March 28, 2024

The Mayor of Surrey isn’t buying what Translink is selling on falling Golden Ears bridge toll revenue

The Mayor of Surrey isn’t buying what Translink is selling when it comes to predictions of increased traffic over the Golden Ears bridge.

 Dianne Watts says tolls on the new Port Mann won’t alter traffic numbers on the Golden Ears by much.

 This after Translink said toll revenues on the span have fallen short by almost $ 40 million.

  “The reason that it has decreased is because the tolls are too high and when you start tolling one bridge here one bridge there there is diversion. The diversion that was taking place on the Golden Ears of course was the Port Mann we have got a reduction in the tolls on the Port Mann for a year so I think when those go up to three dollars we are going to see some diversion again.”

 Watts says when Port Mann tolls go up it will push drivers elsewhere, perhaps clogging up roads in her city, which lacks needed transit infrastructure.

  “That is exactly the concern. You have to have an integrated transportation system and plan along with a sustainable funding policy and its just a hiccup one after other after the other and struggling trying to put in place a funding model.”

 She says drivers could divert to the Pattullo, or Alex Fraser bridges or try and get to Surrey’s skytrain stations.

 Watts isn’t beating around the bush either over funding woes facing Translink.

 She says it has been one hiccup after another and even ideas like using gas tax revenue have fallen short.

  “The loss of revenue for gas..you know the gas tax was put on to raise money for Transportation but you know the tipping point was the tipping point so people are heading down to the states or out to the valley so you have lost you know tens of millions of dollars in that revenue.”

CKNW Vancouver News

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