[Traum]

Massey Tunnel will be replaced by a bridge | News1130 (http://www.news1130.com/2013/09/20/massey-tunnel-will-be-replaced-by-a-bridge/)

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Premiers in BC have a history of dropping big news during their speeches at the Union of BC Municipalities convention, and Christy Clark has lived up to that.

“Today, I’m pleased to announced that starting in 2017, we will be breaking the worst bottleneck in the Lower Mainland by building a new bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel,” announced Clark this morning.

The tunnel was built in the late 1950s.

The first thing that came to my mind is -- Crusty Clown better not make this a toll bridge.

I am generally in favour of user pays systems, so I didn't really have a problem with the Port Mann being the toll bridge that it is. With the Massey Tunnel replacement bridge, however, having a toll bridge would effectively become an unfair penalty to the Delta / Ladner / Tsawwassen resident since they pretty much have to come out to Richmond to conduct their regular daily businesses. The same thing did not occur in Surrey because Surrey is a well developed municipality itself, so residents can already obtain most (all?) of their basic services and needs without leaving Surrey. But that is not an option for those living in Delta / Ladner / Tsawwassen.

p.s. And if the replacement bridge is tolled, that means I won't be able to do any Pt Robert gas runs any more. :badpokerface:

[TatsuyaKataoka]

I'm for it if there's accommodation for transit, like the #555 bus over the new Port Mann.

I used to take the #601 to Tssawassen when I was picking stuff up from Point Roberts, and the bottlenecks at both ends of the tunnel where there's no HOV lane were really annoying.

[yray]

How long will the run up to the bridge have to be?

Inb4 Cracks due to ricemond mud :lawl:

[punkwax]

Thought I read somewhere that any new bridge being built will likely be tolled...

Wonder if there would be an exception just to please the Americans who take 99 downtown. Having to pay a toll (on top of getting raped for gas/clothes/food/alcohol the list goes on and on...) to visit our City may affect tourism, no?

As for Ladner, Tsawassen people - guess they would be forced to head south rather than north?

[melloman]

I hope it gets tolled.. so it's "fair" for everybody in the GVRD.

[Acura604]

it WILL be tolled.... approx. 80,000 crossers a day... lol.. Liberals will have $$$ in their eyes.

[vafanculo]

I can't see any new bridges being not tolled. People gotta cross. Government officials need to line their pockets.
Posted via RS Mobile

[Traum]

I agree that it seems a lot more likely for the new bridge to be tolled. But that's where my argument in post #1 comes in -- the Ladner and Tsawwassen residents are gonna get fxxked if that were allowed to happen.

[dinosaur]

What's that pseudo-rule? if there are other options, it can/will be tolled....if it is the ONLY option, it won't be?

I think I read that somewhere, no? This is why the new Pitt River Bridge isn't tolled.

It most likely will be tolled because the Alex Fraser is free, which is lame because traffic sucks already. A lot of South Surrey and White Rock residents take the tunnel as well so that will just push more traffic to the AF.

I can attest that people avoid tolls....New West is a fucking traffic nightmare now that the Port Mann is tolled. There has been a dramatic increase to traffic along all the feeder routes to the Patullo Bridge....I wish I could find it now, but there was an article in the local paper with a bunch of stats that support what everyone has noted.

I'd like to see what would happen if the Province reduce the toll price...I think if it was cheaper usership would increase.

[Traum]

Courtesy of a friend:

The George Massey Tunnel Replacement Project - YouTube

I am 99.9% certain it will be a tolled bridge now. :lawl:

[BBMme]

I really hope they don't put a toll on it:( but I won't be surprise if they do
Posted via RS Mobile

[Coren]

I bet the liberals will use the bridge as a selling point to get votes on the next provincial election. They will constantly be "deciding" if it will be tolled and after the election is over they have decided it will be a toll bridge.

[tiger_handheld]

Massey Tunnel will be replaced by a bridge | News1130 (http://www.news1130.com/2013/09/20/massey-tunnel-will-be-replaced-by-a-bridge/)



The first thing that came to my mind is -- Crusty Clown better not make this a toll bridge.

I am generally in favour of user pays systems, so I didn't really have a problem with the Port Mann being the toll bridge that it is. With the Massey Tunnel replacement bridge, however, having a toll bridge would effectively become an unfair penalty to the Delta / Ladner / Tsawwassen resident since they pretty much have to come out to Richmond to conduct their regular daily businesses. The same thing did not occur in Surrey because Surrey is a well developed municipality itself, so residents can already obtain most (all?) of their basic services and needs without leaving Surrey. But that is not an option for those living in Delta / Ladner / Tsawwassen.

p.s. And if the replacement bridge is tolled, that means I won't be able to do any Pt Robert gas runs any more. :badpokerface:

lol WUT?

Just like the north of fraser folk told south fraser folk .. you got alternatives...

alex fraser to go to richmond
delta folk can cross into surrey


What I hope will not happen is the Richmond folk get a nice paved highway from steveston to vancouver that they dont have to pay dime for. just like the coquitlam folk don't have to pay for a good 20+ km of new paved highway.

Also I hope that they put up a toll system starting now with a toll of .25cents. Use that monies to pay for the bridge in 2017. instead of charging $4 in 2017.

[StylinRed]

$5 each pass and 10yrs of slow downs due to construction $1 of tolls going to pay for the construction a $1 going to maintenance and $3 going to the toll collection company ;)

[TatsuyaKataoka]

Also I hope that they put up a toll system starting now with a toll of .25cents. Use that monies to pay for the bridge in 2017. instead of charging $4 in 2017.

That is contingent on this government making decisions that aren't totally boneheaded.

[fliptuner]

Damn, that looks a lot like the Alex Fraser Bridge.

[twitchyzero]

in before crazy ice chunks fall on your windshield

[fliptuner]

Notice where the cables are? lol

[Soundy]

Wonder if there would be an exception just to please the Americans who take 99 downtown. Having to pay a toll (on top of getting raped for gas/clothes/food/alcohol the list goes on and on...) to visit our City may affect tourism, no?
No. Most major American cities have tolled roads and/or bridges of some sort. Doesn't seem to affect their tourism. A $10 toll on the Coquihalla didn't affect tourism.

Americans going to Whistler to drop $300+/day on accommodations, food, lift tickets, etc., is not going to stay away because they have to pay a $3 toll each way.

I can't see any new bridges being not tolled. People gotta cross. Bridges gotta get paid for.
Posted via RS Mobile
Fixed. Unless you have another viable funding option.

[Lomac]

Of course it'll be tolled. :lol

Honestly, though, they should have done this before the Highway1 project. Going over the Port Mann was bad, true enough, but the Massey Tunnel is pure hell. I used to do it everyday and I haaaaaaaaaaaaaated it. Even going the Alex Fraser route isn't much faster, thanks to that one random red light intersection.

[MG1]

I had a taste of that shitty drive the other day. I usually go Alex Fraser on the way home from US shopping, but went through Massey instead. Worst decision ever. I don't know how people do it.

[JesseBlue]

They better damn toll this bridge...and no i don't use it but hey...its fair right...i think oak and knight are getting pretty old as well...blow it up and build a new one...and you guessed it...toll it...:ilied:

[meme405]

Even going the Alex Fraser route isn't much faster, thanks to that one random red light intersection.

Seriously though, that gets me every time. There must have been another way.

[Soundy]

Seriously though, that gets me every time. There must have been another way.

http://www.revscene.net/forums/682474-finally-hwy-91-traffic-lights-72nd-ave-removed.html

[CP.AR]

I had a taste of that shitty drive the other day. I usually go Alex Fraser on the way home from US shopping, but went through Massey instead. Worst decision ever. I don't know how people do it.

We say hi to the people next to us who are stuck in traffic.
like really... I knew the staples truck guy and we see everyday, so I wave and say hi when I can

[Soundy]

http://i.minus.com/ibtaHOQsAKe90t.gif

[quasi]

It will be tolled, every single new bridge or even upgraded bridge going forward is going to be tolled. Infrastructure is now in place and collecting the money is a new business entity all to its own.

I dislike having to pay the tolls on the Port Mann & Golden Ears but honestly it's worth it, so much time saved.

[twitchyzero]

http://i.minus.com/ibtaHOQsAKe90t.gif

I didnt watch office space until last year...but I recall watching this specific scene when it first came out hahaha

[TRD Rs200]

but thats the closest tunnel for my vtec sound testing.....

[PeanutButter]

Would they ever consider leaving the tunnel in operation even after they build the bridge? Just for overflow or whatever?

[Brianrietta]

Would they ever consider leaving the tunnel in operation even after they build the bridge? Just for overflow or whatever?

If they upgrade the surrounding infrastructure and put in a proper bridge then by the time overflow would be necessary the tunnel would have fallen apart. The maintenance costs for the then obsolete tunnel post-bridge would obviously be prohibitive.

[Bouncing Bettys]

Best tunnel for the Hold Your Breath game will be no more. :okay:

[Yodamaster]

They should take a page out of Florida's book and spend the money earned from tolls towards highway improvements. The tolls might have been somewhat of a nuisance, but the highways they were on are fucking smooth as fuck.

[Lomac]

They should take a page out of Florida's book and spend the money earned from tolls towards highway improvements. The tolls might have been somewhat of a nuisance, but the highways they were on are fucking smooth as fuck.

The one thing I've noticed about Hwy5 is that ever since they got rid of the tolls, the road quality has gone down quite a bit. Repainting the lines doesn't happen as quickly anymore, and more potholes are starting to litter the highway all year round. I'd be more than happy paying a toll again on that road if it means going back to how well the Coquihalla was fixed after every winter.

[Traum]

While I have far more reasons to believe this new bridge will be tolled, I want to bring it to everyone's attention that the Pitt River Bridge is a newly constructed (within the past 3 - 4 years at most?) 6 lanes bridge that is toll-free. It is definitely the exception rather than the norm, but at least it serves as a glimmer of hope that the Massey tunnel replacement bridge may not have a toll after all.

[Soundy]

New Pitt Bridge is also a fraction of the size of the various Fraser crossings...

[Lomac]

New Pitt Bridge is also a fraction of the size of the various Fraser crossings...

I think a better example would have been the new bypass road going from Delta Port to Surrey Port. That's a massive project and it's not tolled.

[Soundy]

I think a better example would have been the new bypass road going from Delta Port to Surrey Port. That's a massive project and it's not tolled.

Only problem is, with so many on- and off-ramps and easily-accessed segments, tolling becomes either difficult, or very convoluted, as you'd need a toll plaza for each separate section. Otherwise, people would just bypass the tolled section on other surface roads, then get back on the Perimeter Road.

This IS done in several US cities - Chicago, in particular, has some tollways that have a toll plaza on each exit - but those tend to be pretty long segments, more than just a few miles.

[CP.AR]

Best tunnel for the Hold Your Breath game will be no more. :okay:

do that during rush hour :fullofwin:
"who asphyxiates themselves to death first wins":ilied:

[Lomac]

Yup, oh I know. The Pitt Rivers bridge was a pretty small project, and it's a small bridge. I don't know the final cost of that project but I can't imagine it was big enough to justify a toll in order to cross it.

The one project that I still think should have been tolled is the S2S. A camera toll structure just North of Squamish would have been best. It's akin to the Coq; it's not a vital route for anyone, and those who do take it are typically going on vacation to Whistler or Blackcomb.

[Soundy]

Yup, oh I know. The Pitt Rivers bridge was a pretty small project, and it's a small bridge. I don't know the final cost of that project but I can't imagine it was big enough to justify a toll in order to cross it.
Per Wikipedia:
"The Pitt River Bridge is a cable-stayed bridge that spans the Pitt River between Port Coquitlam and Pitt Meadows in British Columbia, Canada. The bridge is part of Highway 7, carrying Lougheed Highway across the river. The current bridge opened on October 4, 2009. The bridge includes a 380 m cable stay bridge structure, 126 m of multi-span approaches, a 50 m interchange structure and approximately 2 km of grade construction. Total project cost for the bridge was $200 million."

The one project that I still think should have been tolled is the S2S. A camera toll structure just North of Squamish would have been best. It's akin to the Coq; it's not a vital route for anyone, and those who do take it are typically going on vacation to Whistler or Blackcomb.
That's a tricky one, because there are Squamish residents who work in Whistler/Pemberton, and vice-versa. I suspect there are fewer people who commute between Squamish and Vancouver, so if you're mainly after the tourist/visitor dollar, probably somewhere just south of Squamish would be preferable.

Not that it would ever actually happen, as much sense at it makes.

The thing that really gets me with this proposed bridge is the frakin' Richmond mayor dissing the whole idea because "it will only move the congestion down the road"... well sure, for people heading into Vancouver. What about for the afternoon rush and people LEAVING Vancouver by way of Richmond? Rush hour on 99 south to the tunnel regularly gets backed the fuck up to Cambie Road even when there's NOT a crash in the tunnel.

It's the same narrow thinking so many nay-sayers applied to the Port Mann project: "If you built it, they will come!" Well guess what, dumbass, if you build it, they can also leave.

[belka]

There really needs to be a link from Hwy1 to hwy99 for people going to YVR from the rest of BC. There really isn't a direct highway route, you have to snake your way either through Langley or New Westminster. The current Vancouver road infrastructure is completely fucked, doesn't help with the terrain but with only one major hwy the bottlenecks are retarded.

[dinosaur]

Would they ever consider leaving the tunnel in operation even after they build the bridge? Just for overflow or whatever?

George Massey?s son fights to keep tunnel open - BC | Globaln...orews.ca (http://globalnews.ca/news/856066/george-masseys-son-fights-to-keep-tunnel-open/)

Always a good idea to have a back-up crossing, but I don't think it will ever happen. Maintaining two crossings in the same location, especially with an aging one, will not be financially acceptable...or, at least this will be what they tell us ;)

[rslater]

George Massey?s son fights to keep tunnel open - BC | Globaln...orews.ca (http://globalnews.ca/news/856066/george-masseys-son-fights-to-keep-tunnel-open/)

Always a good idea to have a back-up crossing, but I don't think it will ever happen. Maintaining two crossings in the same location, especially with an aging one, will not be financially acceptable...or, at least this will be what they tell us ;)

I would smack Gregor if I was there when he said that quote...

[dinosaur]

I would smack Gregor if I was there when he said that quote...

I'd smack Gregor for being Gregor at any given opportunity....

[Soundy]

I'd smack Gregor for being Gregor at any given opportunity....

Maybe he could push to have the tunnel kept open as dedicated bike lanes?

:ilied:

[Lomac]

George Massey?s son fights to keep tunnel open - BC | Globaln...orews.ca (http://globalnews.ca/news/856066/george-masseys-son-fights-to-keep-tunnel-open/)

Name the bridge "The George Massey Bridge." Done.

However, Massey is convinced the government has an ulterior motive and is building the bridge so that larger freighters can move down the Fraser River, enabling the growth of both the Surrey Docks and commercial trade.

How is this "ulterior motive" a bad thing? If you can kill two birds with one stone, for the same price, all the better.

Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson said he was stunned by the plan, saying that public transit should be a higher priority.

Robertson said a regional transit plan has suffered for years while the province pushes freeway and bridge expansion.

Seriously. Shut the fuck up, Moonbeam. Not everyone can use transit for work, and not everyone has easy access to transit. Focus on the big problems, and then focus on the smaller ones. You need the infrastructure in place to handle the express buses and precious bike lanes before you can expand on transit.

Always a good idea to have a back-up crossing, but I don't think it will ever happen. Maintaining two crossings in the same location, especially with an aging one, will not be financially acceptable...or, at least this will be what they tell us ;)


Yeah, it'd be nice to have the tunnel still running for either a secondary crossing in case the bridge is closed due to an accident, or to use it for either transit express lanes or truck traffic. However, the tunnel is nearing the end of it's life and will need a bunch of upgrading (again) in order to keep it open for another few decades.

[dinosaur]

BIKE LANES FOR ALL FOR EVERYWHERE!!!

18594

[dinosaur]

Gregor lives, works, shops, etc all within a short bike ride. I doubt he steps foot outside his little granola bubble more that once a month.

Buddy can shut the fuck up and let the rest of the lower mainland live their lives without his fucking comments on how WE all should be living.

[Soundy]

How is this "ulterior motive" a bad thing? If you can kill two birds with one stone, for the same price, all the better.
For that matter, get the other "interested parties" to kick in for the project, since they'll benefit from it.

Or does that make too much sense?

I still love the suggestion someone made to have CN and the Port chip in on a Patullo replacement that would include rail support, thereby eliminating the rail swing bridge.

[Traum]

George Massey?s son fights to keep tunnel open - BC | Globaln...orews.ca (http://globalnews.ca/news/856066/george-masseys-son-fights-to-keep-tunnel-open/)

Always a good idea to have a back-up crossing, but I don't think it will ever happen. Maintaining two crossings in the same location, especially with an aging one, will not be financially acceptable...or, at least this will be what they tell us ;)
It wasn't mentioned in this news article, but I am under the impresison that previously the junior Massey was suggesting to have a new bridge built somewhere else at a second location, and keeping both the tunnel and the new bridge in place. Truck traffic should then be diverted to the new bridge and banned from the tunnel.

[Soundy]

I heard one suggestion that the new bridge should align with No.8 Rd. and connect straight over the North Arm, to Boundary Rd. On the South Arm the bridge would then land on Tilbury Island and could connect through to the SFPR.

Another suggestion has it connecting straight to Knight St., then down No.6 Rd., and then landing on or beside Deas Island, not far from the south end of the tunnel, for easy connection the 17/99 interchange.

Either way, as has already been noted, the problem with keeping the tunnel around is the upkeep required on it. Although I'm sure commuters would be more than happy to pay a toll to support that... right?

[quasi]

Just name the new crossing after his father, problem solved. I don't think anyone really cares what it's called.

[Everymans]

Why get rid of the tunnel though? Is it leaking or some shit? Seriously, build another tunnel beside the existing one and do an extensive reno of the current one. Why a bridge? It's going to be ridiculously huge and probably cost 3 times as much as tunnel expansion.

When I heard about this project it got me reading about the population of the gvrd back when these bridges and tunnels were built. gvrd was around 560k people. richmond had like 40k, delta had (hah) 20k. That was 60 years ago. Now vancouver has around 2.4 million. richmond almost has 200k, delta has 100k.... This city was poorly planned for expansion from the get go. I rarely use this tunnel anyway so this hardly affects me. One thing that people should learn from this is that in a city as expensive as vancouver you need to be more centralized with how you live. Work, shop, and live in the same city isn't too difficult... Well except for that work part. This city was not well planned for that. In most cities the downtown is in the CENTER of the city. If vancouvers downtown was in the center of the region it would be around New West minister, not on the edge of the city. Straight up, this city was designed and built by a bunch of friggen monkeys.

[Soundy]

Why get rid of the tunnel though? Is it leaking or some shit? Seriously, build another tunnel beside the existing one and do an extensive reno of the current one. Why a bridge? It's going to be ridiculously huge and probably cost 3 times as much as tunnel expansion.
One problem with having the existing tunnel there is that it limits the depth of the channel, and thus limits the size of ship that can move up the river. Getting rid of it would allow larger ships to move to the Surrey Fraser Docks and other facilities.

Also, one thing I haven't heard mentioned yet: would YOU want to be inside the tunnel when "the big one" hits? Under the water, surrounded by nothing but liquified sediment? Yeah, didn't think so

Straight up, this city was designed and built by a bunch of friggen monkeys.
Thing is, it wasn't really "designed"... all of it just kind of grew this way over time, without a lot of planning, and that's the REAL issue. It also doesn't help that any attempt to plan ahead is shouted down by the eco-weenies and NIMBYs and anyone who just wants everything to stay the way it always was, and so nothing gets built or upgraded or improved when it SHOULD be... it takes things becoming a massive clusterfuck before anything is actually done.

[melloman]

I have to say that I agree with Soundy. We should build a bridge and demolish the old tunnel so we can kill 2 birds with 1 stone. If we cna get more container ship traffic through the South arm, it's better for our economy.

We just need to make sure that these companies that want the South arm to go deeper and wider, pay for it too.. And not just drop the buck on us tax payers and enjoy the spoils afterwards.

[RRxtar]

Why get rid of the tunnel though? Is it leaking or some shit? Seriously, build another tunnel beside the existing one and do an extensive reno of the current one. Why a bridge? It's going to be ridiculously huge and probably cost 3 times as much as tunnel expansion.

When I heard about this project it got me reading about the population of the gvrd back when these bridges and tunnels were built. gvrd was around 560k people. richmond had like 40k, delta had (hah) 20k. That was 60 years ago. Now vancouver has around 2.4 million. richmond almost has 200k, delta has 100k.... This city was poorly planned for expansion from the get go. I rarely use this tunnel anyway so this hardly affects me. One thing that people should learn from this is that in a city as expensive as vancouver you need to be more centralized with how you live. Work, shop, and live in the same city isn't too difficult... Well except for that work part. This city was not well planned for that. In most cities the downtown is in the CENTER of the city. If vancouvers downtown was in the center of the region it would be around New West minister, not on the edge of the city. Straight up, this city was designed and built by a bunch of friggen monkeys.
The difference between Vancouver and city center based cities like Calgary for example, is Calgary was designed as city from the get go. City Center in the middle and sprawl out from there.

Vancouver, or the GVRD I should say, is just a huge mess of a handfull of different cities that have sort of spread into eachother.


New Westminster: incorporated 1860
Surrey: incorporated 1879
Richmond: incorporated 1879
North Vancouver: incorporated 1891

Vancouver: incorporated 1886

New Westminster actually was the center of the GVRD, and was the capitol of BC in 1858 until the CPR pushed the rest of the way to the coast to connect with shipping. Vancouver didn't really start to develop until the railway came and was smaller in population that New West until the early 1900s. And then it turned out more people wanted to live on that really nice rock in the bay on the ocean than on the edge of the river up stream. Then 100 years later, everyone still would rather live on that rock, but they cant afford to, so they work and play on that rock but are forced to live way out of town.

[Great68]

I used to be anti-toll, but I've pretty much come around to the opinion of tolls being the most fair way to pay for infrastructure. If you use it, pay for it.

Yeah it's going to suck to have to pay for the ferry and then a toll on top of that to visit my folks in Richmond, oh well. I'm just going to have to convince them to move out of that shithole.

If they built a bridge across Finlayson arm here bypassing the entire Malahat, I'd HAPPILY pay a toll to use it.

[Nlkko]

Why get rid of the tunnel though? Is it leaking or some shit? Seriously, build another tunnel beside the existing one and do an extensive reno of the current one. Why a bridge? It's going to be ridiculously huge and probably cost 3 times as much as tunnel expansion.


The tunnel was built with old technology and design. In the event of an earthquake, the consequences would be catastrophic. It only makes sense to get replace an aging and unsafe structure with better ones.

[CP.AR]

I honestly would not mind paying 5 dollars a day to shave an hour off my commute everyday. (my commute without traffic is 15 minutes)
but again... aint my problem no more :fuckthatshit:

[yray]

Why do we need larger cargo ships on the fraser river? Is there even place for them to dock at the surrey docks?

[Traum]

Toll will extend life of Massey Tunnel replacement: report | News1130 (http://www.news1130.com/2014/03/10/toll-will-extend-life-of-massey-tunnel-replacement-report/)

RICHMOND (NEWS1130) – Putting a toll on a bridge to replace the Massey Tunnel would control congestion, lessen greenhouse gas emissions, and encourage people to take transit; those are among the findings of an analysis done by TransLink.

It appears local mayors feel a toll is pretty much a done deal for the new span.

The transportation authority’s review assumes the province will build an eight-lane bridge; it finds without a toll, the new crossing would near capacity by 2045. However, the analysis finds a toll would prolong the capacity of the bridge beyond that date.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie thinks tolling is inevitable, but wants it to happen region-wide. “Make it a low amount — an affordable amount. Don’t gouge people for many dollars each time they take a trip.”

Delta Mayor Lois Jackson is also pushing for a region wide approach. “You have to do it on all bridges. If you’re going to cross a bridge, you pay 50 cents. I don’t think it’s rocket science, but anyway, that’s my own opinion.”

Jackson also expects the province will end up building a 10-lane bridge instead of an eight-lane span.

The province is expected to reveal more details this spring.
So it'll be a toll bridge. I am not at all surprised by the outcome, and it is in fact refreshing to see some sensibility from people such as the Delta mayor. Then again, if all bridges were tolled, it'd be a sad day when I have to pay just to get into Richmond from Vancouver. I would also be very surprised if Richmond businesses don't see a dip in their overall revenues.

[tiger_handheld]

Isn't there a BC Law that says , there must be a free bridge within reasonable distance?

[Soundy]

Isn't there a BC Law that says , there must be a free bridge within reasonable distance?

No. There may be POLICIES, but no law.

[Yodamaster]

Why not just lay more tunnel beside the existing tunnel, there is nothing wrong with the current one apart from width.

[quasi]

Isn't there a BC Law that says , there must be a free bridge within reasonable distance?

They toll Canada's highway, they'll toll anything. I'm in the $1 toll on every bridge camp as long as the money is getting directed to the right place. To often do they collect revenue and divert somewhere else. Does anyone know how much of the $3.00 they collect for crossing the Port Mann actually goes to paying off the bridge? I don't have any information telling me otherwise but my skeptical side say's is less then 1/2 with the rest going to *running the toll system and other aeas. That's just me guessing but I bet I'm not that far off.

[ancient_510]

p.s. And if the replacement bridge is tolled, that means I won't be able to do any Pt Robert gas runs any more. :badpokerface:

Said gas runs divert money out of the Province's pockets; thats why there are tolls. :troll:

[Soundy]

They toll Canada's highway, they'll toll anything.
Ah, this gem again. There's nothing unusual about a toll on Hwy. 1. It's done at other places in Canada, specifically the Confederation Bridge connecting PEI to the mainlan (http://www.confederationbridge.com/tolls-fees/tolls-fees.html)d - $45 round-trip for the first two axles, $7.50 per axle after that; and a 30km section in Nova Scotia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway#Nova_Scotia) that starts at $4/vehicle.

Every now and then some wankers try to claim the main ferry runs should be free because they're "part of the Trans Canada" too. :fuckthatshit:

Long story short: it's not unique to BC, it's not "illegal" or "unconstitutional", and it's not going away. Get over it.

[quasi]

Ah, this gem again. There's nothing unusual about a toll on Hwy. 1. It's done at other places in Canada, specifically the Confederation Bridge connecting PEI to the mainlan (http://www.confederationbridge.com/tolls-fees/tolls-fees.html)d - $45 round-trip for the first two axles, $7.50 per axle after that; and a 30km section in Nova Scotia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trans-Canada_Highway#Nova_Scotia) that starts at $4/vehicle.

Every now and then some wankers try to claim the main ferry runs should be free because they're "part of the Trans Canada" too. :fuckthatshit:

Long story short: it's not unique to BC, it's not "illegal" or "unconstitutional", and it's not going away. Get over it.

LOL, it was kind of tounge in cheek I actually don't really have a problem with user pay, everything should be like that.

Long story short: I don't mind paying for crossing I just think the toll is a little high. Totally over it. :)

[Soundy]

LOL, it was kind of tounge in cheek I actually don't really have a problem with user pay, everything should be like that.

Long story short: I don't mind paying for crossing I just think the toll is a little high. Totally over it. :)

Fair enough.

BTW, you think it's bad with the Port Mann, where there ARE alternate routes (inconvenient though they may be)... check out this 1999 CBC news item: CBC Digital Archives - Trans-Canada Highway: Bridging the Distance - Tolls on the Trans-Canada (http://www.cbc.ca/archives/categories/science-technology/transportation/trans-canada-highway-bridging-the-distance-1/tolls-on-the-trans-canada.html)

The New Brunswick toll highway is strategically placed so that all traffic to the Maritimes has to pass through it. This means the cost of transporting goods to P.E.I., Nova Scotia and Newfoundland is going up.
People living along the toll route are unhappy too. It was just months after the 1995 New Brunswick election that the government announced it'd be placing tollbooths on their section of the highway. And the province plans to add three more tollbooths by 2001.