Canada’s truckers not sold on tolling as a congestion fix

A great part of the Canadian experience with roads and highways is the government issue-both provincial and federal. While the federal government takes taxes on fuel sold in the provinces, only a percentage of the "take" is returned to the provinces for highway upkeep, and the federal government keeps its tight little hands on the rest. It has been a contentious issue between the federal government and the provinces for years. Having said that, there is also a "greater" amount of procrastination and prolonging the discussion of any traffic issues within the provinces themselves. In 1976 I lived in Fort Langley--there are 2 ferries that travel back and forth across the Fraser River to the community of Maple Ridge. Avoid the ferry and it is a thirty to fifty mile round trip to get to that community by crossing either the Port Mann Bridge to the west or the Mission bridge to the east. Now, here it is May of 207, and the bridge that was talked about in 1976 is finally being built. It would have cost less in 1976 when they first talked about it, and they would have saved thirty years of the costs the province paid to run the darn ferry back and forth multiple times a day. by the way, while a deep fast flowing river, the Fraser is not wide at that point, the ferry ride is five minutes. Yup, the darn bridge sure would have been a lot cheaper back then. Oh, and, the new bridge is going to be a toll bridge. Here in BC we also have another little boondoggle that is going on with our roadways--the provincial and federal governments are having a love affair with putting "roundabouts" in a the intersections. What fun, one gets to play "chicken" with a car, or truck.