I know it's a bit depressing, but there is only a few more weeks until summer is over. On the bright side, that means that you still have time to sign up for the Surrey Transportation Lecture Program
Download the registration form.
According to Gordon Price:
Disclosure: this is a course hosted by the SFU City Program, of which I’m the director. So in my completely unbiased opinion, this is a great deal for anyone interested in how their community actually works. The staff is really committed and enthusiastic about the course – and the contact you have with them and other members of the class makes it a very special opportunity.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
More Drive-Thrus in Pedestrian Friendly Downtown Langley
One of the things that I don’t understand about the City of Langley is why they continue to allow drive-thrus in their downtown core and gateway areas. If you are trying to build a pedestrian-friendly core, building a drive-thru is not the way to go about it. The following are examples of drive-thrus that are in areas zoned as Downtown Commercial.
According to the Official Community Plan Downtown Commercial zoning “is intended to accommodate a broad range of retail, office and entertainment uses in addition to social, cultural and educational services and facilities and multiple family housing consistent with the pedestrian-oriented character of the downtown core.” There is nothing pedestrian-friendly about a drive-thru.
I was on the bus yesterday and noticed that a new coffee shop will be constructed with a drive-thru on Fraser Highway right next to downtown. While the area is zoned service commercial, it doesn’t seem to fit the character of the area with the recent development of two higher density residential complexes. Sometime I wonder if the City of Langley is compromising building a pedestrian-friendly downtown for the sake of any development.
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| Fraser Highway at 201 A Street |
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| Fraser Highway at 203rd Street |
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| Fraser Highway at 206th Street |
I was on the bus yesterday and noticed that a new coffee shop will be constructed with a drive-thru on Fraser Highway right next to downtown. While the area is zoned service commercial, it doesn’t seem to fit the character of the area with the recent development of two higher density residential complexes. Sometime I wonder if the City of Langley is compromising building a pedestrian-friendly downtown for the sake of any development.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Regional Cycling Strategy
Last month TransLink released their regional cycling strategy as part of Transport 2040. The strategy is called "Cycling for Everyone - A Regional Cycling Strategy for Metro Vancouver" and has lots of interesting stats about cycling in our region.
In the South of Fraser, it looks like many of the corridors that have been identified for rapid transit will also act as the regional cycling spine. Both the BC Parkway and Central Valley Greenway where constructed this way. This should highlight the need for building rapid transit today and not in 20 years as I doubt that regional cycling infrastructure will be installed beforehand.
One of the stats that I found most interesting about cycling in our region is that the more money you make, the more likely you are to cycle. I don't know if this has more to do with the fact that Vancouver has more cycling infrastructure than the rest of the region because it seems odd.
Only 28% of cyclist are female and that number should be closer to 50%. One of the reason that women don't cycle is because of the perceived lack of safety. Separated bike lanes are the best way to increase perceived safety and in Vancouver and New York have been show to attract more cyclist and more female cyclist.
While TransLink proposes to spend $6 million per year to help with regional cycling projects, it is still local municipalities that are responsible for the provision of cycling infrastructure and some municipality are more committed to cycling than others (especially in the South of Fraser.)
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| Existing and Potential Future Major Bikeway Network. Click image to enlarge. |
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| Existing and Planned Cycling Network. Click image to enlarge. |
Only 28% of cyclist are female and that number should be closer to 50%. One of the reason that women don't cycle is because of the perceived lack of safety. Separated bike lanes are the best way to increase perceived safety and in Vancouver and New York have been show to attract more cyclist and more female cyclist.
While TransLink proposes to spend $6 million per year to help with regional cycling projects, it is still local municipalities that are responsible for the provision of cycling infrastructure and some municipality are more committed to cycling than others (especially in the South of Fraser.)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
TransLink’s Moving Forward Investment Package
I received a draft copy of TransLink’s Moving Forward Investment Package and wanted to highlight all the things that the proposed 2 cent gas tax will pay for.
Evergreen Line
11km of SkyTrain from Burnaby to Coquitlam plus an upgraded Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station which will see the construction of a new east outboard platforms for the Expo Line.
Total Capital Cost: $1.489 billion
Annual Operating Cost: $17.8 million
Highway 1 Bus Rapid Transit Service
Provide peak period frequency of 10 minutes between Walnut Grove, Surrey Central SkyTrain, and Lougheed SkyTrain along Highway 1.
Annual Operating Cost: $7.8 million
King George Boulevard B-Line Service
New B-Line route along 104th Avenue and King George Boulevard to provide 7.5 minute service between Guildford Exchange and Newton Exchange with 15 minute service between Newton Exchange and White Rock Centre.
Total Capital Cost: $3.8 million
Annual Operating Cost: $7.2 million
White Rock to Langley Local Service
New bus route along 200th Street and 24th Avenue linking White Rock Centre and Langley with 30 minute service.
Annual Operating Cost: $1.2 million
Bus Service Hours to Meet Minimum Guidelines
Introduce more frequent bus service in the following corridors to relieve overcrowding:
-Marine Drive (West Vancouver and North Vancouver)
-Lonsdale Avenue (North Vancouver)
-SeaBus
-Pinetree Way (Coquitlam)
-Fraser Highway (Surrey and Langley)
-104th Avenue (Surrey)
-Cambie Avenue (Richmond)
-Willingdon (Burnaby)
-East-West Corridor in Vancouver (4th, 41st, 49th)
Total Capital Cost: $5.3 million
Annual Operating Cost: $12.2 million
Bus Service Hours to Accommodate Population Growth
Introduction of additional bus service in 2013 to meet demand for transit service with the purchase of 20 new buses.
Total Capital Cost: $10.5 million
Annual Operating Cost: $8.1 million
Bus Service Hours and Infrastructure on U-Pass Routes
Improve bus service on U-Pass routes to reduce overcrowding with the purchase of 33 new buses and transit priority improvements to the road network.
Total Capital Cost: $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $8.7 million
Main Street Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates and improve accessibility.
Total Capital Costs $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
Metrotown Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates and improve accessibility.
Total Capital Costs $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
Surrey Central Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates, improve accessibility, and new B-Line service. Also moves the current off-street bus exchange to an on-street transit couplet road to support Surrey’s Downtown plan.
Total Capital Cost: $10 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
New Westminster Station Upgrade
Upgrade and replaces station infrastructure at end of useful life and fully integrate with adjacent new development.
Total Capital Cost: $10 million
Annual Operating Cost: $100,000
Lonsdale Quay Upgrade
Upgrade the bus exchange to improve operating efficiency.
Total Capital Cost: $5 million
Restores the Bike Capital Program at $3 million annually
Restore the Major Road Network Minor Capital Program to $20 million annually
TransLink's proposed plan goes along way to improve transit in the South of Fraser and this plan shows that gas tax revenue is not coming from South of Fraser residents to pay for everyone else's transit.
On another note, I find it interesting that fare gates basically cost $400k per station which further proves that they do not have a return on investment.
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| Map of proposed service improvements |
Evergreen Line
11km of SkyTrain from Burnaby to Coquitlam plus an upgraded Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station which will see the construction of a new east outboard platforms for the Expo Line.
Total Capital Cost: $1.489 billion
Annual Operating Cost: $17.8 million
Highway 1 Bus Rapid Transit Service
Provide peak period frequency of 10 minutes between Walnut Grove, Surrey Central SkyTrain, and Lougheed SkyTrain along Highway 1.
Annual Operating Cost: $7.8 million
King George Boulevard B-Line Service
New B-Line route along 104th Avenue and King George Boulevard to provide 7.5 minute service between Guildford Exchange and Newton Exchange with 15 minute service between Newton Exchange and White Rock Centre.
Total Capital Cost: $3.8 million
Annual Operating Cost: $7.2 million
White Rock to Langley Local Service
New bus route along 200th Street and 24th Avenue linking White Rock Centre and Langley with 30 minute service.
Annual Operating Cost: $1.2 million
Bus Service Hours to Meet Minimum Guidelines
Introduce more frequent bus service in the following corridors to relieve overcrowding:
-Marine Drive (West Vancouver and North Vancouver)
-Lonsdale Avenue (North Vancouver)
-SeaBus
-Pinetree Way (Coquitlam)
-Fraser Highway (Surrey and Langley)
-104th Avenue (Surrey)
-Cambie Avenue (Richmond)
-Willingdon (Burnaby)
-East-West Corridor in Vancouver (4th, 41st, 49th)
Total Capital Cost: $5.3 million
Annual Operating Cost: $12.2 million
Bus Service Hours to Accommodate Population Growth
Introduction of additional bus service in 2013 to meet demand for transit service with the purchase of 20 new buses.
Total Capital Cost: $10.5 million
Annual Operating Cost: $8.1 million
Bus Service Hours and Infrastructure on U-Pass Routes
Improve bus service on U-Pass routes to reduce overcrowding with the purchase of 33 new buses and transit priority improvements to the road network.
Total Capital Cost: $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $8.7 million
Main Street Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates and improve accessibility.
Total Capital Costs $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
Metrotown Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates and improve accessibility.
Total Capital Costs $30 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
Surrey Central Station Upgrades
Enable the installation of fare gates, improve accessibility, and new B-Line service. Also moves the current off-street bus exchange to an on-street transit couplet road to support Surrey’s Downtown plan.
Total Capital Cost: $10 million
Annual Operating Cost: $400,000
New Westminster Station Upgrade
Upgrade and replaces station infrastructure at end of useful life and fully integrate with adjacent new development.
Total Capital Cost: $10 million
Annual Operating Cost: $100,000
Lonsdale Quay Upgrade
Upgrade the bus exchange to improve operating efficiency.
Total Capital Cost: $5 million
Restores the Bike Capital Program at $3 million annually
Restore the Major Road Network Minor Capital Program to $20 million annually
TransLink's proposed plan goes along way to improve transit in the South of Fraser and this plan shows that gas tax revenue is not coming from South of Fraser residents to pay for everyone else's transit.
On another note, I find it interesting that fare gates basically cost $400k per station which further proves that they do not have a return on investment.
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