性视界传媒 is getting one of three Bus Rapid Transit routes that were announced for Metro Vancouver by the Mayors鈥� Council on Regional Transportation today (Thursday, Nov. 16), with service running along King George Boulevard from Whalley to White Rock.
鈥淚t鈥檚 huge for 性视界传媒 and it鈥檚 going to be really effective in moving people from City Centre through Newton and right the way down to South 性视界传媒 so we鈥檙e really excited about that potential,鈥� 性视界传媒 Mayor Brenda Locke told the Now-Leader. 鈥淎 lot of the work was already done to accommodate LRT in the day, and so a lot of the work is already done 鈥� the road is ready to go.鈥�
The Mayors鈥� Council on Regional Transportation selected three 鈥減riority corridors鈥� for TransLink to advance the 鈥渉igh-frequency鈥� rapid transit service that will feature dedicated bus lanes and 鈥渞ail-like鈥� stations.
The other two corridors are Langley Centre to Haney Place, and Metrotown to the North Shore. Specific alignment, designs, costs and timelines have not yet been determined for the three but work on these is expected to begin immediately, with public consultation.
TransLink鈥檚 press release indicates the corridors were selected 鈥渂ased on ridership potential, increasing access to jobs, future housing and development growth projections, the feasibility of implementing new transit priority infrastructure, and the early support from local governments to implement the changes necessary for the projects.鈥�
The BRT routes will feature 鈥渢raffic-separated鈥� lanes and 鈥渟ignal priority鈥� at intersections. 鈥淭hrough the Access for Everyone plan, TransLink is working with regional Mayors to implement up to nine regional BRT corridors,鈥� the press release indicates. 鈥淭hese three corridors have been selected in the first phase to proceed, with the other corridors to follow. TransLink and the Mayors鈥� Council will be seeking senior government funding for these routes.鈥�
READ ALSO: 性视界传媒 council endorses Bus Rapid Transit on King George from Whalley to South 性视界传媒
Anita Huberman, CEO of the 性视界传媒 Board of Trade, said while BRT represents 鈥渁 positive step, again, it鈥檚 not the only thing that 性视界传媒 needs.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been left behind for decades in transit and transportation infrastructure and we have to make it easy and accessible and that鈥檚 why we still continue to advocate for Light Rail Transit technology in 性视界传媒 to connect our wide geography,鈥� Huberman told the Now-Leader. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still a car culture and moving that culture onto Bus Rapid Transit is going to be the number-one challenge for TransLink.鈥�
READ ALSO: 性视界传媒 should take 鈥榞ood hard look鈥� at running hydrogen passenger trains to Chilliwack
On Oct. 16 性视界传媒 council directed city staff to work with TransLink to advance its design after endorsing running BRT along King George Blvd. between the City Centre and South 性视界传媒.
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 to council.
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.
Locke noted that transit ridership in 性视界传媒, in relation to the pandemic, 鈥渞ebounded faster than any other really in Canada. We are at 120 per cent post-COVID, that鈥檚 our ridership. So absolutely we need this kind of transit and we need it yesterday, actually.鈥�
