One has to shake one’s head with the “Metro Vancouver Congestion Tax” referendum, as clearly Metro mayors haven’t a clue what they are talking about.
The name, Metro Vancouver Congestion Tax, is false advertising, as the only way to reduce road congestion and gridlock is by reducing road space for cars.
Subways don’t reduce congestion and are only built to accommodate high ridership on routes which demand long trains and large stations. Traffic flows along Broadway nowhere near justify a multi-billion-dollar subway and if built, it will drag TransLink into a financial morass.
The one mode with a proven record of alleviating congestion is modern LRT because it uses road space for its route, reducing road space for cars while offering a convenient transit alternative. It’s why LRT is built around the world and SkyTrain is not.
So instead of the oxymoronic “Metro Vancouver Congestion Tax,” a more accurate name would be; “Let’s do the same thing over again and hope for different results” tax. Oh, excuse me, that’s the definition for insanity.
Malcolm Johnston, Delta
