The Nevergreen Line

Despite the fact that the completion date for the Evergreen Line has been pushed back from 2009 to 2011, it would appear that the project is still moving ahead.

The main obstacle at present, is funding. According to this report from Translink, only $570 million of the estimated $970 million that is required to build and operate the system has been committed so far.

The good news though, is that this hasn't stopped Translink and the municipalities of Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam from pushing the project forward - a $20 million detailed design study was commissioned this past October.

According to results from the preliminary design phase, the Evergreen Line route will have 12 stations in total, which will connect Douglas College in Port Coquitlam to the Millenium Line at Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby.

Light-rail trains will run along the route every 7 minutes during rush hour, while the end to end ride will take approximately 24 minutes.

At this point, if all goes according to plan (ie funding comes through), then construction is scheduled to begin by this coming September.

For more details on the project, check out Translink's site here.

Comments

[Clauf]

Everyone hates this line. I find it a waste of valuable money. Instead of having SkyTrain, they choose to have a good for nothing LRT. What's the difference between the Evergreen Line and a Bus-Only Rapid Bus lane (which one costs significantly less still aiming for the same results)? They should be spending this money on building SkyTrain, building of the M-Line. In few years time, they will regret the building of the Evergreen Line.

[Broadway Bully]

Sadly, I agree. This line is highly politicized. In reality, Translink, the GVRD and Translink should be focused on rapit transit to UBC, which is where the real need and demand is.

[titan]

LRT is significantly slower than the skytrain, only slightly quicker than buses.

"Public transit is great for other people to take." Everybody wants the other people to ride the public transit so they can drive without traffic. If public transit isn't faster than driving nobody is interested. Since you have to wait for buses and make transfers the only way to make up the time is a faster system like the skytrain.

Putting in a cheap LRT will make things slightly better for those already taking the buses, but it won't help with the traffic problems by encouraging more riders like a more expensive sky train system will.

[Isabella2]

Too bad you guys have fallen for Falcon-spiel. BUT - if you want to spend 2-3 times what is necessary for transit - go ahead. Just don't look to me for donations. There's a reason why no-one else builds with SkyTrain - they know their subject. And they know that LRT is the safest, the most economical system going. It is also the most popular - no druggy-crime hubs with LRT.