Rail transit must get on right track – From the Vancouver Sun
An interesting piece in the Vancouver Sun and the first time in many years that the Sun has allowed a positive article about light rail!
Rail transit must get on right track
Opinion: But government capital is likely not enough to fund an all-underground system west of Main Street
Surrey is thinking about while Calgary and Edmonton are already building light rail transit (LRT) lines on the surface, as are many cities in the United States. In fact, Edmonton is now planning to construct a surface line from its west end via downtown to Millwoods. All want surface lines because they find going underground too expensive. But then we have the City of Vancouver where nobody is allowed to see rail transit west of Main Street. And those who are more frugal would have to contribute through their federal and/or provincial taxes to cater to Vancouverai??i??s obsession.
The City of Vancouver is going through the usual process with all options on the table, but it has already predetermined that the Broadway line shall be SkyTrain and as a consequence must be all underground. The fact that there is no money for even a bus stop for Surrey on the new express route from Langley, that the Evergreen Line has not been built yet and that everybody else in the country through federal, provincial and regional taxes should pay for this underground line, does not influence anybody in city hall. Frankly, I think since all governments are short of money, senior governments should only contribute to a surface line. If a local community wants to put a line underground, they should raise the money locally to pay for the difference.
There is a rough ratio as regards costs. If a surface line has a cost factor of one, then a line on structure is five or six and underground has a factor of 10 or 12. Let us use 10, in which case, it means with limited funding each year every kilometre of underground line prevents nine kilometres of surface line somewhere else. Or, in other words, if it takes 10 years to build the surface lines we need now, it will take 100 years to put them all underground. Do not expect capital funding for transit to increase that much so that we could afford an all-underground system. Broadway is wide enough to accommodate LRT in the median, all the way from Broadway/Commercial to at least Alma.
The concern about loss of parking is one I do not share. The median would have to be continuous between major cross streets, other side streets would be right turns in and out. Drastic yes, but better than creating more road space for cars.
So what is the stated problem? There are narrow streets west of Alma. Light rail does not prevent a short section of tunnel, but because there is a short section going through a high property value area, does not mean the entire line should be underground. The second problem is that SkyTrain technology forces underground or overhead alignment because no at-grade crossings are possible.
So where do passengers on the Millennium Line go, west to UBC or downtown? Considering the overcrowding west of Broadway on the Expo line, it may well be that downtown is the major destination. If the Millennium line was extended via Main Street to Waterfront, with stops at Terminal Avenue and Hastings, there would be a better SkyTrain network. We would interline the Expo and Evergreen lines and create a Circle Millennium Line.
The success of the Olympic line in 2010 can then be repeated with a second LRT line from the Main/Terminal/Rail/Bus/Science Centre station via Olympic Village to Granville Island and Arbutus.
John J. Bakker is professor emeritus of civil engineering (transportation) at the University of Alberta. He now lives in Surrey.
John Bakker, civil engineer from the University of Alberta, outstanding, you’re hired. When can you start work as the new chief of transportation for the City of Vancouver?
Each day, buses on Broadway are costing taxpayers $80,000 in superfluous service hours which could be eliminated by a tram line traveling along Broadway to Arbutus Street or Alma Street. No one seems to realize that there is an easy and a clear run from Arbutus Street up West 16th Avenue along the grass median to UBC.
How has West 16th Avenue to UBC been over looked as the preferred route west of Arbutus Street? The tram line to UBC would pay its way in about 10 years by reducing service hours for buses and there is no time to waste.
People on the 99 B-Line route are being exposed to elevated sound pressure and particulate matter levels from the noxious 99 B-Lines. Students on Broadway are being passed-by on the 99 B-Line route because TransLink is purposely dumping two SkyTrains and the Canada Line onto Broadway to make a case for a subway on Broadway, just to keep busy on studies and plans for another 10 years.
While 99 B-Line buses are crowded to UBC, trolley buses right behind the 99 B-Lines are almost empty during peak hours. It almost seems as if the 99 B-Line spectacle by TransLink is intentional for TransLink to squeeze money out of taxpayers for more funding to pay for the “planners” working at TransLink.