^ One of the simple ways is rezoning more parts of the city to support a higher urban density. The problem is that everyone wants their own front lawn and back yard. If you want that, you better be ready to drive out 20km. Otherwise, get yourself a condo and suck it up.

Cutting taxes and increasing tolls imho is a MUCH more effective way for the government imo. Why would I want to pay for someone else's use? Even if it will cost me $3 to hit up Surrey, I'd gladly pay it if I knew that I wasn't already subsidizing it through my income tax. Look at the Coquihalla. It's paid off, and now we have this absolutely beautiful highway through the mountains. And it's not like we have no alternatives. One can always take the Pattullo or Alex Fraser bridges.

Vancouver has about 580,000 people.

This costs 40 Million.

It costs each tax payer less than $70 to build this bridge.

My tank costs $70 to fill up, and it only lasts me 4 days at 400kms.
This bridge will last longer than your assumed lifetime, and it'll shut up an estimated 40% of the people who participate in Critical Mass.

$70 well spent. Go nuts.

Edit:
I've noticed this with ALOT of people who complain about the Government using their money to build stuff, or throw it away trying to fix a deadspace like the DTES.

Sure, I would rather my money be used to send the addicts and the homeless to the Newfies, instead of giving them more money for drugs.
But when it comes to something like freeing up the roads that I drive on everyday, go right ahead. Whether it's the Transit System, bike routes, whatever. As long as it shuts up the hippies who can't afford a car, I'm all for it.

Instead of looking at the total amount, calculate how much it costs you in the end.
A pack of smokes costs $9.
With tax, it's $10.26.
$1.26 in taxes that you just spent which is going to the bridge
You could buy 55.5 packs of cigarettes to total up to the $70 in tax that you are spending on this bridge.
Thats $569.43 in cigarettes which is about one paycheck at minimum wage untaxed.
If you buy 2 packs of smokes everytime, you save $1.25, which at 55 packs totals to $34.69 in savings just by buying them 2 at a time.
New total: $534.74
Assuming you smoke a pack every 2 days, thats about 3.7 months of smoking.
So just by smoking for 3.7 months or 55.5 packs, you have already paid your share of the bridge. This is money you have already spent and smoked away, so stop bitching.

I didn't bother to check how much the government actually taxes Tobacco. So actually, it might only end up costing about 10 packs of smokes or so.If you can afford to spend $534.74 to smoke for 3.7 months, you can afford the $70 it will cost you to build this bridge.

Or, I could've shortened this by just saying: about 29 hours of work, taxed, at minimum wage.

^Pretty much everyone who has the luxury of RS in their life can afford this bridge, spending money on infrastructure is great IMO.

LOL did anyone see the pics of burrard bridge morning ride?
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pi...6212227&ref=nf
Look at all the bikers just blocking the right turn lane...

Gregor robertson is one crazy mofo who bikes in a suit...

^great, going to shcool tonite will be fun :(

The sidewalks are pretty narrow on the bridge and it's entirely possible that a cyclist could fall off right onto road and get smacked by a car. Maybe guard rails should be installed on the sidewalks, but there must be a reason why they haven't been...

Besides, unless you're commuting from the west side (or you're a truck driver), why would you be using the Burrard Bridge? If you're coming from Richmond, there's the Granville St. bridge with its 10 lanes, or even the Cambie St. bridge. If you live east of Vancouver, you wouldn't even use any of these bridges. :confused:

how come there is no hurricane in vancouver
we need hurricane to blow off all the bridges in vancouver

Some people are crazy and still bike when the weather is bad.

I lived in Toronto over a winter and their bike riders are, well, they're nuts.
-10 C does not stop them.

I'm sure there are some, but that's a VERY VERY VERY small portion of the population. And spending $45 million to cater to 200 people. Something doesnt add up.

Trying looking for cyclists in the winter/rain season. U'll be hard pressed to find one.