The third crossing project took its second big step to reality in as many days late Wednesday night when city council voted in favour of contributing the city’s $60 million share to the bridge project.

In an 8-5 vote, council agreed to contribute $60 million to build a proposed $180-million bridge across the Cataraqui River.

The project is dependent on $60 million from both the federal and provincial governments.

Council’s vote came a day after the provincial government pledged as much as $60 million for the project.

“Welcome to amalgamation, we are one city now,” said Pittsburgh Coun. Ryan Boehme, who has described himself as the bridge’s biggest supporter.

Boehme said the bridge project has widespread support across the city and will serve as a link between all areas of the city.

He said an informal count of the email he as received from constituents were 18 to 1 in favour of the bridge.

Boehme said the Pittsburg Township has contributed to projects in other parts of the city and it is time to build the third crossing, a project that has been on the city’s radar for decades.

“It’s got the point here we are completely beating a dead horse,” said Trillium Coun. Adam Candon. “There comes a point where we have to make a decision and I am glad we are there.

“This is one of the easiest decisions I’ll make all week to support this.”

Countryside Coun. Gary Oosterhof said he heard overwhelming support for the bridge during last month’s byelection.

Lakeside Coun. Laura Turner said the benefit to the city’s emergency services was the biggest reason for her vote in favour of the project.

“As a city, we should not be timid, we should step up to this,” she said.

Portsmouth Coun. Liz Schell said she can remember discussing the bridge with her mother 50 years ago.

She said the bridge would have benefits across the city.

“Fifty years ago, I can still remember that discussion and I am going to help make that decision,” she said.

Collins-Bayridge Lisa Osanic supported the project because it would provide a reliable route for people to get across the city.

Loyalist-Cataraqui Coun. Kevin George too reminded council that the third crossing has a long history at city hall.

George noted that the opposition to the bridge is coming from the five councillors who represent the pre-amalgamation city.

“Are we an amalgamated city?” he asked.

Indeed, opposition to the bridge came from five councillors who represent the districts closest to the city core.

Meadowbrook-Strathcona Coun. Jeff McLaren said city could be burdened by a bridge project that could become increasingly more difficult to pay for. He said statistics show the next 30 or 40 years will be marked by low growth levels and retiring baby boomers that will limit the potential for economic growth.

Sydenham Coun. Peter Stroud said the bridge would only move traffic congestion to the traffic lights at either end of the bridge.

Stroud too acknowledged that the bridge vote would pass because “car dependent citizens of Kingston outnumber non-car dependent citizens in the city,” he said.

“There are citizens of Kingston who do not benefit.”

King’s Town Coun. Rob Hutchison said the bridge would increase unsustainable suburban sprawl and shackle the city with future tax increases well into the future.

“My concern is the capital expenditure and how we are going to pay for it,” he said, noting that the city’s one per cent capital levy is going to be in place permanently.

“This is not going to be all roses, by any stretch,” Hutchison said.

As council’s deliberations neared its conclusion, Hutchison unsuccessfully tried to put forward a motion calling for the city not to spend any more money on the project until the city has signed funding agreements with the provincial and federal governments.

“All I want us to do is be honest and say there is a tax increase with this,” he said.

Kingscourt-Rideau Coun. Mary Rita Holland echoed Hutchison’s concern that a one-per-cent capital tax levy will make it difficult for the city to limit future tax increases and maintain services.

She said she ran in the 2014 election in opposition to the bridge and wanted to see other alternatives to congestion and improve transit.

Holland said her position remains the same but she said she hoped the bridge will bring benefits to the city’s north end.

By the end of the night, most city centre councillors opposed to the bridge project were conceding that the council would vote in favour of it.

Williamsville Coun. Jim Neill said the third crossing is the “most contentious issue this council has faced” and the council’s “first real test.”

“My concern is are we building something for the previous 20 years, not for the future,” Neill said.

“Is this a want or a need? Is it desirable to have a third crossing or a necessity to have a third crossing.”

Neill acknowledged that the 8-5 vote likely was a good representation of the support the project in the city, but at the same time those residents opposed to is still needed to be heard.

“I’m far more comfortable with a decision on a contentious issue having both sides represented,” Neill said.

Mayor Bryan Paterson reminded councillors that while they are elected in particular districts, they represent all citizens of the city.

The council vote came despite a report from the city’s Environment, Infrastructure and Transportation Policies Committee that asked council to consider other options before committing to the bridge.

“A bridge may not be the answer to the deeper question of how to reduce car reliance and demand for cross city transportation,” the report committee report stated. “Before committing to the third crossing, it is worthwhile investigating meaningful alternative urban planning options for reducing traffic, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions associated with the above.”

The committee report called the bridge vote “poorly timed” in light of emerging changes in transportation, such as electric vehicles, Uber-like services, ride sharing, transport management changes, and autonomous vehicles.

The KEIT committee recommendation came late, a sign of the frustration many of its members feel at being under-utilized by the city, Neill said .

“This project was definately within their mandate but they had to force their way into the conversation,” Neill said.

Sydenham Coun. Peter Stroud said the committee report highlighted a key issue facing modern society, how to move large numbers of people around in a safe and sustainable way.

“That question is one of the central questions of our time,” he said.

Stroud said society was on the verge of a major disruption in transportation technology, electric vehicles, driverless vehicles and ride sharing services.

Boehme said technology is advancing, but not at a pace fast enough to prevent the city from pushing ahead with the bridge.

“It all sounds great but unless we get everyone a helicopter or a overboard we are going to need a bridge to get those vehicles across,” he said.

Council accepted the committees recommendations but the momentum toward building the bridge was too strong.

elferguson@postmedia.com