Voters to have say about third bridge
By Tim Kalinowski on July 28, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDtkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com
Lethbridge residents will have a chance to vote on a non-binding ballot question during this fall’s municipal election which will gauge the public’s desire to build a third bridge by 2030.
“I think it is important to ask the citizens of Lethbridge if they want that third bridge built before 2030,” said Mayor Chris Spearman, who brought the motion before council on Tuesday. “That seems like a long time away. That seems like nine years away, but people have to understand what the process looks like. Right now the detailed design would be done in 2027 so the bridge could be constructed by 2030. So what are all the factors? Because you don’t get a bridge for free.”
Spearman hoped that citizens would take the time to thoroughly review all the information on the costs and liabilities of a third bridge before casting their ballot on the issue which the City will provide on its website prior to the vote covering eight areas:
-Expected capital cost.
-Current traffic volumes including peak and non-peak times of day.
-Impact of borrowing required funding on municipal taxes.
-Impact of external grants, if received from provincial and/or federal governments.
-Expected economic benefit due to construction.
-Expected economic benefit post construction.
-Ongoing budget pressure associated with ongoing maintenance.
-Estimated impact of greenhouse emissions and environmental impact.
“People are very concerned about property taxes,” Spearman explained further. “That property taxes are already too high – amongst the highest in Alberta – but this would add 13 per cent to our current property taxes if this was built this year.
“The other side of that is how can we reduce that cost?” he continued. “If we were to get half the cost funded by the provincial government – of course that would cut the tax impact locally in half.”
Spearman also reminded residents that those tax increases would be in effect for the 20 years it will take to pay off the $200 million estimated cost of the bridge.
However, Spearman felt the upside of asking the question in this fall’s ballot will not only allow voters to have their say on the issue, but, depending on the results, could give council extra political “arrows in its quiver” in negotiations with the province and federal government over getting grants to help pay for the large cost of construction.
“To this point,” Spearman explained, “people have to recognize the third bridge would be entirely within the City of Lethbridge; so it would not be a provincial bridge like Highway 3. Different provincial governments over time have said that bridge is entirely the cost to the City of Lethbridge, in other words City of Lethbridge taxpayers.
“But,” he added, “if we had a (ballot question) that had strong support for a third bridge, what provincial government who wanted to win seats in this city in the future would say, ‘We are not going to fund that third bridge in the City of Lethbridge?’ So it could be a political asset to the next city council.”
City council voted 6-3 to adopt the third bridge question on the ballot this fall, with Councillors Joe Mauro, Jeffrey Coffman and Rob Miyashiro opposed.
The question will read: “Do you agree that city council should approve plans to construct a 3rd bridge prior to 2030 as a municipal capital project priority?”
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A third bridge is needed and is far more important than a $100 million performing arts center. When you add up CASA, the Yates renovations, the recently announced SAGA improvements, almost $7 million, and some other art’s spending, we are looking at almost $50 million spent on the ‘arts’ in about 7 years! Now add another form of entertainment investment, the new exhibition project.
It is time to stop all of this spending, all of the revitalization, and clean up our streets by firmly ending vagrancy on our streets! That in itself is costing local taxpayers millions per year!
I have heard of some good ways to get that third bridge, but many may not like it!
We need to stop blowing taxpayer money as if we had ‘Golden Geese’ laying golden eggs! I just can’t believe the millions blown to revitalize downtown without getting rid of the issue that prevents people from wanting to come downtown, the addicts/homeless! We never needed all the revitalization, we just needed to stop all of the vagrancy!
There is absolutely no reason for anyone to be homeless in this city with all of the programs in place, if they respect the property! It has to end or people will end it themselves!
I live in north westside i have access to two bridges no need for the third bridge if southwest side need a bridge which is doubtful no congestion put toll booths at both ends of Whoop-Up ,user-pay donations will pay to build a third bridge, all in favor?
Do you work at home or work in north or south Lethbridge? Have you been jammed up in traffic, a parking lot, because of accidents on Whoop-up and everyone going to Bridge Drive and Highway 3 to avoid it, driving like idiots, causing another accident and shutting down both bridges then? Never happened? There is a lot of congestion in this city at peak periods! But I guess and $100 million performing arts center would solve that!
Actually, you brought up a great idea, the third bridge is a toll bridge! 😉