性视界传媒 city council has endorsed running Bus Rapid Transit (aka BRT) along King George Boulevard from City Centre to South 性视界传媒 and on Oct. 16 also directed city staff to work with TransLink to advance its design.
鈥淭he intent of this report is to provide council with background information to support advocacy to TransLink that King George Boulevard be TransLink鈥檚 top priority for implementation of the first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service in the region,鈥� Scott Neuman, 性视界传媒鈥檚 general manager of engineering, stated in a .
Council voted in favour of Neuman鈥檚 recommendations.
鈥淭he KGB corridor should be prioritized as the first BRT project in the region,鈥� he said. 鈥淏RT on KGB would provide immediate benefits, including reduced traffic congestion and increased transit ridership, making it the most favourable option for rapid implementation.鈥�
The proposed alignment would see the BRT run from 性视界传媒 City Centre to Newton Exchange, Colebrook Overpass, Serpentine River Bridge, Highway Overpass and South 性视界传媒 Park & Ride to Semiahmoo Town Centre.
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Neuman said BRT is a 鈥渇ast, efficient and high-capacity鈥� transit service used in many cities around the world that provides a 鈥渉igher level of services than existing regional RapidBus services鈥� as it requires lanes exclusively dedicated for buses, 鈥渨hich are often separated from regular traffic by physical barriers, and feature higher-capacity buses, dedicated stations, high frequency service, and extended hours of operation that attract higher ridership.鈥�
BRT buses are prioritized at traffic signals and feature off- board fare collection, 鈥渜uick and convenient鈥� access platforms and stations with 鈥渞eal-time information, wayfinding, and improved lighting.鈥�
Neuman noted TransLink鈥檚 10-Year Priorities Plan proposes to run nine BRT routes across the region, including KGB from 性视界传媒 City Centre through Newton to South 性视界传媒. 鈥淭hese future BRT services would be the first in British Columbia,鈥� he said.
A review of the nine proposed corridors indicates KGB has the largest population, highest public transit ridership 鈥� with seven million passenger boardings each year 鈥� and because this corridor is entirely within 性视界传媒, it鈥檚 鈥渢he only corridor that can be advanced without co-ordination between multiple municipalities.鈥�
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Coun. Harry Bains said the project meets 性视界传媒鈥檚 short-term goals 鈥渨hile setting us up for the long term.鈥�
鈥淚f we鈥檙e successful in receiving this BRT line we start meeting some of the city鈥檚 goals immediately,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have mass transit, rapid mass transit right up and down King George right into South 性视界传媒, that鈥檚 so important for the city. It connects Newton, it connects South 性视界传媒 with the City Centre area. We won鈥檛 have to wait decades for it 鈥� it will be within years.鈥�
Bains said that鈥檚 important, because BRT will allow development along the corridor while taking cars off of King George.
鈥淭here鈥檚 way too many cars there and this takes some of those cars off.鈥�
Bains added a 鈥渓ong-term benefit鈥� of this project is much of the roadwork necessary to accommodate SkyTrain along the corridor would be done if and when 鈥渨e were ever to receive SkyTrain鈥� along King George.
鈥淪o where we鈥檝e seen the SkyTrain line to Langley being constructed, the last five years have been spent doing road work. Well, we鈥檙e going to do that while we do this bus rapid transit so this is a great solution both in the short term and the long term and I鈥檓 very happy to see that we鈥檙e applying for it and I hope that we are successful.鈥�
Mayor Brenda Locke said there鈥檚 no doubt 性视界传媒 is under-served 鈥渢remendously鈥� by TransLink and the Province when it comes to transportation infrastructure.
鈥淚t is critical that we move people and this is an important part of that,鈥� Locke said. 鈥淲e are really desperate for additional public transit in our city and the BRT will be helpful.鈥�
