The Livable Blog

Interesting development from the NDP, a Candidate from Surrey who is not so sure Surrey voters want a super freeway through their neighborhoods (or to be stuck paying tolls on it). But Carole James is absolutely sure that Guildford and Birdland need a 10 to 16 lane super freeway and all the traffic and pollution it would bring.

Hmm, maybe Zanon has actually been talking to people in Birdland, Guildford and other communities in her riding.

SURREY-TYNEHEAD: Economy high on voters’ worry list

Candidates for Surrey-Tynehead are (from left) Liberal Dave Hayer, New Democrat Pat Zanon and Green Gerald Singh.
Leader file photos

By Jeff Nagel - Surrey North Delta Leader

Published: April 23, 2009 12:00 PM
Updated: April 23, 2009 3:03 PM

Parked in the city’s northeast corner, the riding of Surrey-Tynehead is bisected by Highway 1.

It’s been held for the past eight years by Liberal MLA Dave Hayer, who’s now gunning for a third term.

In 2005, Hayer won with a decisive 51 per cent of the vote, beating the NDP’s Barry Bell by a 2,600-vote margin.

This time the 51-year-old Liberal incumbent’s chief competition will come from New Democrat challenger Pat Zanon, a former hospital administrator

[snip]

Zanon agrees congestion is a serious problem.

But she’s not sure the government’s new plan to demolish the existing Port Mann Bridge in favour of an all-new 10-lane “super bridge” makes sense.

She favours a “time out” to re-examine the Port Mann crossing, adding Birdland-area residents are very concerned about construction impacts on them.

Voters are furious with the government’s plan to toll the new Port Mann Bridge, she said, particularly after TransLink decided a Pattullo Bridge rebuild will also have to be tolled.

With the new Golden Ears Bridge tolled as well, North Surrey residents could be staring out at three shining new spans across the river but facing a drive as far as the Alex Fraser if they don’t want to pay.

“It’s going to be a huge economic impact on a lot of people,” Zanon said. “They feel it’s very unfair that we face the possibility of every one of our crossings of the Fraser River being tolled.”

Meanwhile, she said, the Liberals built the Sea-to-Sky Highway and the new bridge in Kelowna without imposing tolls.

[snip]

• The deadline for nominations of candidates for the May 12 provincial election is Friday, April 24. These were the nominees for Surrey-Fleetwood as of The Leader’s press deadline for Friday, April 24.

jnagel@surreyleader.com
http://www.bclocalnews.com/surrey_area/surreyleader/news/election/43567997.html