Lethbridge will advocate to the provincial and federal governments to get help funding for a functional planning study and preliminary design for a third river crossing. Council voted 5-3 for a motion from mayor Blaine Hyggen to write a letter to the other levels of government.
“I do not want to burden taxpayers with this and so any way we can get funding from other levels of government to put us to a point of shovel ready, I just wanted to make sure that we are in the position to do that,” Hyggen said. “It kind of puts a little bit of an end I guess to the question that was asked on the ballot at the election, with 60.4 per cent in favour of constructing a third bridge.”
BACKGROUND: City council receives update on third bridge
Hyggen said he wanted to vote on the issue at the meeting, after other councillors suggested deferring it until they have more information. He said he wanted to present the letter in person to representatives from the province leading up to the provincial budget.
Councillors who voted against the advocacy pointed to other priorities, which they say council should be advocating for, as well as a lack of information on cost or a timeline for a third bridge.
“Until I know what dollars I am asking for and what level of commitment and when we are ready to start, I think it might be shooting ourselves in the foot to start asking for things that we have too many uncertainties on,” said councillor Jeff Carlson.
Preliminary traffic volumes suggest a third river crossing will be needed between 2030 and 2040. Council received an update on the idea in October, where it was heard a new crossing could result in a tax increase of 14.5 and 22.1 per cent, if it was paid for solely by the city.
Councillor John-Middleton Hope said he did not have enough information on the third crossing to support advocating to other governments.
“I see nothing in terms of what alternatives might be viewed, rather than going with a third bridge — what the city might consider in terms of economic development on the west side to obfuscate having to create a third bridge so I am not going to support this,” he said.
Council did not attach a dollar amount to the letter, but a thor bridge is estimated to cost around $190 million, according to the city.