Langley, Surrey mayors push for light rail funding

Thanks to the South Fraser Blog for pointing out this article in the Langley Advance about the federal budget: Langley Township Mayor Rick Green said he is not sure that all the money will go to “shovel ready” projects. Some of the projects may be a couple years away from starting construction, Green said. Green […]

Rail for the Valley "the single most popular idea"

UPDATE: More coverage, see this editorial in the Surrey Leader: Keep the momentum An article by Jeff Nagel, appearing in Black Press newspapers throughout the Valley The Lower Mainland needs new rail transit lines and amenities ranging from better bike routes to theatres and teen centres. And don’t forget about housing. Those are among the […]

Abbotsford wants light rail

The Abbotsford public wants light rail! (didn’t we already know this?) And according to newspaper feedback, clearly there is a clamouring for the return of the interurban – AND WHY NOT – we could have an initial regular service, inexpensively, within 2 years. I think the public understands that the Interurban track is not “the […]

Light Rail Transit – The safest way to go.

From the Light Rail Now folks in the USA, some interesting figures on transportation safety. Fatality Rates per 100 Million Passenger-Miles (1997) Motor VehiclesAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? – 0.93 Rail Rapid TransitAi??Ai??Ai??Ai?? – 0.55 Commuter RailAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? – 0.05 BusAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? – 0.10 Light RailAi??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai??Ai?? – 0.00 [Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics/National Transportation Statistics 1999 and FTA/National Transit Statistics and […]

Skytrain has run its course; LRT is the way to go.

Langara debate Wednesday: Skytrain has run its course; LRT is the way to go. Wednesday, Jan. 21, 7:30 A?ai??i??ai??? 9:00pm (Doors open at 7:15pm, seating for the first 300 only) The Alice Mackay Room, Lower level Vancouver Public Library, Downtown, Homer & Robson Arguing the AFFIRMATIVE: PATRICK CONDON, Senior Researcher, UBC Design Centre for Sustainability […]

Rail for the Valley petition

Hi everyone, If you want interurban light rail for the Fraser Valley, an online petition you can sign…… http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/rail-for-the-valley The comments people are leaving are great to read as well. 🙂 pass this on to others who might be interested 🙂

LIGHT RAIL – DIESELS FILLING A VACUUM – A fact sheet from the Light Rail Transit Association.

With the case for Diesel light rail for the Valley Interurban ramping up, this fact sheet from the LRTA may prove useful. INTRODUCTION In the past, many rail-based assets could not always be fully utilised because certain technical difficulties were preventing full integration. The transport world was somewhat astounded when German ingenuity developed the dual-voltage […]

U-Tube – a tool, transit advocates must make good use of – seeing, is believing.

In the 1980’s, the SkyTrain lobby made all sorts of pronouncements about transit and ALRT, that were not true. It took transit advocates over a month to write to experts and wait for their replies. By the time the facts were available, the media moved on and most of the hoopla from BC Transit became […]

A Question of Capacity – A LRTA Topic Sheet

A QUESTION OF CAPACITY THE CAPACITIES of different modes of transport are generally quoted as 0-10 000 passengers per hour for bus, 2000-20 000 for light rail, and 15 000 upwards for heavy rail. A?A?A? Maximum capacity is only likely to be required for a few hours during peak hours, and even here there are […]

West Broadway Business Association calls for light rail

A new group, the West Broadway Business Association, has been formed: The WBBA is a non-profit society representing the local interests of businesses along West Broadway, from Alma to Burrard, and beyond to Cambie. They’re calling for a surface-level light rail or tram system along Broadway instead of the current plan to build a subway: […]