Does the Fraser River divide the transportation plebiscite?

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – How much does your address have to do with how you’re going to vote in the upcoming transportation funding plebiscite?

A planning expert is weighing in on the Fraser River as the so-called border in this perceived divide but just how realistic is it to use it as a measuring stick?

“The river is a defining feature of our geography.  On most days of the week, most roads are empty — they’re only ever congested when everybody wants to go in same direction to the same place and that’s particularly difficult when you have rivers because everybody wants to cross a bridge at the same time.  That’s why King George is congested in the mornings, that’s why McBride is congested in the afternoon,” says Peter Hall with SFU.

Hall studies planning and admits geographical fighting gets in the way of the bigger picture.  “I don’t know that the ‘yes’ side is really effective in making the case that what’s good for the other guy is actually good for you when it comes to transportation.  That’s the message I don’t think is getting here.  I think the north-south Fraser issue is a really important question because I don’t think the ‘yes’ side has made that case yet.”

And you don’t need to look further than the numbers.  The figures in the News1130/PlaceSpeak poll shows a majority of Vancouverites are likely to vote ‘yes,’ while most of those south of the Fraser River are leaning towards voting ‘no.’

Remember ballots will begin arriving in your mailboxes next week and you’ll have until May 29th to have your say.

You can also weigh in on the mail-in vote on paying for transit and transportation improvements by joining our exclusive News1130/PlaceSpeak conversation.