While studying a started to look into the planning decisions of Vancouver. It was not a subject that would be tested on but it would have been knowledge that would be helpful in making informed answers. There were two issues that took me by surprise: Translink's Evergreen line and BC governments control issues.
To begin with Translink is the company that runs the public transportation system in the greater Vancouver area. It is in charge of the buses, seabus and the skytrain. They are currently in the stages of rapid growth, which is not completely under their control. The skytrain system is currently being expanded to the Vancouver Airport (Canada Line), mostly because of the Olympics. This is a needed improvement because over 500,000 people take that route daily. The Evergreen line is going to be a new skytrain route that goes to the Port Moody area. This route was going to be part of an earlier expansion but was too expensive, and was not done. Then recently there was talk of creating a LRT line, like street cars, to the area instead of expensive skytrain development. This was approved but then the provincial government decided to step in and change the plans. The route will now be skytrain and will start to be built after the Canada line is finished, this moves back the opening day by years. It causes the route to be in competition with the West Coast Express, commuter rail.
The provincial government is trying to control translink a little bit to much. If the company has gone through studies and realize that one way is going to work best, let them do it. The province of BC is trying to be a little too green and not realize that development should take time. They are also suggesting a skytrain that will go to UBC, currently only buses go through out much of that area. Translink is also going to have street cars that go through downtown Vancouver, which will be a interesting idea. Instead of that why not make a new link to the north shore that is only for public transit, it will make a bigger difference I am sure.
Don't get me wrong I like investment in Public transportation, money and development that is thought out. I think that some of these decisions will be looked back as a mistake. Costs will increase, prices will have to go up, ridership will go down, the system will suffer.
To begin with Translink is the company that runs the public transportation system in the greater Vancouver area. It is in charge of the buses, seabus and the skytrain. They are currently in the stages of rapid growth, which is not completely under their control. The skytrain system is currently being expanded to the Vancouver Airport (Canada Line), mostly because of the Olympics. This is a needed improvement because over 500,000 people take that route daily. The Evergreen line is going to be a new skytrain route that goes to the Port Moody area. This route was going to be part of an earlier expansion but was too expensive, and was not done. Then recently there was talk of creating a LRT line, like street cars, to the area instead of expensive skytrain development. This was approved but then the provincial government decided to step in and change the plans. The route will now be skytrain and will start to be built after the Canada line is finished, this moves back the opening day by years. It causes the route to be in competition with the West Coast Express, commuter rail.
The provincial government is trying to control translink a little bit to much. If the company has gone through studies and realize that one way is going to work best, let them do it. The province of BC is trying to be a little too green and not realize that development should take time. They are also suggesting a skytrain that will go to UBC, currently only buses go through out much of that area. Translink is also going to have street cars that go through downtown Vancouver, which will be a interesting idea. Instead of that why not make a new link to the north shore that is only for public transit, it will make a bigger difference I am sure.
Don't get me wrong I like investment in Public transportation, money and development that is thought out. I think that some of these decisions will be looked back as a mistake. Costs will increase, prices will have to go up, ridership will go down, the system will suffer.
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