Region-Wide Tolling

[Trainguy]

This article was published in May of 2016. It examines the contentious issue from both angles. Personally I think tolling every bridge would discourage people from travelling across the region because of the added cost. However, just tolling a few bridges unfairly targets a select group of the population. 2 new bridges are in the planning stages and both will be tolled.

What do you think?


"Given that people will drive halfway across Metro Vancouver to save a few bucks on clothes or food, it shouldn’t have surprised anyone that drivers would lengthen their daily commute to avoid crossing a tolled bridge.

That, of course, is precisely what happened when the new Port Mann Bridge opened for traffic in 2012 and the provincial government decided to impose a fee for crossing it. Many penny-wise drivers decided to use toll-free alternatives such as the Pattullo or Alex Fraser bridges instead. Needless to say, all of those cars going out of their way to avoid the Port Mann created greater congestion on the other bridges they were taking.

Now there is a worry that when the government replaces the aging Massey Tunnel with a new tolled 10-lane bridge, even more cars are going to head to toll-free options such as the Alex Fraser, making the commute over that crossing even worse than it is now.

With this in mind, Delta Mayor Lois Jackson has come up with an idea: Put a low-cost toll on all Metro Vancouver bridges to make the system more equitable and eliminate the congestion problems being created by the fare evaders. It’s a terrific idea.

We should first acknowledge there is a movement among certain Metro Vancouver mayors to stop the Massey replacement bridge before planned construction commences next year. The opposition is mostly being led by mayors who don’t have to worry about congestion in their communities because they are serviced by rapid-transit lines. For instance, Burnaby’s Derek Corrigan wants to stop the Massey replacement project. Mr. Corrigan wants to stop just about anything, but that’s another matter.

When it comes to transportation needs, Burnaby has few. Mr. Corrigan’s community is served by two rapid-transit lines. He doesn’t care about people living south of the Fraser, or traffic jams in the tunnel and two-hour commutes. All he knows is that a B.C. Liberal government wants to build the new bridge and he’s a New Democrat who is going to oppose everything and anything Premier Christy Clark is backing. He is not alone in his hypocrisy. Richmond’s Malcolm Brodie is also against the new Massey bridge. But he’s got the amazing Canada Line; what does he care about the poor commuters in South Delta or White Rock?

But I digress.

Ms. Jackson is proposing a flat $1 toll that would be introduced on every major crossing in Metro Vancouver (currently 12). This would replace the current policy of only tolling new bridges to recover the costs of construction. A $1 levy would be considerably less than the $3.15 people pay to cross the Port Mann or $4.35 it currently costs to go over the Golden Ears Bridge.

Based on the government’s present traffic volume numbers, a regional tolling system would raise roughly $300-million annually. Ms. Jackson proposes using some of it to cover annual operating costs of the new system itself, while the rest could be used for new infrastructure investment throughout Metro Vancouver. In other words, it could become a revenue source to replace the 0.5-per-cent sales tax levy that Metro mayors were hoping voters would approve in last year’s transit referendum to fund the ongoing transit needs of the region.

A region-wide tolling system would help distribute transportation and transit costs more equitably. In theory, everyone should be in favour of such a plan.

In theory.

Of course, those who for years have crossed the Lions Gate or Second Narrows bridges without paying would no doubt be outraged at the idea of having to fork out a whole $1 to suddenly get across those spans. The protests would be loud and messy. I’m sure the Canadian Taxpayers Federation would seize the opportunity to lead another grassroots revolt. And pretty soon that would scare off pro-toll politicians enough they would completely fold their tents.

We know for certain that no provincial party, including the governing Liberals, is going to back any region-wide tolling system before next year’s general election. But eventually, whichever party is leading this province is going to have to grapple with this issue.

The tolling policy in place now not only doesn’t make sense, it is creating more problems than it is fixing. Hopefully, at some point common sense will prevail. But I wouldn’t attempt holding your breath until that day arrives."