[dinosaur]

"Cars will be $3, a big semi will be assessed at $9, a smaller truck like a cube van is $6 and the toll for motorcycles will be $1.50,” says Max Logan with Port Mann-Highway 1 Project.

New Port Mann bridge a year away from opening to traffic (http://www.globaltvbc.com/new+port+mann+bridge+a+year+away+from+opening+to+t raffic/6442547059/story.html)

[murd0c]

Fuck them, Fuck the goverment for tolling the main artery for the lower mainland. I take that bridge every day and will be losing 2-3k a year and I'm beyond fucken pissed.

I thought they couldnt toll a #1 hwy but we have no say. Our tax's give the fat cats bonuses and they gas tax and toll us for everything else.........

I'm beyond livid and pissed which I'm sure lots of people are and we could complain but we have no say cause this day and age we dont have any rights...

[dinosaur]

^ ditto.

[spyker]

$9 for big semi's is ridiculous,as if the drivers don't already pay enough to operate those trucks.

Now we soon will be paying more for stuff for the semi's to offset the cost of the toll.

[dinamix]

Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[spyker]

Fuck them, Fuck the goverment for tolling the main artery for the lower mainland. I take that bridge every day and will be losing 2-3k a year and I'm beyond fucken pissed.

I thought they couldnt toll a #1 hwy but we have no say. Our tax's give the fat cats bonuses and they gas tax and toll us for everything else.........

I'm beyond livid and pissed which I'm sure lots of people are and we could complain but we have no say cause this day and age we dont have any rights...

Legally a province cannot toll highway 1,but the loophole is,the Portmann bridge is not considered a highway,it's a bridge,that's how they are getting away with it.

Man I feel bad for anyone that takes the bridge everyday for work,as if they don't already pay enough for gas,now they gotta pay more for this bullshit.

[murd0c]

Legally a province cannot toll highway 1,but the loophole is,the Portmann bridge is not considered a highway,it's a bridge,that's how they are getting away with it.

Man I feel bad for anyone that takes the bridge everyday for work,as if they don't already pay enough for gas,now they gotta pay more for this bullshit.

It's BS fucken loophole and it's a joke plain and simple.

I jsut don't understand where all of our money is going? back in the old days even the 80's with the Alex Fraser no tolling our tax's went towards it with no issues. Now we have more people with higher tax's and we have to pay more then in the past?? I just don't understand where the cash is going can someone explain this???

[dark0821]

^this is totally just my guess/estimate.... But I think it might have to do with the wage and social responsibility cost... Like yes we get paid a lot more than b4... But our cost of living have risen even higher than our wage.... And come on... We didn't have to pay for druggies/wellfare back then on things like social housing and free clinics and crap....

Don't mean to hijack the thread... But ya I feel bad for the people who needs to cross the bridge everyday... I rmbr a few years back when they jacked up the price of the ferries... Never been to the island since.... Seriously the province is screwing over their own economy...

[melloman]

It's BS fucken loophole and it's a joke plain and simple.

I jsut don't understand where all of our money is going? back in the old days even the 80's with the Alex Fraser no tolling our tax's went towards it with no issues. Now we have more people with higher tax's and we have to pay more then in the past?? I just don't understand where the cash is going can someone explain this???

I'll take the random guess and blame... healthcare.

With the amount of immigrants coming in to abuse it, and the baby boomer generation turning into seniors, I'd say a lot of money would probably go to healthcare and then you have Translink's pockets.

[Great68]

If I still lived on the mainland, I would hate the fact that they're tolling such a major highway (with poor alternative options).

On the other hand they say it will save an average of an hour a day... In reality I don't know how true that is but an hour of my time is worth way more than $6 to me. Not to mention gas & wear and tear on vehicle from stop-and-go traffic everyday.

[taylor192]

Now we have more people with higher tax's and we have to pay more then in the past??
We're actually paying less tax than years ago. BC income tax rate has decreased for over a decade.

I'll take the random guess and blame... healthcare.
and you'd be correct. Government raids the gas tax coffers to pay for healthcare, cause while our GDP increases 2-4% healthcare has been increasing at 6%+.

[dinosaur]

I want to know why it is costing us so much to building these bridges?! I get that it ain't cheap, but these numbers seem a little high:

Alex Fraser Bridge: $58 million
Golden Ears Bridge: $808 million
New Port Mann: $2.4 BILLION
Proposed Patullo Bridge: $1.2 Billion

After 2015, the Alex Fraser Bridge will be the only crossing not tolled.

I also remember some talk about tolling the Knight and Oak St. Bridge.

I think it is complete bullshit that this is happening seeing as we are a "commuter" city. It is so rare that people actually live in the city they work in.

That $850/mth 200 sq.ft. apartment DT is starting to look more appealing...

[Roach]

The part I find a little annoying is:

The Evergreen line - a $1.4B project that will mainly benefit Coquitlam/Maple Ridge - is being partially paid through a newly approved gas tax that applies to all metro vancouver residents (that includes Surrey & Langley).

The Port Mann Bridge - a $3.3B project that will benefit those from many communities, truckers, and out of province users has to be paid for by the users. Also keep in mind this project includes the expansion of 37km of Highway 1 roadway from Langley to Burnaby.

I can see the alternative argument that the users should have to pay for what they benefit from. However, Surrey/Langley residents are being hit with taxes for projects that benefit other communities while also being told to fund a project that benefits everyone.

Kev

[Soundy]

I take that bridge every day and will be losing 2-3k a year and I'm beyond fucken pissed.

But ya I feel bad for the people who needs to cross the bridge everyday...
Ever stop to calculate how much gas you waste in the half-hour-long dead-crawl up to the bridge either way? Might wanna see how much smooth traffic flow will save before you get all self-righteous. What's your time worth?

I thought they couldnt toll a #1 hwy
Lotta people seem to think that. I've never seen anyone point out explicitly where this is stated.

I rmbr a few years back when they jacked up the price of the ferries... Never been to the island since.... Seriously the province is screwing over their own economy...
This will probably come as a surprise to you, but... ferries run on petroleum-based fuel. Which has also increased in price. Think of how much more it costs you to fill your car than a few years ago... then imagine how much more it costs them to run those things.

Man I feel bad for anyone that takes the bridge everyday for work,as if they don't already pay enough for gas,now they gotta pay more for this bullshit.
Okay, time to trot out a real-life example again.

We live in Pitt Meadows. My wife works in Langley. Her commute via the Port Mann was over an hour each way, and our little 4-cylinder Jeep Patriot burned a quarter tank of gas *per day* for this 37km trip. Now with the Golden Ears Bridge, she's to and from work in 20-25 minutes and goes through a quarter tank of gas *per week* for a 15km trip (that's right: half the distance, uses 1/5 the gas... just to give an idea of how much gas you waste idling in traffic).

So let's do the math, assuming gas is $1/liter (as it was when she started this job, plus it makes the math easier). 50l tank = $50. 1/4 tank per day = $12.50 per day, or $62.50 per week.

At 1/4 tank per week, that's $12.50 per week. Add $2.85 toll, twice per day, that's $5.70 per day, or $39.90 per week, for a total of $52.40 per week.

So the toll option, with smooth-flowing traffic rather than utter gridlock, is saving $10/week, and that's with a fairly fuel-efficient small SUV. Increase savings accordingly if you drive a bigger SUV or riced-up car.

You can't put a price on getting home and not being completely stressed out and feeling physically drained from that hour+ fighting traffic.

Will everyone see the same kind of savings? Probably not. But before you get all pissed off about it, you might want to look at how all this is going to help your regular travel (not just the bridge, but all the upgrades).

even the 80's with the Alex Fraser no tolling
So, take the Alex Fraser instead, and stop fucking whining.

[Soundy]

The part I find a little annoying is:

The Evergreen line - a $1.4B project that will mainly benefit Coquitlam/Maple Ridge - is being partially paid through a newly approved gas tax that applies to all metro vancouver residents (that includes Surrey & Langley).

All metro Vancouver residents, including those of us in Coquitlam/Maple Ridge, have already been paying for the other SkyTrain lines... so how is this any different?

[InvisibleSoul]

Legally a province cannot toll highway 1,but the loophole is,the Portmann bridge is not considered a highway,it's a bridge,that's how they are getting away with it.

Man I feel bad for anyone that takes the bridge everyday for work,as if they don't already pay enough for gas,now they gotta pay more for this bullshit.
Is that seriously true?

The MVA definition of highway is:

“highway” includes

(a) every highway within the meaning of the Transportation Act,

(b) every road, street, lane or right of way designed or intended for or used by the general public for the passage of vehicles

Even if it's a bridge, there's still a road on it...

[taylor192]

I want to know why it is costing us so much to building these bridges?!
To be fair they aren't building a new bridge, they are replacing an existing bridge and dealing with the difficulties of that - yet I do agree it is ridiculous it costs this much.

[Hondaracer]

The port Mann costs so much because the cost includes taking down the old one as well

I'm gonna be covering my truck with mud
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[dinosaur]

Does anyone know what the argument was to remove the old bridge and not twin it?

Though the new bridge is HUGE, I think it would have been beneficial to keep the old one as well and use it for truck traffic.

Was there not enough room?

[Great68]

There are two things that will be interesting to watch and see how they play out:

1) How much traffic that is currently using the Port Mann (because it's currently free) switches over to using the Golden Ears

2) How long it will take before growth east of the fraser makes turns the new Port Mann into gridlock again.

[taylor192]

I can see the alternative argument that the users should have to pay for what they benefit from. However, Surrey/Langley residents are being hit with taxes for projects that benefit other communities while also being told to fund a project that benefits everyone.

Kev
Public transit will always be paid by everyone, roads will be paid by those who use them.

You could apply your same logic to roads in rural areas. Why should the 80% of people that live in urban areas pay for the vast amount of rural infrastructure that only the 20% of people that live in rural areas use.

Everything is unfair to a point, at least with this toll you have a choice to avoid paying it.

[Soundy]

I want to know why it is costing us so much to building these bridges?! I get that it ain't cheap, but these numbers seem a little high:

Alex Fraser Bridge: $58 million
Golden Ears Bridge: $808 million
New Port Mann: $2.4 BILLION
Proposed Patullo Bridge: $1.2 Billion
Keep in mind, that $2.4B includes all the highway upgrades, including widening, and replacing almost all the existing overpasses because the old one weren't built to accommodate a wider highway. It also includes things like fixing the Cape Horn Interchange, which has been an utter clusterfuck for DECADES because "improvements" were always pieced together and done half-assed.

I don't doubt that a lot of the extra cost is because they have to keep the existing highway flowing by constantly moving sections of road while working on other sections... that's a lot of extra time and labor. That's something they didn't have to do with the Alex Fraser or the Golden Ears bridges.

[Soundy]

Does anyone know what the argument was to remove the old bridge and not twin it?

Though the new bridge is HUGE, I think it would have been beneficial to keep the old one as well and use it for truck traffic.

Was there not enough room?

It's because the bridge is OLD and the maintenance costs are increasing.

The alternate plan to a big new bridge was a smaller "twin" bridge for the old one, but the costs of maintaining and repairing the old one are only going to keep going up as it ages. Replacing it and getting rid of it is the best long-term option.

[Great68]

I want to know why it is costing us so much to building these bridges?! I get that it ain't cheap, but these numbers seem a little high:

Alex Fraser Bridge: $58 million
Golden Ears Bridge: $808 million
New Port Mann: $2.4 BILLION
Proposed Patullo Bridge: $1.2 Billion

After 2015, the Alex Fraser Bridge will be the only crossing not tolled.

I also remember some talk about tolling the Knight and Oak St. Bridge.

I think it is complete bullshit that this is happening seeing as we are a "commuter" city. It is so rare that people actually live in the city they work in.

That $850/mth 200 sq.ft. apartment DT is starting to look more appealing...

The 2.4 Billion also includes the cost of the upgrades along Highway #1...

Every On/Offramp that they are upgrading etc... I imagine that portion is a pretty huge part of the cost itself.

Edit: Soundy beat me to it.

[Soundy]

Legally a province cannot toll highway 1,

Trans-Canada Highway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway)

Nova Scotia

Highway 104 in Nova Scotia near Westville
From the New Brunswick border, the main Trans-Canada Highway route continues east into Nova Scotia at Amherst, where it follows the designation of provincial Highway 104. The highway then passes by Truro, where it links with provincial Highway 102 to Halifax, 117 km (73 mi) east of the New Brunswick border. Halifax, like Toronto, is a provincial capital not serviced by a Trans-Canada Highway. There is a 30 km (19 mi) stretch of highway with a toll of $4 per automobile (different rates for other vehicles).

The Confederation Bridge connecting PEI is also part of the TCH and has a $50 one-way toll.

The Nanaimo/Horseshoe Bay ferry route is also considered part of the Trans Canada Highway.

BTW, according to British Columbia Trans-Canada Highway Route: Hope, BC and Kamloops via the #5 Coquihalla (toll) Highway (http://transcanadahighway.com/britishcolumbia/tch-bc-e6.htm), the Coquihalla is considered a part of the TCH system... it had tolls until just recently as well.

[Soundy]

You know, considering the tolls were originally announced to be in the $5 range, I'm surprised everyone's getting so wigged about this now.

[MindBomber]

The part I find a little annoying is:

The Evergreen line - a $1.4B project that will mainly benefit Coquitlam/Maple Ridge - is being partially paid through a newly approved gas tax that applies to all metro vancouver residents (that includes Surrey & Langley).

The Port Mann Bridge - a $3.3B project that will benefit those from many communities, truckers, and out of province users has to be paid for by the users. Also keep in mind this project includes the expansion of 37km of Highway 1 roadway from Langley to Burnaby.

I can see the alternative argument that the users should have to pay for what they benefit from. However, Surrey/Langley residents are being hit with taxes for projects that benefit other communities while also being told to fund a project that benefits everyone.

Kev

It's been discussed many times, but Langley residents still have zero direct access to skytrain while having helped fund the projects for decades. I'm an environmentalist, I support skytrain expansion into all regions, I understand each community needs to wait it's turn for expansion into their region, but Langley residents receive a fraction of the benefit of any other community in the gvrd while paying equal taxes. It's bs.

Back to bridge tolling discussions..

I believe that the Port Mann is the equivalent of an essential service and as such should not be tolled, I hope Soundy's math transfers over to commuters, but weekend and evening users when there is minimal volume will still not be benefiting..

Also, I don't think that we should be looking for an explanation as to why the province has switched to a tolling policy, there are countless things that it can be pinned on but none are overly accurate. Whether it be paying back the feds for HST, the olympics, immigrant health care, rising operating costs for all government services, lower tax revenue as a result of the recession, it just turns into a guessing game.

[tiger_handheld]

I heard some hippies want to turn the old bridge into a park ?!?O!

I would keep both bridges and only toll the new ones. If anyone wants to "go faster" feel free to pay the toll and use it. But it will never happen - need the hippie votes so fat cats can continue their lifestyle ...

[Nabatron]

Just wondering when we cross the portman brigde it take pictures of our license plates? or a big shot of our whole car with license plates? I'm asking this why because back in the day my dad had this screen that was like a hologram/clear where you could put over your license plate and if say u ran accidently went through a red light and a camera snapped a picture of your license plate it wouldn't register...another way you could go over the port man brigde but i guess if u got caught u would be fucked lol

[Presto]

^^^

Still camera vs video. That shit that supposedly prevents your plate from being photographed doesn't apply when flash isn't used.

[spyker]

It's BS fucken loophole and it's a joke plain and simple.

I jsut don't understand where all of our money is going? back in the old days even the 80's with the Alex Fraser no tolling our tax's went towards it with no issues. Now we have more people with higher tax's and we have to pay more then in the past?? I just don't understand where the cash is going can someone explain this???

You wanna hear something really fucked up?

Two of my friends work for Keiwit( one is a driller,the other is a iron worker),both are working on this mega project,they told me,if Keiwit finishes this project in time,Keiwit will recieve a BIG fucking bonus,if they finish early,they will get the bonus plus a percentage of the tolls for a certain amount of years.

Pissed off yet or raging mad?

[Soundy]

Just wondering when we cross the portman brigde it take pictures of our license plates? or a big shot of our whole car with license plates?

Pretty sure it will use the same QuickPass system as the GEB. About Quickpass (http://www.translink.ca/en/Driving/Golden-Ears-Bridge/About-Quickpass.aspx)

I'm asking this why because back in the day my dad had this screen that was like a hologram/clear where you could put over your license plate and if say u ran accidently went through a red light and a camera snapped a picture of your license plate it wouldn't register...another way you could go over the port man brigde but i guess if u got caught u would be fucked lol

Seems to me, Mythbusters disproved pretty much all the anti-photo-radar/anti-redlight-camera tricks.

Either way, covering your plate with anything IS illegal...

[MindBomber]

I heard some hippies want to turn the old bridge into a park ?!?O!

I would keep both bridges and only toll the new ones. If anyone wants to "go faster" feel free to pay the toll and use it. But it will never happen - need the hippie votes so fat cats can continue their lifestyle ...

Turning the old bridge into a park would be amazing, there's nothing else even remotely like that in the world.

Leaving up the old bridge for vehicle use isn't an option, it costs to much to maintain the dilapidated structure.

[Indy]

Just wondering when we cross the portman brigde it take pictures of our license plates? or a big shot of our whole car with license plates? I'm asking this why because back in the day my dad had this screen that was like a hologram/clear where you could put over your license plate and if say u ran accidently went through a red light and a camera snapped a picture of your license plate it wouldn't register...another way you could go over the port man brigde but i guess if u got caught u would be fucked lol

AFAIK, it will be the same as the Golden Ears Bridge. If you have a transponder, it will be at the cheaper cost, and the bridge will use that to "see" your car.

If you don't have a transponder then you the bridge will utilize cameras taking pictures of the cars(I don't think it targets individual cars. It will see the whole bridge deck and software will "read" the license plates)

Looks like they changed their tolling fees too. Originally it was going to be $2.90 for registered vehicles only, then the price increased to something like $4 for unregistered cars. Looks like it's $3 for all excluding the noted exceptions/discounts.


How much will the tolls cost?

Tolls for cars will be about $3 on opening day, which is anticipated to be Winter 2012/2013.

The toll rate for mid-size vehicles such as cars pulling trailers or light trucks will be twice the rate for cars, while the rate for heavy trucks will be three times as much. The rate for motorcycles will be half the car rate.

To reduce congestion, a discount of 25% will be offered during peak periods for registered carpools with two or more passengers and an overnight discount of 50% will be offered for large commercial vehicles. Other incentives are also being considered and a refined tolling framework is expected to be released early in 2012.

Back to Top
Will anyone be exempt from paying the toll?

The following vehicles, after they register, will be able to receive a toll exemption:

Taxis;
Persons with disabilities (as defined under Section 2 of the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act);
Vanpools (with six or more people);
Transit buses; and
First responders (e.g. police, ambulance, fire departments).

Source: Tolling (http://www.pmh1project.com/info-centre/faq/Pages/Tolling.aspx)

[Soundy]

You wanna hear something really fucked up?

Two of my friends work for Keiwit( one is a driller,the other is a iron worker),both are working on this mega project,they told me,if Keiwit finishes this project in time,Keiwit will recieve a BIG fucking bonus,if they finish early,they will get the bonus plus a percentage of the tolls for a certain amount of years.

Pissed off yet or raging mad?

The alternative is that they slack around and take their time and it takes longer and costs more than it should. On-time bonuses are common and *included in the budget*.

[Roach]

All metro Vancouver residents, including those of us in Coquitlam/Maple Ridge, have already been paying for the other SkyTrain lines... so how is this any different?

All metro Vancouver residents, including those of us in Surrey/Langley, have already been partially paid for the Pitt River Bridge & Mary Hill Bypass interchange project .. so how is this any different?

Kev

[Nabatron]

^^worth a shot! the film covers the plates but to the naked eye u can still see the numbers and letters...

[Roach]

There are two things that will be interesting to watch and see how they play out:

1) How much traffic that is currently using the Port Mann (because it's currently free) switches over to using the Golden Ears



The Golden Ears is also tolled. So the congestion will likely shift towards the aging Patullo bridge and the Alex Fraser.

Kev

[spyker]

Trans-Canada Highway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway)



The Confederation Bridge connecting PEI is also part of the TCH and has a $50 one-way toll.

The Nanaimo/Horseshoe Bay ferry route is also considered part of the Trans Canada Highway.

BTW, according to British Columbia Trans-Canada Highway Route: Hope, BC and Kamloops via the #5 Coquihalla (toll) Highway (http://transcanadahighway.com/britishcolumbia/tch-bc-e6.htm), the Coquihalla is considered a part of the TCH system... it had tolls until just recently as well.

The Coquihalla is the biggest scam,it runs right through private property,they could have built it on provincial land and it would have been free for everyone,but chose not to,for some fucked up reason Bill Vanderzan chose to run it through someone's backyard.......gee I wonder why.

[Soundy]

All metro Vancouver residents, including those of us in Surrey/Langley, have already been partially paid for the Pitt River Bridge & Mary Hill Bypass interchange project .. so how is this any different?

Kev

And ALL the other bridges and roads all over the LM. Plus other transit subsidies.

You're right, it IS no different. So why all of a sudden should it be different for the Evergreen Line?

[spyker]

The alternative is that they slack around and take their time and it takes longer and costs more than it should. On-time bonuses are common and *included in the budget*.

If Keiwit does not finish on the date of the deadline when the new bridge is suppose to be open for use,they will be fined 1 million dollars a day until completed.

[Roach]

And ALL the other bridges and roads all over the LM. Plus other transit subsidies.

You're right, it IS no different. So why all of a sudden should it be different for the Evergreen Line?

Absolutely. To be clear, I'm not lobbying for the Evergreen to be paid for by it's users. I'm simply using it as an example to point out the irony of the situation given that the Evergreen gas tax was recently approved by Metro Vancouver Mayors.

Kev

[Soundy]

The Golden Ears is also tolled. So the congestion will likely shift towards the aging Patullo bridge and the Alex Fraser.

Kev

Well then, the time and gas savings you can get from the tolled routes should be even greater, right? 20 minutes via PMB or 3 hours via Patullo?

[Soundy]

Absolutely. To be clear, I'm not lobbying for the Evergreen to be paid for by it's users. I'm simply using it as an example to point out the irony of the situation given that the Evergreen gas tax was recently approved by Metro Vancouver Mayors.

Kev

It's really nothing unusual. There's been a transit levy on Hydro and natural gas bills for decades. And it still shows that the "I don't use it, why should I pay for it" argument is stupid.

[Soundy]

^^worth a shot! the film covers the plates but to the naked eye u can still see the numbers and letters...

And will still get you a $196 ticket if you get caught with it. That would pay for 65 crossings right there.

[TheKingdom2000]

I'm just curious. did anyone email their MLA or MP about this issue?
Because i'm sure people knew that this was going to happen?

Personally, i'm a lazy fcuk who probably wouldn't have emailed/contacted anyone even if I knew this was happening.

But, curious to see if anyone here contacted anyone.

[dinosaur]

I heard some hippies want to turn the old bridge into a park ?!?O!

I would keep both bridges and only toll the new ones. If anyone wants to "go faster" feel free to pay the toll and use it. But it will never happen - need the hippie votes so fat cats can continue their lifestyle ...

Port Mann bridge park - News Hour - Videos | Global BC (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/port+mann+bridge+park/video.html?v=2149267982#stories/video)

[dinosaur]

What drives me crazy, it that lazy people like me who don't pay there tolls on time and forget until they re-new their car insurance, can't pay them at the the insurance place.

You can pay traffic tix, etc...but you have to pay quickpass directly. Also, if you pay online, it takes 2-3 business days to process so you have to phone before 4pm on weekdays to have confirmation.

I had to delay getting my car insurance for a couple days b/c of a $4.00 toll fee. TOTALLY my fault, but really annoying.

I hope they change that and allow ICBC to collected the toll fees like traffic tix.

[Roach]

Well then, the time and gas savings you can get from the tolled routes should be even greater, right? 20 minutes via PMB or 3 hours via Patullo?

You're assuming rush hour traffic. What if you're driving home at midnight? And the Patullo does not take anywhere near three hours in spite of it's shortcomings.

It's really nothing unusual. There's been a transit levy on Hydro and natural gas bills for decades. And it still shows that the "I don't use it, why should I pay for it" argument is stupid.

Indeed. Hence the outrage about why the Fraser Valley crossings are being singled out for tolling.

What drives me crazy, it that lazy people like me who don't pay there tolls on time and forget until they re-new their car insurance, can't pay them at the the insurance place.

You can pay traffic tix, etc...but you have to pay quickpass directly. Also, if you pay online, it takes 2-3 business days to process so you have to phone before 4pm on weekdays to have confirmation.

I had to delay getting my car insurance for a couple days b/c of a $4.00 toll fee. TOTALLY my fault, but really annoying.

I hope they change that and allow ICBC to collected the toll fees like traffic tix.

It hasn't and likely won't change unfortunately. I work for a large auto group. We a few hundred plated demos & service loaners running around. When even a single bill is overdue for a certain period, they will suspend the insurance for all of our stores. It's extremely heavy-handed and the actual non-payment was a result of a poorly administered system by Quickpass. Payments being mis-applied and statements sent incorrectly.

I imagine the first few months of the Port Mann toll will be equally as frustrating.

Kev

[MindBomber]

Port Mann bridge park - News Hour - Videos | Global BC (http://www.globaltvbc.com/video/port+mann+bridge+park/video.html?v=2149267982#stories/video)

Oh god, I hope the idea gains some support and is seriously considered..

A project like that would be so unique, so amazing, it would help to redefine the image of Vancouver and continue what the olympics created.

Am I the only one who would love to see this happen?

[dinosaur]

Oh god, I hope the idea gains some support and is seriously considered..

A project like that would be so unique, so amazing, it would help to redefine the image of Vancouver and continue what the olympics created.

Am I the only one who would love to see this happen?

yes. ;)

[Great68]

Turning the old bridge into a park would be amazing, there's nothing else even remotely like that in the world.

Leaving up the old bridge for vehicle use isn't an option, it costs to much to maintain the dilapidated structure.

Even as a park, the old Port Mann would have maintenance costs.

It's still a structure, that has to be inspected/maintained/repaired at regular intervals. You don't exactly want it collapsing with a bunch of park dwellers on it.

[Great68]

The Golden Ears is also tolled. So the congestion will likely shift towards the aging Patullo bridge and the Alex Fraser.

Kev

I'm thinking more of the people who live in langley and work in the tri-cities. The Patullo or Alex Fraser for them would be a LONG way out of their way, and definately more than the toll is worth.

[MindBomber]

yes. ;)

haha I was wondering, because RS is a fairly conservative forum, whereas myself and my friends are primarily very left wing environmentalist types. Interesting to hear the differing perspectives.

Even as a park, the old Port Mann would have maintenance costs.

It's still a structure, that has to be inspected/maintained/repaired at regular intervals. You don't exactly want it collapsing with a bunch of park dwellers on it.

Yes, I understand that.

The weight load would be much lower than the bridge was designed to hold however, so I assume the maintenance costs would be minimal, primarily just managing the affects of weather.

[wasabisashimi]

Ever stop to calculate how much gas you waste in the half-hour-long dead-crawl up to the bridge either way? Might wanna see how much smooth traffic flow will save before you get all self-righteous. What's your time worth?


Lotta people seem to think that. I've never seen anyone point out explicitly where this is stated.


This will probably come as a surprise to you, but... ferries run on petroleum-based fuel. Which has also increased in price. Think of how much more it costs you to fill your car than a few years ago... then imagine how much more it costs them to run those things.


Okay, time to trot out a real-life example again.

We live in Pitt Meadows. My wife works in Langley. Her commute via the Port Mann was over an hour each way, and our little 4-cylinder Jeep Patriot burned a quarter tank of gas *per day* for this 37km trip. Now with the Golden Ears Bridge, she's to and from work in 20-25 minutes and goes through a quarter tank of gas *per week* for a 15km trip (that's right: half the distance, uses 1/5 the gas... just to give an idea of how much gas you waste idling in traffic).

So let's do the math, assuming gas is $1/liter (as it was when she started this job, plus it makes the math easier). 50l tank = $50. 1/4 tank per day = $12.50 per day, or $62.50 per week.

At 1/4 tank per week, that's $12.50 per week. Add $2.85 toll, twice per day, that's $5.70 per day, or $39.90 per week, for a total of $52.40 per week.

So the toll option, with smooth-flowing traffic rather than utter gridlock, is saving $10/week, and that's with a fairly fuel-efficient small SUV. Increase savings accordingly if you drive a bigger SUV or riced-up car.

You can't put a price on getting home and not being completely stressed out and feeling physically drained from that hour+ fighting traffic.

Will everyone see the same kind of savings? Probably not. But before you get all pissed off about it, you might want to look at how all this is going to help your regular travel (not just the bridge, but all the upgrades).


So, take the Alex Fraser instead, and stop fucking whining.

I totally understand what you are saying , the savings are worth it for sure. But I am skeptical about the new bridge really reduces traffic jam and rush hours.

There are traffic no matter where you go, which city you are in. I just hope we dont pay the toll and still sit in traffic, unless you take a bus express lane over that bridge.

I dont know whats with bridges that we see most cars broken down, slower drivers, or accident frequency.

If I was mayor, I would 1) not send fucking 4 cop cars for a 2 car fender bender. 2) not send a fire truck for a small accident.

Been to HK and TW and japan, these guys really clean up accident fast unlike north america where we take our time, chat alittle to the guy who just T-Boned you, talk about his wife, and grandma..etc

[Great68]

Yes, I understand that.

The weight load would be much lower than the bridge was designed to hold however, so I assume the maintenance costs would be minimal, primarily just managing the affects of weather.

The costs would definately NOT be minimal. In fact, I'll bet they would not be much less than they are now. Structural assessments and maintenance would have to be performed at the same intervals, so that wouldn't change. Metal rusts the same whether there's 1000 cars, or a park on top, so cleaning & painting would still be in the budget.

It's hard to say how much lower the weight load is, sure you remove cars but then you'd have to truck in a lot of dirt to make it any sort of "greenway". Dirt's not exactly light.

It's not exactly "Well no more cars, we can check up on it every 20 years from here on out".

No doubt, it would be a REALLY expensive park.

[CorneringArtist]

If I recall, there was another thread about a shitty intersection at either Highway 10 or 91, and how it causes that section to get congested as hell. People wanting to avoid the tolls would probably make that a lot worse. However making the old bridge a park is a pretty pragmatic idea.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[Iceman-19]

Has anyone ever considered how many people that are avoiding the golden ears right now because the port Mann is still free? When the new bridge opens and is also tolled, they are paying to go a longer way, they will obviously start using the golden ears, which means less traffic on hwy 1.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

[dinosaur]

haha I was wondering, because RS is a fairly conservative forum, whereas myself and my friends are primarily very left wing environmentalist types. Interesting to hear the differing perspectives.



I am fairly left-winged liberal as well and am always a proponent of more parks and green space, environmental sustainability, etc.

My issue with turn it into a park is accessibility. I do not see people parking and walking over it. It is literally in the middle of little bit of a "waste-land". You have commercial/industrial on one side, and a commercial and a little residential on the other. It is also fairly high and a little long.

If this bridge was in an area of pedestrian foot traffic or another park, I'd be all for it. Should they decide to replace a bridge like Grandville or Cambie, I think it would be fantastic to turn it into a park. The PM isn't even really accessible by transit. The location of where it is, is my issue.

I just don't see people utilizing as a park. But then again...we need somewhere to stuff the Occupy Van people....

[MindBomber]

The costs would definately NOT be minimal. In fact, I'll bet they would not be much less than they are now. Structural assessments and maintenance would have to be performed at the same intervals, so that wouldn't change. Metal rusts the same whether there's 1000 cars, or a park on top, so cleaning & painting would still be in the budget.

It's hard to say how much lower the weight load is, sure you remove cars but then you'd have to truck in a lot of dirt to make it any sort of "greenway". Dirt's not exactly light.

It's not exactly "Well no more cars, we can check up on it every 20 years from here on out".

No doubt, it would be a REALLY expensive park.

Oh, I understand that structural assessments would still need to be performed at the same frequency, what I meant was the costs would be minimal in comparison to present.

Yes, metal and fittings corrode at the same rate, regardless of weight load. I think that weight load would ultimately be much less though, because the surface could be stripped of asphalt and replaced by a relatively light weight substitute, like the materials used for green roofs. That would alleviate some of the structural wear and reduce the cost from present substantially, because of the reduced metal fatigue, I know absolutely nothing about what's involved in maintaining a bridge though.

I agree, no doubt, it would become an expensive project, I suppose it's just a fantasy to think it could be feasible or even logical. A cool fantasy, but a fantasy none the less. I have a thing for architecture, which is probably why I got excited thinking about the possibilities. Returning to the real world now.

[dinosaur]

Has anyone ever considered how many people that are avoiding the golden ears right now because the port Mann is still free? When the new bridge opens and is also tolled, they are paying to go a longer way, they will obviously start using the golden ears, which means less traffic on hwy 1.
Posted via RS Mobile (http://www.revscene.net/forums/announcement.php?a=228)

I don't think a lot of people avoid the GE due to the toll per se.

I think the problem is, that a lot of people do not live in areas that require its use.

I live in New West and a dozen or so times a year, I need to go out to Langley, Abbotsford, etc...I will use the GE bridge and pay the toll when the PM is fuck, purely out of convenience or to avoid idling i traffic for an hour.

The time from Abby to New West is almost exactly 1 hour without traffic, regardless of the bridge I take. I am not sure a lot of people know that. I listen to the traffic report and make the call when I hit 200th.

Its a nice bridge, fast, but drops you off a little in the middle of nowhere. But, do I mind paying for the convenience? no because it is an choice. Idle in traffic for free or pay $4 or so to drive around it. I like having the choice.

What I don't like, is all those people who now won't have the choice. I use to live in Pitt Meadows (but moved just before the bridge) and was stoked to have the GE. To think that I could get to Langley/Surrey in 10 mins was awesome....but if I didn't want to pay, I could take the PM.

And let face it....the argument that if you don't want to pay the toll, take AF, is kinda BS.

[Gridlock]

I get that we need to keep up with infrastructure, but the part that pissed me off was covered a few pages ago..oh, we were going to twin the bridge, but the guys said, for an extra billion, we could just replace the whole thing.

OK! Sounds like a gov't plan to me! Build twice the bridge for twice the price!

From a person that used to work in logistics, we do need this. Shipping chooses the path of the least resistance. If I can ship my product to Canada and it takes forever to get it shipped through, or Seattle and its where it needs to be in 24 hours, I'm going to choose Seattle.

Ikea already made that distinction. The company I worked for handled their distribution. They made the decision to ship it all state side and bring what they needed for Canada across the border.

Bringing it across the border has some of its own issues, but when you look at comparing that to the costs of running your own distribution hub in Vancouver, with a 3rd Party Logistics Provider that's inept, and it doesn't seem so bad.

If more companies made that decision, then Vancouver just gets by-passed completely.

I wouldn't be surprised to see some type of grant to increase the amount of rail out of Vancouver. That will be their next major bottle neck, logistics wise.

The other part that pisses me off on finances is the fact that the truck highway out of Deltaport is free. Here we have a highway built solely for trucking, where you have an avenue of passing off costs to consumers and its free.

Also, they have to toll everything else. No one will use the Goldenears until its no longer a premium route. That's why as soon as the POrt Mann is done, Kiewit will move on down to the Patullo-because the moment the POrt Mann opens, New West is FUCKED for traffic.

[dinosaur]

New West is already fucked for traffic...

that's why they are putting in all those god-damned "traffic calming" measures and why I can no longer turn up any street on Stewardson....to fuck us even more.

[Anjew]

that estimated time saved is easily worth the cost.

if i could save 30minutes of being on the road commuting, i would GLADLY PAY 3 dollars. i have no doubts businesses would gladly pay the 9dollars as well. everyone likes to bitch now because we don't see the benefits yet. with most people, its all about the now.

[murd0c]

that estimated time saved is easily worth the cost.

if i could save 30minutes of being on the road commuting, i would GLADLY PAY 3 dollars. i have no doubts businesses would gladly pay the 9dollars as well. everyone likes to bitch now because we don't see the benefits yet. with most people, its all about the now.

Right now we are only looking at it more money to pay to cross a bridge plain and simple.

[wasabisashimi]

its actually 6 dollars if you do round trip.

How long is the toll implemented? 40 yrs?

[StylinRed]

Oh god, I hope the idea gains some support and is seriously considered..

A project like that would be so unique, so amazing, it would help to redefine the image of Vancouver and continue what the olympics created.

Am I the only one who would love to see this happen?

that would be very cool but you know what they should do? keep the old bridge for commercial/emergency vehicles to lessen congestion they should have done that with the old golden ears bridges too relegate 1 lane on the hwy for them too

[achiam]

I lived in London, UK for 5 years, and think Vancouver needs to stop promoting cars/roads and seriously move towards mass rail. In Central London there's the huge tube network that goes everywhere, but they also have regular commuter trains where people living 1-2 hours outside regularly hop on, sleep, and arrive smack in the central area to go to work.
If they had a regular commuter train from Chilliwack that ended in Downtown with stops along the way I think it'd be a sure hit.

[belka]

Do out of province plates still get billed?

[Soundy]

Oh god, I hope the idea gains some support and is seriously considered..

A project like that would be so unique, so amazing, it would help to redefine the image of Vancouver and continue what the olympics created.

Am I the only one who would love to see this happen?

It would be great... and the costs to keep it up would be insane. The bridge will still deteriorate over time, still need repairs, still need cleaning and repainting... where do you propose that money come from? If they added a whole 10 cents to the toll to pay for it, this place would really go ballistic.

[wasabisashimi]

I lived in London, UK for 5 years, and think Vancouver needs to stop promoting cars/roads and seriously move towards mass rail. In Central London there's the huge tube network that goes everywhere, but they also have regular commuter trains where people living 1-2 hours outside regularly hop on, sleep, and arrive smack in the central area to go to work.
If they had a regular commuter train from Chilliwack that ended in Downtown with stops along the way I think it'd be a sure hit.

Sounds great except people in chilliwack loves their trucks...:concentrate:

[Soundy]

that estimated time saved is easily worth the cost.

if i could save 30minutes of being on the road commuting, i would GLADLY PAY 3 dollars. i have no doubts businesses would gladly pay the 9dollars as well.
This is what people are forgetting when they say "oooo $9 is going to hurt the truckers!" - this is a business where time really is money. If they can get to port a half hour sooner to get unloaded, reloaded, and back on the road... that's gotta be worth a sawbuck, not even counting the extra fuel burned sitting in traffic.

I drive a company van with a company-provided transponder and they cover the tolls... I pointed out once to my boss, at my hourly pay, if taking the GEB saves me only 7 minutes, then it pays for itself for them.


everyone likes to bitch now because we don't see the benefits yet. with most people, its all about the now.
Welcome to RS.

Funny thing is, the people here bitching about the cost to maintain and improve the roads are probably the ones to whine the most their condition in the first place.

[firebird79_00]

I still owe them money, im not fucking paying it. They cant fucking track every single person down.

[skyxx]

^ They can if they REALLY want to.

[dinosaur]

I still owe them money, im not fucking paying it. They cant fucking track every single person down.

good luck renewing you car insurance.

[Iceman-19]

good luck renewing you car insurance.

Yeah, hope you dont need your car that badly.

[quasi]

This is what people are forgetting when they say "oooo $9 is going to hurt the truckers!" - this is a business where time really is money. If they can get to port a half hour sooner to get unloaded, reloaded, and back on the road... that's gotta be worth a sawbuck, not even counting the extra fuel burned sitting in traffic.

I drive a company van with a company-provided transponder and they cover the tolls... I pointed out once to my boss, at my hourly pay, if taking the GEB saves me only 7 minutes, then it pays for itself for them.



Welcome to RS.

Funny thing is, the people here bitching about the cost to maintain and improve the roads are probably the ones to whine the most their condition in the first place.

Yes sir, the buck is always passed. It's like when gas prices got ridiculously high a few years back. Whenever we had materials delivered to a jobsite they added a "Fuel surcharge" fee. This will be no different, might be added directly into the cost of goods but you can guarantee it will be the consumer and not the truckers paying it when everything is said and done. It will not effect there bottom line in the least.

I used to cross that bridge multiple times a day, I'm sure with my new job I'll be doing more of the same hitting up different job sites. I'm not going to be paying for it I'll be billing my company who in turn will make adjustments to make sure it's covered on there end and again the consumer will be the one paying in the end.

[Presto]

I still owe them money, im not fucking paying it. They cant fucking track every single person down.

good luck renewing you car insurance.

Yeah, hope you dont need your car that badly.


What are you guys talking about? He doesn't need to renew insurance. Those suckers can't track every single person down. AMIRITE?

[firebird79_00]

I renewed my insurance a month ago, no problems. No mention whatsoever of any outstanding toll fines, they sent me a letter a few months ago and said i owed them $12 and interest.

[nabs]

hooray for work vehicle having company paid transponders! i dont mind the toll at all..i thought it would be much worse so im happy to pay it when i venture to that side of the world. if it saves me time its well worth it for me. i hate(d) being stuck on that highway and i really hope this clears the bottleneck.

i hope they set it like it is in other countries where if u have a transponder you get cheaper rates and if u pre pay its even lower.

[Iceman-19]

I renewed my insurance a month ago, no problems. No mention whatsoever of any outstanding toll fines, they sent me a letter a few months ago and said i owed them $12 and interest.

Because you arent at the point where its over due. You have a grace period. Trust me, even owing a dollar will make it so you cant insure a vehicle.

[firebird79_00]

When do you hit that point? I went over it for the first time in july. Where do you pay it? Can you pay online?

[El Bastardo]

I went over the bridge one way one time, immediately went home and put my credit card online to pay for it when it comes in.

No charges, my credit card is still on the QuickPass site, and they've sent me a couple of emails saying "You owe some coin, motherfucker" (thats a direct quote)

When I lived in Dublin and took the toll roads they let me go to a gas station and pay there. They had a little thing like a debit machine that they plugged your plate number in and took my cash right then and there.

I'd prefer that if I was a casual user of the bridge.



Also, I'd rather not see the old Port Mann bridge become a haven for crackheads and rape...er... I mean a "park"

Its a unique idea but I don't think its right for this city.

[Soundy]

Yes sir, the buck is always passed. It's like when gas prices got ridiculously high a few years back. Whenever we had materials delivered to a jobsite they added a "Fuel surcharge" fee. This will be no different, might be added directly into the cost of goods but you can guarantee it will be the consumer and not the truckers paying it when everything is said and done. It will not effect there bottom line in the least.
You're missing the point. The average transport trucker doesn't get paid by the hour, he gets paid by the trip/load. The faster he can get a load to its destination, the sooner he can get another load. The more loads he can haul, the more he makes. The smoother the traffic flow... the sooner he can turn around and the more he puts in his pocket.

[marksport]

Are the cameras sensitive enough to take pictures of TOP?

[wasabisashimi]

Also, I'd rather not see the old Port Mann bridge become a haven for crackheads and rape...er... I mean a "park"

Its a unique idea but I don't think its right for this city.

You know, they already use the bottom of the bridge as a crackhead park. thats where they gather and sleep under the bridge

[goo3]

The Coquihalla is the biggest scam,it runs right through private property,they could have built it on provincial land and it would have been free for everyone,but chose not to,for some fucked up reason Bill Vanderzan chose to run it through someone's backyard.......gee I wonder why.

I don't know whose backyard it goes through, but the Coquihalla's been paid off and they've taken the tolls down.

haha I was wondering, because RS is a fairly conservative forum, whereas myself and my friends are primarily very left wing environmentalist types. Interesting to hear the differing perspectives.


This is the best perspective: the left vs right ideological framework is useless 90% of the time in the real world.

[murd0c]

You wanna hear something really fucked up?

Two of my friends work for Keiwit( one is a driller,the other is a iron worker),both are working on this mega project,they told me,if Keiwit finishes this project in time,Keiwit will recieve a BIG fucking bonus,if they finish early,they will get the bonus plus a percentage of the tolls for a certain amount of years.

Pissed off yet or raging mad?
That's normal for most major projects as well it's factored into the budget. It's like that with mostly any project out there from building condos/gas stations etc

The Coquihalla is the biggest scam,it runs right through private property,they could have built it on provincial land and it would have been free for everyone,but chose not to,for some fucked up reason Bill Vanderzan chose to run it through someone's backyard.......gee I wonder why.

They took the tolls down on the coq a couple years ago.

[mr_chin]

If you're commuting that much just to get to work, then your job must be precious and must be paying a lot to support your everyday commute. I don't see how you can't accord $3 to get to work even faster (assume that it will be).

The most important thing IN MY OPINION is getting to and from work in the least amount of time.

I used to work in surrey/langley border and i live near boundary road. Going to work takes 45 minute meaning I have to wake up 1 hour early to get to work. Now you just gotta see how much faster is this new bridge going to be for you before deciding to pay every day.

[spyker]

That's normal for most major projects as well it's factored into the budget. It's like that with mostly any project out there from building condos/gas stations etc



They took the tolls down on the coq a couple years ago.

What pisses me off the most is,if they finish on time,they get a percentage of the tolls,who the fuck authorized that shit,especially when it's tax payers money.

I already know the tolls have been taken out already,but that stretch of road was tolled for like what almost 30 years.It has more than paid for itself many times over,but they still kept the toll for alot longer than needed.

[Great68]

What pisses me off the most is,if they finish on time,they get a percentage of the tolls,who the fuck authorized that shit,especially when it's tax payers money.



That's contract negotiations. In this case the province decided that completing the project early was worth a percentage of the tolls to them.

I don't know what's so outrageous about that. Do you not get bonuses if you do well in your job?

[SpuGen]

What pisses me off the most is,if they finish on time,they get a percentage of the tolls,who the fuck authorized that shit,especially when it's tax payers money.

I already know the tolls have been taken out already,but that stretch of road was tolled for like what almost 30 years.It has more than paid for itself many times over,but they still kept the toll for alot longer than needed.

What should really piss you off, is the fact that the Safety guys get paid just as much, if not more than the Engineers and Welders.

That's fucked up. They stand there and make sure shit is "safe". They do even less work than the Engineers, and make equal if not more than Entry Level guys.:heckno:

Anybody ever wonder who's that asshole that just stands there at every job site, watching people actually work? It's the Safety Inspector.

[gars]

What pisses me off the most is,if they finish on time,they get a percentage of the tolls,who the fuck authorized that shit,especially when it's tax payers money.

I already know the tolls have been taken out already,but that stretch of road was tolled for like what almost 30 years.It has more than paid for itself many times over,but they still kept the toll for alot longer than needed.

I don't know why this is pissing you off so much. It's not much different from the car salesman who makes commission from selling cars.

And I don't know where you're getting the toll information from. The Coquihalla toll was taken off around the time that the $848 Million cost was brought in.

[spyker]

What should really piss you off, is the fact that the Safety guys get paid just as much, if not more than the Engineers and Welders.

That's fucked up. They stand there and make sure shit is "safe". They do even less work than the Engineers, and make equal if not more than Entry Level guys.:heckno:

Anybody ever wonder who's that asshole that just stands there at every job site, watching people actually work? It's the Safety Inspector.
I don't care what Safeway workers get,I don't shop there.

It's not the welders & engineers that get a percentage of the tolls or a cut of the bonus,it's the owners of Keiwit,the workers don't see any of it.

I would be glad if the workers got a cut of the bonus,cause these guys work their ass off on this project,they should be rewarded.

[gars]

I would be glad if the workers got a cut of the bonus,cause these guys work their ass off on this project,they should be rewarded.

The workers aren't shareholders - it doesn't work like that. Would you also agree that the workers all get a paycut should the project be completed after the deadline?

[SpuGen]

What should really piss you off, is the fact that the Safety guys get paid just as much, if not more than the Engineers and Welders.

That's fucked up. They stand there and make sure shit is "safe". They do even less work than the Engineers, and make equal if not more than Entry Level guys.:heckno:

Anybody ever wonder who's that asshole that just stands there at every job site, watching people actually work? It's the Safety Inspector.

I don't care what Safeway workers get,I don't shop there.

It's not the welders & engineers that get a percentage of the tolls or a cut of the bonus,it's the owners of Keiwit,the workers don't see any of it.

I would be glad if the workers got a cut of the bonus,cause these guys work their ass off on this project,they should be rewarded.

:seriously:

[wasabisashimi]

How do they hire safety inspectors? Do they go to safety school or Pass a test ?,, Or they just put their own family member on site

[MindBomber]

When do you hit that point? I went over it for the first time in july. Where do you pay it? Can you pay online?

I pay through online banking, just like I do all my bills.

[zulutango]

Trans-Canada Highway - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway)



The Confederation Bridge connecting PEI is also part of the TCH and has a $50 one-way toll.

The Nanaimo/Horseshoe Bay ferry route is also considered part of the Trans Canada Highway.

BTW, according to British Columbia Trans-Canada Highway Route: Hope, BC and Kamloops via the #5 Coquihalla (toll) Highway (http://transcanadahighway.com/britishcolumbia/tch-bc-e6.htm), the Coquihalla is considered a part of the TCH system... it had tolls until just recently as well.


And RS has t(r)olls all the time. :whistle:

[goo3]

The Coquihalla is the biggest scam,it runs right through private property,they could have built it on provincial land and it would have been free for everyone,but chose not to,for some fucked up reason Bill Vanderzan chose to run it through someone's backyard.......gee I wonder why.


I already know the tolls have been taken out already,but that stretch of road was tolled for like what almost 30 years.It has more than paid for itself many times over,but they still kept the toll for alot longer than needed.

So first, it's not free. And second, I think they kept the tolls for the revenue, not because it was running through someone's backyard - unless you can show me I'm wrong.

Also, just because some decisions are unintuitive to you, it doesn't mean every decision by govt is incompetent. Maybe instead of spouting off, it would be more wise to ask why first. For example, how about:

"What is their rationale for using an incentive based compensation system? Are they kicking money into their friends' pockets? Or maybe there's a justified reason that benefits tax payers, which I'm not aware of."

[1exotic]

Just get those automatic sliders that will cover your plates when crossing the bridge. You troll the city!

[SpuGen]

How do they hire safety inspectors? Do they go to safety school or Pass a test ?,, Or they just put their own family member on site

BCIT : : Fire Protection Inspection and Testing: Part-time, Associate Certificate (http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/675facert#overview)
http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6850diplt#overview

[quasi]

BCIT : : Fire Protection Inspection and Testing: Part-time, Associate Certificate (http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/675facert#overview)
BCIT : : Occupational Health and Safety: Full-time, Diploma of Technology (http://www.bcit.ca/study/programs/6850diplt#overview)

Most Safety guys/gals are laborers with industrial first aid.

[misk]

Spyker must be a lousy tipper.

[Ax2-Y]

as a north shore resident, i still dont see how all this work to hwy 1 this is going to alleviate the incredible slowdown to or from north vancouver. none of our on or off ramps have been fixed and the cassiar tunnel is still two lanes each way. A bottle neck will still form no matter how many lanes they make the highway going through burnaby and vancouver.

[SpuGen]

^
The Huge bottleneck is right in between the 1st Ave and Willingdon On/Off Ramps.
Which they're widening.