Richmond News

In other local, transportation news, Mayor Malcolm Brodie and Richmond city councillors want to keep the George Massey Tunnel and are also, yet again, collectively asking for more consultation from the provincial government concerning the new $3 billion bridge proposal.

Brodie sent a letter to Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Todd Stone on July 8 after meeting with him the previous day.

Brodie asked Stone for the bridge’s Project Definition Report so the city can prepare. He also asked for the ministry’s plan for funding the bridge and how it will be operated (whether or not there will be tolls). Furthermore, Brodie asked ‘what can be done to assure the preservation of the tunnel?’

He said the province’s Auditor General will study the business case that led to the decision to replace the tunnel.

“We want these answers and want to get a hold of the project definitions,” said Brodie on Monday.

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News 1130

Richmond politicians want more information about the proposed replacement for the George Massey Tunnel.

Mayor Malcolm Brodie says the proposed bridge replacement has potential, but they need much more information before they can move forward.

He notes it’s not just this bridge’s construction he’s worried about.

“Without changes to the Oak Street Bridge, I don’t know how they are going to deal with the very significant traffic jam that is going to ensue. We’re used to it on the highway at this point and I don’t know if that new bridge is going to clear [that] up very much.” …

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The Globe and Mail

TransLink hasn’t even finished the search for its new CEO and already there’s controversy over what the winning candidate will be paid.

The transportation agency’s search firm posted a job advertisement online last week that outlined a compensation package very similar to that of former CEO Ian Jarvis. The compensation package posted by Boyden Global Executive Search specifies $319,000 in base salary, a bonus of up to 30 per cent, a $14,000 transportation allowance and a $1,200 parking allowance. …

“I don’t know how they can have a recruitment when they don’t have an approved executive-compensation plan,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “I don’t know how they can designate remuneration.”

Mr. Brodie said many mayors in the region would likely not be in favour of the new CEO getting the kind of pay his predecessor received – pay that Mr. Brodie said increased substantially since the mayors last had control over TransLink – in 2007.

“I think many mayors would have a problem with this,” he said. …

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CBC News

The mayor of Richmond is raising concerns about a new 10-lane bridge to replace the George Massey Tunnel along Highway 99.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says many questions about the proposed structure remain unanswered by the province.

The provincial government announced its plan to replace the heavily congested 60-year-old tunnel between Richmond and Delta in 2013. Construction of the bridge is slated to begin in 2017.

However, Brodie says the city has received only “the most basic information” about the bridge project so far.

“It all sounds very good — boy, you’re going to have this brand new bridge and it’s going to solve all your problems, it’s a real panacea,” Brodie told On the Coast’s Stephen Quinn. …

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Richmond News

Whether the Liberal Party of Canada chooses a local candidate for Steveston-Richmond East remains to be seen after party leader Justin Trudeau addressed the question in front of Richmond’s business community at a luncheon Friday afternoon. …

Sitting with Port Metro Vancouver CEO Robin Silvester at the front table, Mayor Malcolm Brodie chose not to ask Trudeau about how the federal government could change port governance to make it more transparent, a complaint commonly expressed by he and other city councillors in meetings.

Instead, Brodie asked Trudeau about the Senate and its recent problems. Trudeau stated he does not support abolishing the Senate, as the New Democrats have suggested doing. Instead, he prefers reform mechanisms such as independent, non-partisan appointments. …

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Global News

It seems construction work is taking place everywhere you look in Richmond, but it could soon be banned on Sundays after the city received a number of noise complaints.

“The number of formal complaints until mid-May was something like 35 to 40 complaints,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

Brodie says construction restrictions on Sundays has been on the radar for some time. If approved, the current rules allowing construction on Sundays and statutory holidays between the hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. would be nixed. …

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News 1130

The City of Richmond is keeping a close eye on the traffic situation on Grant McConachie Way.

Congestion has been an issue, since a new mall opened up just east of Vancouver International Airport.

Traffic was overwhelming on Thursday, the day of the grand opening, but still busy on Friday.

Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie says though all routes on Sea Island fall under the jurisdiction of YVR the city and the airport are working together.

“We are monitoring it together with the airport on a daily basis. The city owns intersection cameras on Sea Island, so we’re more able to monitor traffic remotely,” he explains.

He doesn’t think the traffic woes will continue for very much longer and hopes that vehicle movement in and out of the airport isn’t affected too much longer.

“It’s a temporary situation. It will normalize as time goes on. But the situation has to be sorted out in the near future.” …

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Richmond News

A bureaucratic interpretation of the contentious “maritime mixed use zone” for the Imperial Landing development at Steveston’s boardwalk has prevented a long-established local seafood restaurant from moving into the hotly debated waterfront property.

Shane Dagan, owner of the Steveston Seafood House, said he spent a year scouting the site and had developer Onni Group set to make “significant” building improvements to lease the 4,000 square foot Unit 110 on Bayview Street for a commercial retail rate. …

Mayor Malcolm Brodie called it a “simple” decision to deny Dagan. Coun. Chak Au said Dagan “expanded the definition (of maritime) too far.”

Brodie said, “one could suggest” Onni was trying to circumvent the rezoning process. …

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Richmond News

Parts of Westminster Highway at Nelson Road are being widened at a cost of $11.5 million, paid for by the federal government, the City of Richmond, Port Metro Vancouver and TransLink.

The Minister of Transport, Lisa Raitt, was at the site to announce the project, along with Delta-Richmond East MP Kerry-Lynne Findlay and Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

The project involves the widening of Nelson Road and Westminster Highway from two to four lanes, over a total distance of 2.6 kilometres, along with upgrading the associated traffic signals. …

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CNW

The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport and the Hon. Kerry-Lynne D. Findlay, P.C., Q.C., MP for Delta—Richmond East and Minister of National Revenue, along with Malcolm Brodie, Mayor of Richmond, Tom Corsie, Vice President, Real Estate, Port Metro Vancouver and Barry Forbes, TransLink Board Vice Chair, today celebrated two important roadway projects in British Columbia that will improve the link between local businesses and key Asia-Pacific trade corridors.

The Westminster Highway and Nelson Road Widening project involves the widening of Nelson Road and Westminster Highway from two to four lanes over a total distance of 2.6 kilometres, along with upgrading the associated traffic signals. This project will increase road capacities to the Fraser River Port Richmond properties sites, as well as improve the efficiency of the road serving gateway facilities, such as Coast 2000 Terminals, HBC Logistics and Westran.

The No. 6 Road Widening project consists of widening No. 6 Road from Wireless Way to Highway 91 from three lanes to four lanes (approximately 600 metres), and provides bike lanes, curbs, gutters, boulevards, and a sidewalk on the east side. This project will improve traffic flows and facilitate access to Highway 91 and Knight Street. A number of business parks engaged in international trade, are located along the No. 6 Road and use it to access Highway 91, which connects to the provincial highway network and Knight Street, a major truck route that is part of the regional highway network. …

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