Last month, the (Mobility Pricing Independent) Commission released a report that outlined two possible policy approaches: congestion point charges — which involve charging someone a toll when they pass a certain congested point or location — and charging drivers for each kilometre they drive (varied by time and/or location). …
Price Tags will print all of them throughout the day.
All maps are available here.
MAP 3: One Zone Distance-Based Charge Example
Why did we choose this example?
This is a basic example of distance-based charging. It addresses the region’s congestion by applying a charge during peak hours across Metro Vancouver. This example would cover all congestion hot spots identified by stakeholders and the
public in Phase 1.
Who would pay?
People who drive would pay this distance-based charge regardless of where they are in the region. However, this charge could vary based on the location, time and direction of travel. Charges could be lower in less congested spots and in areas with fewer options for transit. As social equity is a key consideration, we are still exploring discounts and exemptions for certain individuals.
Where and how would congestion improve?
Drivers may avoid the charge by using alternative modes of transportation (if available), which would result in fewer vehicles on the road.
How much would I pay?
As affordability is a key consideration, we are still exploring what a price structure, discounts, and maximum charges (caps) could look like.
What are related considerations we heard in Phase 1?
• How the availability and improvement of transit and transportation modes could be more attractive and accessible to vehicle users
• Equity implications, including discounts or exemptions for those who have fewer alternative transportation modes or lower income
• Options for people who rely on driving for work, childcare, or medical appointments
• Privacy and security of data
• Fairness for those who have fewer transit choices in areas with more affordable housing
What about Bowen Island?
We know that Bowen Island residents already pay to ride the ferry. The project team will conduct further research for Bowen Island residents.
Great, another tax on working people and small business.
From all the whining I hear about congestion I’d say congestion is a tax on working people and small business. How would you pay for improvements?
It doesn’t cost anything to remove street parking in the downtown core, something rarely found in most major cities. Free up those lanes and presto! No congestion.
reduced street parking = reduced congestion. There would be no reason to drive if there is no affordable place to park.
@bob tanner Meters aren’t any more affordable than off-street parking but a lot of people seem to buy into that myth.
(economics 101 ) Remove supply & the market driven price of the remaining private & street parking goes up like any other real estate
Perhaps there is nothing wrong with the road system at all, and the real issue is the politicians who have sold us out for that tasty Chinese cash. If anyone could afford to live near their workplace, or if UBC were decentralized, a great deal of the traffic congestion would be much more manageable.
This solution is too blunt and doesn’t target the problem areas. It’s not a big improvement over fuel taxes which are much easier to administer – though it would withstand the evolution to EVs.
It also deals with those purchasing fuel just outside the Metro fuel tax zone and benefitting from the road network.
Agree it is too blunt an instrument by itself. But it could form part of a blended solution, ie as a replacement for the fuel tax to more consistently fund transit, alongside a point congestion charge to address congestion hot spots.
I like this scheme. It may be more difficult to implement, but it can be made quite fair and can incorporate elements of maps 1 and 2 due to the possibility of including location and time charging. So it may cost relatively little to drive in south Langley but it may cost a lot to go through the tunnel, especially during busy periods. Another bonus is that this scheme will make it simple to introduce distance based insurance. With an app, a resident can then easily choose the fastest or least expensive mode for a given trip. I am sure that cycling would come up very often.
If Todd Stone — or any Liberal — becomes premier before too long, this road pricing issue will probably be subjected to another imposed plebiscite where transit funding in the Metro will end up with the short end of the stick.
That assumes the mob will rule once more on maintaining “free” road access and the almighty car will remain one of the most damaging and costly things ever invented.
Note it was the NDP that cancelled the sensible (Liberal party introduced) Port Mann bridge toll to buy votes.
Even the Greens have people that drive cars across bridges and that use gasoline.
Some even fly to Ottawa or Mexico on planes or use diesel operated ferries to get to their island retreat (yet oppose oil pipelines).
Nothing rational here. Only bike and SkyTrain users don’t mind if car users pay more, all others will object most likely.
A very difficult discussion. Very.
How soon we forget….
“The B.C. Liberals made the first move with a promise to cap tolls at $500 a year for commuters using the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.”
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/cuts-to-bridge-tolls-promised-as-b-c-liberals-ndp-gear-up-for-election-1.4063530
And what happened next?
“In the B.C. Liberals’ Throne Speech on Thursday afternoon, the party adopted yet another key plank from their New Democratic Party rivals’ election platform: to scrap bridge tolls entirely on the Port Mann and Golden Ears bridges.”
http://www.metronews.ca/news/vancouver/2017/06/22/bc-liberals-vow-to-end-bridge-tolls-credit-downgrade.html
that means it could have been still a toll… and that make a huge difference (road pricing is still there, even if price capped…like transit is with pass)
(the BC liberal throne speech was out of desperation, probably to swing the green MLA to join them,…but the green preferred to keep with their pals promising to scrap toll from d-1, …keeping site C…)
I’m addressing a misrepresentation of the facts, not ‘what-if’ scenarios.
I haven’t bothered to read the whole report, so can someone explain “We know that Bowen Island residents already pay to ride the ferry. The project team will conduct further research for Bowen Island residents” for me. Seems like such an outllier for this discussion.
The maps were for a workshop for Metro residents. Bowen Islanders are residents of Metro Vancouver. They don’t get Translink service from the island to Horseshoe Bay, it is BC Ferries. The fare is $9.75 (seasonally adjusted), return. More than the Seabus. Affordability was a key topic in the workshops. I think the note on the maps was just to say look, we aren’t going to focus on Bowen in the workshop, but will come back to it as part of the study.
$9.75 and no transfer & to rub salt into the wounds .translink gives better service to other 2 ferries,.
(1) Bowen pays translink & metro taxes (2) Peter King runs an unsubsidised private bus H S bay to downtown In 30 minutes that WAITS for the Bowen ferry $4 each way. A private unsubsidised water taxi $10 WAITS for Peters bus. There was an unsubsidised downtown passenger ferry that ended when the C O V stopped it using their downtown dock
Metro Vancouver missed the news that the latest provincial election was won by the NDP cancelling tolls on two Metro bridges. So, they forged ahead with a commission that’s headed by a guy that has never worked in transportation and got over $400 grand of taxpayer cash when he was last fired off from his taxpayer funded job!
No wonder he is lucky enough to live on the west side of Vancouver. For him it’s congestion, what? Never see it.
Lame Duck Gregor bought in the Brit, Daniel Firth because he’s done this gig before in Europe.
They are all still living in their bubble.
Horgan, for one, will not touch this assault on working people.
Metro is just wasting away more money on this completely dead-in-the-water plan.
This “assault on working people” proposal will inject a helluva lot of funds into distinctly working class public transit. All it is doing is recouping some of the huge amount of public money shoveled into the operating budgets of the road network and redirecting it mostly toward a far more efficient form of transport.
Yes, of course, give the government all the money because they have all the best ideas and know how to spend it better than you – who earn it.
When do you expect this “far more efficient” train service to Langley, Delta and the North Shore? Before we tradespeople in our trucks retire, we presume.
A B-Line could be set up within the year freeing up more road space for those few who truly need it.