LANGLEY, B.C. (May 20, 2005) — B.C.’s Transport Minister has answered the provincial trucking association’s request to have tolls lowered on the Coquihalla Highway for trucks: “No.”

In March, the B.C. Trucking Association asked Minister of Transportation Kevin Falcon to consider reducing tolls on the Coquihalla in order to steer commercial traffic away from Hwy. 1 through the Fraser Canyon — a stretch the BCTA says has proportionately more crashes than the Coquihalla. The group says truckers will be more attracted to the Coquihalla if tolls were reduced, thereby lowering incidences on the free, two-lane Hwy. 1.

But the Ministry responded to BCTA stating that department data shows that the two routes have comparable accident rates. BCTA says it will request a copy of the government’s analysis for such a determination.

Recently, a multi-disciplinary Fraser Canyon traffic safety committee found the likelihood of a fatal crash involving a commercial truck on Hwy 1 from Hope to Spences Bridge is almost three times more as on Hwy. 5 for a similar distance. Also, large commercial trucks represent about 28 percent of traffic (40 percent in the winter) through the Fraser Canyon, while such traffic on the Coquihalla is half that amount.

Depending on the final destination, trucks can expect to spend an additional 45 minutes driving Hwy. 1 versus Highway 5 between Hope and Kamloops, but choose to use the former because there is no toll, BCTA says.