TransLink referendum question set to be decided by mayors

TransLink'sMayors' Council will meet Friday to finalize the question for the long awaited transportation referendum.

The 10-year $7.5 billionplan for regional transportation includes a new Pattullo bridge, light rail in Surrey, a Broadway subway in Vancouver and hundreds of new buses.

A provincial referendum on funding the plan could take place as early as next spring.

Three mayors discussed their hopes for the referendum with The Early Edition's Rick Cluff.

New Westminster's Jonathan Cote: new 4-lane Pattullo Bridge

"It's part of a larger package that includes the Patullo Bridge, but also some significant investment in public transit. It's really the whole package that's going to start to relieve some of the transportation problems we face."

"I think New Westminster residents, even more so than many other places in Metro Vancouver, would probably be even more supportive of putting a toll on the Patullo Bridge because they've seen first hand the negative consequences of having a tolling system that's not equitable and causes a lot of traffic to enter our road network."

Surrey's Linda Hepner: light rail by 2018

"We cannot continue to grow at this rate without some fundamental changes in Surrey in the transportation model, and we'll have to do it no matter what it takes."

"It is our turn we have only eight per cent of the rail in the region and as the second largest city in this province we are very poorly served by rapid transit."

Delta's Lois Jackson: tolls on all bridges

"The [Massey] Tunnel has been a problem for many many years, going back into the early 80s, and it's time to be replaced."

"I really hope that the Minister [of Transportation Todd Stone] is looking at tolling all the bridges, not just on this side of the river. I think they should all be tolled."