Toll HOV lanes, not bridges
Last summer when I was driving in Washington state, I noted that some highways have placed 30 -cent tolls on HOV lanes.
I see this as a great idea along Highway 1, because this will give drivers a choice: For a faster commute, drivers can choose to pay to use HOV lanes instead of getting stuck in the traffic, and at the same time this approach eliminates the need for policing the HOV lanes. That in itself can save the government millions every year.
I see placing the tolls on all the new bridges to be an unfair system that penalizes all drivers who must cross the Fraser River.
I believe tolling HOV lanes is a more balanced approach as more drivers who can afford to pay will contribute to revenues. Improvements along Highway 1 will benefit all of the Lower Mainland, yet tolling bridges will certainly affect the people who are living south of the Fraser and in the valley more than others.
Touraj Ghanbar-zadeh
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