LANGLEY, B.C. (Feb. 16, 2005) — TransLink has made several changes to its Golden Ears Bridge project after the B.C. Trucking Association expressed concerns with the plan’s tolling system.

After meetings with the association, TransLink — the provincial agency responsible for the Greater Vancouver Regional District’s (GVRD) major roads, bridges and transit system — announced that transponders for heavy trucks will not be mandatory and agreements with neighbouring jurisdictions have been established to ensure that drivers of non-B.C.-registered vehicles using the bridge will be able to be identified and invoiced.

The BCTA says this will help to ensure that B.C.’s trucking industry does not cross-subsidize non-residents. Other major changes include the ability to pre-pay and receive a small discount without leasing a transponder and video capture of the front and rear licences when necessary.

The time savings for users of the bridge is estimated to be at least 20 minutes, but could be as high as 30 to 40 minutes, which will translate to about $40.65 an hour in savings for heavy trucks, BCTA says.

Small truck users, including buses, are expected to pay $5.00 (transponders), $5.50 (pre-pay) or $6.00 (invoice), while large trucks will be expected to pay $7.50 (transponders), $8.00 (pre-pay) or $8.50 (invoice).

The bridge is expected to open in late 2008.