$3.3 Billion Freeway Bridge called a "Super-Sized Mistake"

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Surrey, BC — "Premier Campbell's announcement about replacing the Port Mann Bridge with a $3.3 Billion super bridge is a super-sized mistake," said Wilderness Committee Healthy Communities Campaigner Ben West.

"Adding more freeway lanes to deal with traffic congestion is like loosening your belt to deal with obesity, it just doesn't work. If this project is allowed to proceed, it will put taxpayers on the hook for a project that will actually make traffic congestion even worse within a short period of time, and in the process also increase pollution, suburban sprawl and global warming emissions," said West.

Premier Gordon Campbell and BC Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon held a press conference today at the Port Mann Bridge to un-veil their plans for a new "super bridge", and the demolition of the existing Port Mann Bridge. They have claimed this massive freeway expansion project will create jobs, reduce congestion and reduce carbon emissions from idling cars stuck in traffic.

"The Port Mann freeway expansion plan would create far fewer jobs than transit investment which is the only way to really deal with congestion. If they were serious about doing something about reducing pollution, slowing global warming and creating jobs, investing in improved public transit is the way to go," said transportation planner and Livable Region Coalition Spokesperson Eric Doherty.

"They could add a 'queue jumper' lane and have buses running across the Port Mann within 6 months. They could also buy about 400 buses, and pay all the operating expenses, including drivers' salaries and fuel, for 30 years for less money than this freeway expansion will cost," said Doherty.

The BC Treasury Board estimates that about 3 times as many jobs can be created by investing in public transit than by investing in highway construction. A poll released by the Livable Region Coalition last May shows that two thirds of Lower Mainland residents would support funding for highway expansions being re-directed to public transit in light of concerns about global warming.

A report by the Livable Region Coalition shows that carbon emissions would increase by about 30% as the result of the Gateway project. "The Premier is just dead wrong about this strategy. We are encouraging BC residents to contact the Premier and their MLA to tell them how strongly they feel about re-directing funds to much needed public transit improvements," said West.

UBC Professor Patrick M. Condon responded to the announcement with "To remove a bridge that is still worth at least half a billion, and add a giant one at a cost of 3.5 billion makes no sense. With that much money you could provide rail transit to within a ten minute walk of over 80% of south of Fraser residents."