88% Favour Passenger Rail for the Fraser Valley!

 No surprise here!

If anyone who has traveled into the upper Fraser Valley, especially the Chilliwack/Sardis/Vedder areas and seen the huge growth and the associated congestion must realize that a rail connection from Vancouver to Chilliwack, via North Delta, Cloverdale, Langley, Abbotsford, Vedder, Sardis and Chilliwack is most needed.

*

Rail for the Valley , over a decade ago, engaged Leewood Projects (UK) to do a viability study on using the former BC Electric interurban route. Released in 2010, the Leewood Study found that establishing a passenger rail service from Vancouver was both doable and affordable.

*

Rail for the Valley also understands the desirability of the passenger service to reach downtown Vancouver, giving the transit customer a seamless journey from the upper Fraser Valley to Vancouver proper!

The following, from the Leewwwod Study gives the estimated cost in 2010 and updated to 2021 dollars.

Stage 1 Phase 1- Chilliwack to Scott Road [Diesel/hybrid option] summary capital cost.

CAD $491,819,424.00 (2021 CAD $594,847,133.00)  or CAD $5.02 m per km (2021 CAD$6.07m per km)

For total 138 km route, Vancouver Central to Rosedale

CAD$ 998,519,424 (2021 CAD $1,207,692,027.00) or CAD $7.2 million per km (2021 CAD $8.71 million per km)

So let us compare: $1.7 billion to built a 7 km extension of the Expo line to Fleetwood in Surrey and a$1.3 billion for a 130 km regional passenger service connecting Vancouver to North Delta, Surrey, Cloverdale, Langley, Abbotsford, Sardis/Vedder and Chilliwack: Which would give a better transit service? Which one would reduce auto traffic on the #1 highway through the Fraser Valley?

It seems the taxpayer knows, the question is, do the politicians?

 

A new poll suggests 88 per cent of the adults residing in six communities south of the Fraser River would like to see hydrogen-powered trains provide daily passenger service along a re-activated rail corridor in this region.

The poll was conducted by Research Co. on behalf of the South Fraser Community Rail Project. Mario Canseco, president of Research Co., said 83 per cent of respondents in North Surrey, 85 per cent in North Delta, 82 per cent in the Township of Langley, 76 per cent in the City of Langley, 93 per cent in Abbotsford and 89 per cent in Chilliwack gave the concept a thumb’s up.

The trains as proposed would run along 99 kilometres of publicly owned line known as the Interurban Corridor, from Scott Road Station to Chilliwack, connecting 16 cities and communities, eight First Nations communities, Abbotsford International Airport, 14 post-secondary institutions, and industrial parks along the way.

Today the line is used only for freight. The passenger train project would take about three years to get underway, at an estimated cost of $1.38 billion, and significantly reduce traffic congestion on Highway 1, by an estimated 49 per cent.

Research Co. polled 800 adults between on May 5 to May 8, with a margin of error at +/- 3.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20. The respondents were asked two questions. The first was “From what you have just seen, read and heard about the South Fraser Community Rail project, do you support or oppose it?”

Four per cent said they are not sure, seven per cent opposed it and 88 per cent supported it.

The second question was “If the South Fraser Community Rail project is reactivated to connect 16 cities and communities, eight First Nations communities, 14 post-secondary institutions, industrial parks and the Abbotsford International Airport, how likely are you to use it, either for work or leisure?”

Six per cent responded not sure, 16 per cent not too likely or not likely at all, and 78 per cent responded very likely or moderately likely.