Be prepared to pay more to get to and from work and school, but how exactly you will be charged is the question as the Mobility Pricing Independent Commission looks into a decongestion charge to reduce rush-hour traffic.
Wednesday, the commission laid out its public consultation plan for a report to be presented to the Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation and the TransLink board of directors next spring.
It’s Time is a public engagement and research project that will will study decongestion charging — a form of mobility pricing referring to a range of fees that can be charged for everyday use of the transportation system — and its viability for Metro Vancouver.
The commission also released research about peak rush hour — typically from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. — as a growing problem in the region, and survey results that suggest people are frustrated about the time they are spending stuck in traffic.
Among the hot spots listed is the northeast, including Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody.
“Congestion is one of the biggest problems affecting residents and businesses in Metro Vancouver, and it’s only going to get worse unless we do something about it,” stated Allan Seckel, commission chair in a press release.
The press release also notes that some forms of mobility pricing are already in place, such as gas taxes or transit fares.
A report released Wednesday suggests the current approach is not helping to reduce traffic congestion and more sources of revenue are needed to build and maintain transportation infrastructure, especially with the removal of tolls and declining revenues from the fuel tax.
The public will be able to comment online Nov. 6-24, via ItsTimeMV.ca, which also includes more information and research.
