Falcon thinks James has it backwards
Hopes of many including Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini are now dashed after rumours that Provincial Government funding toward rapid transit in the northeast sector were debunked via the Premier’s office.
According to the article in today’s Vancouver Sun, the only money coming is from the federal gas tax funds distributed to municipalities, that is to “pay for 200 new TransLink buses that use alternative-fuel technologies.” The expansion will also help meet capacity for high-volume routes.
The funding will go toward new buses that will “allow us to make significant improvements in bus service south of the Fraser,” said Suzanne Anton, TransLink director and Vancouver councillor. Most of these will be hybrid electric-diesels. Hopefully the bike racks won’t block the headlights on these ones.
The details on the fleet replacement and expansion (90 extra in service, basically) that will roll out by year’s end is old news. It’s not very comforting since every time TransLink makes “improvements” to bus service, something gets worse.
Campbell’s address at the Union of B.C. Municipalities annual meeting appears to have been all talk and regurgitation, with little concrete information or planning. The main topics were climate change and emissions reduction.
A second article, also by Frances Bula, says this:
[Ian] Bruce [climate change specialist, David Suzuki Foundation] noted Campbell didn’t address the biggest source of emissions in the province, transportation, which accounts for 25 per cent of the total. The only commitment he made was $50 million for new buses, which is a fraction of what is needed to achieve any change, Bruce said.
Campbell also continued to defend the Gateway project, which will twin the Port Mann bridge, saying that it will reduce emissions and make room for rapid-bus services along the highway.
Kathryn Molloy of the Sierra Club said the announcements don’t do much more than “inch along” the premier’s agenda.
Huh. I thought recent research published indicated an increase in emissions with Gateway.
And, sorry. Did you say rapid-bus? Along the highway? Maybe that explains the thinking behind this:
Just adding buses will not get people out of their cars, because the buses would be stuck in traffic too, Falcon said in an interview.
Let me back up a second.
NDP leader Carole James has taken a “not this bridge, not now” position on Gateway. While different articles seem to debate the clarity of her position, she said “let’s get on with transit first.”
“If you don’t start with the transit, then you build a bridge, you increase congestion and you end with more problems,” James told reporters. “Every city, every jurisdiction, every country has proven that.”
But B.C. Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon said James had it backwards.
Just adding buses will not get people out of their cars, because the buses would be stuck in traffic too, Falcon said in an interview.
Yes it is a problem: congestion is preventing the movement of commercial goods, for sure, but who is really going to use this bridge and highway expansion? More drivers.
Let’s look at the math here. $50 million for new buses, $3 billion — that’s billion, not million — for the Gateway fiasco which includes highway #1 expansion, twinning of the Port Mann Bridge (aka. traffic nightmare) and a South Fraser Perimeter Road. Wait a second. $50 million into $3 billion… that’s 20 times, which would be like buying 4,000 buses. By the end of this year TransLink will have a mere 1,500 in comparison.
Vaughn Palmer gives us some more details on the talks for the future.
But the Port Mann is too congested for bus traffic at this stage. The twinning will add dedicated lanes and special access ramps for buses.
Transit to the Valley? “You do not have the population density to justify it at this stage,” Falcon maintains.
According to the article, the new bridge and wider highway won’t be completed for at least another 6 years. It takes a few years to build rapid transit, and with Surrey mayor Dianne Watts making quick improvements to densify and clean up Surrey, the Valley’s new downtown, I think it will most definitely have the population density. I think we do need to densify here, but regardless of density, we have the demand.
Second, whoever said anything about bus traffic on the Port Mann? That’s not good enough. We need a fast, reliable SkyTrain and there’s already one going from Surrey to Vancouver… but it stops in Surrey. Better yet, how about both? What Falcon is proposing — and this sounds like an afterthought just to make some of us happy and go along with his evil mastermind plan — is to build the bridge first and then put transit on it. Seriously, now who’s backwards?
If you build it, they will come.
A basket of eggs is overflowing. You have two options: move half the eggs to a different basket, or try to make the basket bigger, breaking eggs in the process. Falcon and his minions want to make the basket bigger. What’s the other option? Invest in faster, more comfortable, more affordable, much more reliable and more frequent transit that covers more ground. Is $5 for a 3-zone fare really realistic? I don’t think so, and I’m not even near or below the poverty line.
James, for her part, insisted it was a question of priorities. The new river crossing and widening of adjacent Highway 1 won’t be ready until 2013 at the earliest.
Frustrated commuters in Surrey, Coquitlam and other communities need relief now, she said.
“Invest in transit today,” the NDP leader urged in her unabashed pitch to the small “g” green voter. “More buses. More fast buses. More bus routes. More SkyTrain cars. Lower fares. An expedited Evergreen Line. And I’m saying to the premier, if you really want to plan for the future, start work on a transit line to serve B.C.’s fastest-growing communities in the Valley.”
And that’s precisely what Rail for the Valley is fighting for.
Politicians are so focused on the now that they don’t see the future: growing communities that need transit projects started NOW, and inevitable congestion regardless of road building if they ignore public transit. It’s a lot easier to add more SkyTrain cars than more roads and bridges.
Young Fraser Valley resident, transit user and avid blogger Paul Hillsdon is keeping pace with the latest rumours and developments. While disappointed at the lack of transit announcements this week, he is optimistic about the near future. I hope for the same.
