The mayors of Surrey and New Westminster have come to an agreement to toll the replacement Pattullo Bridge after it’s built.
The bridge is one of the busiest crossings in the Lower Mainland. Jonathan Cote, the mayor of New Westminster says having a toll system in place would cause less congestion, primarily on the New West side.
The two cities, along with Translink have agreed on a memorandum to pursue the tolling system for the new bridge.
Repairs to keep the 79-year-old bridge safe in the mean time will start on April 29 and go on until Oct. 3. The new bridge is expected to take 6-7 years to build.
The mayors hope to develop a toll system that charges drivers by the time of day they cross the bridge and the distance travelled.
TWITTER POLL: Should the Pattullo Bridge replacement be tolled? #NewWest #SurreyBC
— Sean (@604Now) March 7, 2016
With tolls on the Golden Ears and the Port Mann bridges and now the addition of tolls on the new Massey tunnel and the new Pattullo bridge—many residents in Delta, Surrey, and Langley will be boxed in with paying fees during their commute. As it stands currently, the Alex Fraser will be the only non tolled option.