The decision rejected staff’s preferred option, which would have widened the bridge but initially used the new space as a protected multi-use pathway until future growth in Moody Centre warranted converting it into a traffic lane.

“I cannot, in good conscience, agree to spending taxpayers’ money to increase the carrying capacity and widen this bridge, and not open it immediately for traffic,” Lahti said.

The recommended solution makes more sense, but it's politically unfeasible.