The city of Port Coquitlam will be moving forward with its Master Transportation Plan (MTP) without the support of a key council member.
On Tuesday, Mayor Greg Moore voted against the initiative, saying the goals outlined in the MTP do not go far enough.
Moore, also chair of the Metro Vancouver board, said he wants to see greater emphasis on public transit and alternative modes of transportation while limiting the increase in vehicle trips over the course of the 30- to 40-year plan.
"It was a really tough decision," he told The Tri-City News on Wednesday, a day after the rest of council voted in favour of endorsing the plan. "I had many sleepless nights knowing I was going to oppose one of our major plans."
And he outlined his reasons.
Currently, vehicle trips in Port Coquitlam average approximately 115,000 per day, a number that would rise to 152,000 over the next three decades under the MTP. Moore said he would rather see that number remain at 115,000 per day over the course of the plan despite expected population growth, absorbing the additional vehicle trips through other means, like bicycling, walking or transit.
In order to maintain the current number of vehicle trips, Moore came up with his own targets.
For example, the MTP calls for an increase in non-automobile transportation from the current 14% to 25% for all daily trips - a goal Moore said should be closer to 40%.
He also disagrees with the targets set for transit ridership; the MTP hopes to see transit use increase from 4% to 10% while Moore believes the goal should be 15%.
"Moving to alternative modes of transportation is very important for both the quality of life in our community and for the environment," he said. "I don't think this plan took a strong enough vision or approach to how we are going to do that."
Some of the infrastructure projects also concern the mayor.
The MTP calls on the city of Coquitlam to build a four-lane Coquitlam River crossing at Lincoln Avenue, a goal Moore vehemently opposes. While another crossing is necessary, he said he would oppose a move to widen the road and include it in the region's Major Road Network.
Moore's opposition an suggested alternatives did not stop council from voting in favour of endorsing the plan Tuesday evening.
Coun. Glenn Pollock, chair of PoCo's transportation solutions and operations committee, supported the plan, although he said he agreed with many of the points Moore made. He noted that while the MTP will guide the city's transportation decisions for the next 30 to 40 years, it will be frequently reviewed and adjusted.
"That is the good thing about it," he said. "It does leave it open so we can make changes."
"I think it is going in the right direction," he added.
With the Evergreen Line set to open in the coming years, Pollock added it is important for PoCo to maximize its connections to the rapid transit line. And he likes the fact the plan includes the addition of a Lincoln Avenue crossing, which will connect the municipality directly with an Evergreen Line station in Coquitlam.
PoCo's MTP also requires the province to step up with transit and road funding, Pollock said.
The addition of buses, the extension of the Evergreen Line and upgrades to the Mary Hill Bypass are all included in the plan and would require funding from higher levels of government, he said.
