The removal of bridge tolls in the Lower Mainland leads to questions about bridges yet to be crossed.
B.C. Premier John Horgan has announced that as of Sept. 1, tolls will be eliminated on the Golden Ears and Port Mann bridges.
Horgan said removal of tolls is about fairness – of British Columbians sharing the infrastructure burden equally.
Some responded with cheers, grateful for the elimination of the $6.30 cost of driving to and from work. Others criticized the move – a repeated sentiment being, “good politics, bad policy.”
The announcement has stirred greater conversations like how we control traffic congestion (the removal of tolls may redistribute traffic, but not reduce it) and how we pay for infrastructure.
Eliminating tolls obviously means an immediate loss in revenue to pay down debt on the two bridges. Add to that the $4.2-billion servicing debt of TI Corporation, the Crown corporation that oversees the tolling system on both bridges, and the province’s credit rating becomes a concern.
So does our ability to fund projects that are important to Surrey.
For example, how will the new Pattullo Bridge be paid for? That bridge’s replacement was supposed to be paid for by tolls.
Even with shared federal funding, the province will need millions of dollars to see important projects like this to fruition.
The Surrey Board of Trade is calling for mobility pricing to address these concerns.
Whatever solutions are explored – one thing is clear: We will be waiting longer and/or paying more for this much-needed infrastructure.
Black Press