The Multi-Billion Dollar Transit Plan

Premier Gordon Campbell announced $14 billion in new spending on BC transit this morning, with much of that money flowing to the Metro Vancouver region.

Among the main initiatives slated for the Lower Mainland:

• Extension of the Millenium Line out to UBC
• Construction of Coquitlam's Evergreen Line
• Expansion of capacity on the Expo Line

With regard to costs and completion dates, the UBC extension will cost about $2.8 billion and should be finished by 2020. (Today's kindergarteners will be riding it).

The estimated cost of the Evergreen Line is now $1.4 billion (up from $970 million, as projected last fall). The line will connect Coquitlam Centre to the Lougheed Town Centre station. Completion is possible by 2014.

As for the old Expo Line, stations will be expanded to accommodate 6-car trains, while an additional 6 kilometres will be built out in Surrey.

Much of the above is fantastic news, and we applaud it.

What's missing from the plan: any mention of funding for the proposed Vancouver Streetcar.

There isn't much in the way of new transit initiatives for the Fraser Valley either, except for the Rapid Bus service. (What about a 'second' West Coast Express, with Park and Ride stations in the valley?)

Among the dumb ideas in the plan: electronic gates at Skytrain station entrances. (Here's why it doesn't make sense, when one does a simple cost-benefit analysis).

Oddly, the plan 'announced' $2 billion in spending for the Canada Line, despite the fact that this isn't really a 'new' project. (Nor is the 'UBC Line' really new - more accurately, it's an extension).

For more details, check out the Vancouver Sun's coverage here.

The Ministry of Transportation's official information site can be found here, with links to the press release, brochures, etc..

Comments

[djmk]

$14 billion. holy crap, thats a lot of money.

the funny part is, the comments on the vancouver sun article have a significant amount of negative posters. i guess you can't please everybody.

[Brian Bailey]

If you think $14 billion is costly, think about the huge cost of doing nothing. The $14 billion also generates huge economic spinoffs in the local economy, benefitting everyone who lives here. Spend it. Long overdue. Finally, someone has the guts, someone has the vision. Screw the NIMBY's who are against everything which means they are for nothing.

[LB]

Interesting to note that the breakdown of the $11.1bil of new funding is:
- 4.75bil from the Province
- 3.1bil from the Feds (it is hoped)
- 2.75bil from Translink (not sure where Translink it magically going to find this money)
- 0.5bil from local municiplal governments

If we can get up to $14 billion then yay!

[Warren]

Translink still has the authority to up the gas tax another 3 cents per liter, plus I think we'll see a resurrection of the George Puil vehicle levy, which I think was $75/yr tacked on to your ICBC registration.