users and other stakeholders in reviewing these replacement options through consultation opportunities in 2013. We will share more specific information about these opportunities as our plans evolve."
