TransLink is playing 鈥渃atch up鈥� for Delta and the rest of the communities south of the Fraser River.
That was the message from transportation authority CEO Kevin Desmond in a presentation to the Delta Chamber of Commerce Tuesday.
Image courtesy TransLink
鈥淲hat we鈥檝e been doing with the mayors鈥� plan, so far, is we鈥檝e been adding service to every community in the region, but disproportionately adding to that part of the region that has not seen as much service over the years. That鈥檚 south of the Fraser River, the Tri-Cities and east. We鈥檙e in catch up mode. We鈥檝e got a lot more work to do,鈥� said Desmond on the Metro Vancouver-approved 10-year vision for transportation system expansion.
Desmond called the improvements 鈥渢he most profound expansion of transit service鈥� since the Canada Line almost a decade ago. He said B-Line services are being added and the Scott Road corridor will have one by 2021. Desmond noted the rapid buses are a good precursor to even higher capacity, which could include rapid transit.
TransLink has also completed a Southwest Area Transit Plan that specifically looks at Delta and Richmond. For Delta, the improvements will include better connections to the rest of the region, better connections to Ladner Village, implementation of double-decker buses for the #620 route and increased service to industrial areas.
TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond was the guest speaker at a Delta Chamber of Commerce meeting Tuesday. Photo by Sandor Gyarmati/Delta Optimist
Among the other topics Desmond talked about was the George Massey Tunnel, which he noted is 鈥渃learly on Delta鈥檚 mind鈥� but is a provincial asset. TransLink provided data for the province鈥檚 review of the crossing but has no say as far as whether the crossing should be replaced with a bridge or another tunnel, he explained, adding the government has already made it clear it will consult with the Mayors鈥� Council before making any decisions.
However, one area of mutual interest is that a new crossing be 鈥渧ery transit supported.鈥�
Desmond also noted the transportation authority has begun early work on a 30-year plan that will look at an array of projected priorities, although funding future projects always remains an uncertainty. He said there鈥檚 been 鈥渢alk鈥� of expanding rapid transit from the Canada Line to Delta as well as improvements that might be needed if Vancouver鈥檚 cruise ship terminal is relocated from 麻豆传媒映画to Roberts Bank.
Some of the questions from the audience included mobility pricing, which Desmond said won鈥檛 be introduced in the near future but over the next few years as a much needed way to ease congestion as well as a source of revenue to make up for declining gas tax money.
He described the province鈥檚 removal of tolls as an 鈥渆quity鈥� issue for south of the Fraser, but followed that up by describing how 鈥減oint tolling鈥� or 鈥渄istance-based鈥� pricing could be introduced for motorists.
Desmond acknowledged any scheme could very well result in a 鈥減olitical fire鈥� with drivers demanding to know why they will have to keep paying for something they鈥檝e already paid for.
He said there鈥檚 still a lot of work to do when it comes to mobility pricing but a road user pay system could be introduced within 10 years.
