Community Consultation Discussion Guide And
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! COMMUNITY CONSULTATION MARCH 2003 DISCUSSION GUIDE AND FEEDBACK FORM www.ravprapidtransit.com RICHMOND•AIRPORT•VANCOUVER RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT March 2003 We are considering an important addition to the region’s transportation network. The Richmond•Airport•Vancouver rail rapid transit project is a collaboration of eight agencies; the Government of Canada, the Province of British Columbia,TransLink and Vancouver International Airport (Contributing Agencies) and the Cities of Richmond and Vancouver, the Vancouver Port Authority, and the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) (Participating Agencies). The agencies have just completed the Project Definition Phase with the objective of; • defining the requirements for a rail rapid transit line connecting Vancouver, Richmond and the Airport, • identifying a structure to build and pay for the line, and • evaluating whether it was feasible to complete construction of the line by 2009. The purpose of the community consultation is to share the results of the Project Definition Phase through a consultation Discussion Guide and feedback form. Public feedback will be summarized in a Consultation Summary Report and presented with technical reports to the Contributing and Participating Agencies as they consider whether to proceed to finance and build the line. Over the next decade, as population increases, we will improve rapid transit into the region’s north east sector, we will build a new crossing over the Fraser River near the Port Mann Bridge, we will improve bus service and replace the trolley bus fleet, and we will continue to ask the public how we can improve the movement of people and goods throughout this region. This Discussion Guide is designed to provide you with summary information about the proposed rail rapid transit line between Richmond, the Airport and Vancouver. If you want more detailed information, we encourage you to go to the RAVP web site at www.ravprapidtransit.com to access the Project Definition Report, which summarizes the work of the project team over the last 10 months. If you would like even more detail, you can access the financial and technical reports at the same website. We want your feedback on this proposed rail rapid transit line. After years of study and recent technical reviews, we are ready to make important decisions.There is a proposed alignment along No. 3 Road in Richmond, Grant McConachie Way at the Airport and along Cambie to downtown and the Waterfront station.We would like your feedback on this proposed alignment.We haven’t chosen the type of rail rapid transit that might operate on the line and we’re interested in your preferences regarding systems that operate underground, at street level or above street level (elevated). In short, we want to share the most recent information about the line and get your feedback. Please participate via the web, newspaper information piece, open houses or public workshops. The Discussion Guide and consultation materials are available in English and Chinese in print and on the web to encourage broad participation. Thank you for your interest in helping us consider an important addition to the region’s trans- portation network. We look forward to your comments. Pat Jacobsen Jane Bird CEO,TransLink Project Director, RAVP ! INTRODUCTION This community consultation Discussion Guide is designed to provide the public with summary information about the proposed rail rapid transit line connecting central Richmond, the Airport and Sea Island, central Broadway and downtown Vancouver. A rapid transit line would connect with existing rapid transit lines at Waterfront Station and with major east/west transit services, creating a transit network to serve the region.The guide contains highlights of the regional transportation network and describes how the Richmond•Airport•Vancouver Rapid Transit line fits within the network of roads, buses and rapid transit systems including; • the proposed location of the rapid transit line; • proposed performance standards for the line, such as safety, travel time and reliability, and • the proposed alternative elevations of the line: some sections may be underground, some at street level and some above street level (elevated). A feedback form is attached to encourage readers and those who participate in the March 2003 community consultation activities to provide their feedback and suggestions via the website, the newspaper information piece, open houses and workshops. Public Consultation – Discussion Guide & Feedback Form Mar. 3 Discussion Guide and feedback form launched on the web Notice of Consultation in The Vancouver Sun, Province, Ming Pao and Sing Tao Open Houses and Public Workshops Mar. 3-14 Open Houses Open House materials will be displayed in Richmond and Vancouver City Halls and at Vancouver International Airport. A Discussion Guide & Feedback form will be available. Locations: Richmond City Hall – No.3 Road & Granville Vancouver City Hall – 3rd floor, 453 W12th Ave. Vancouver International Airport –Domestic Arrivals Level Mar. 8 Public Workshop – Richmond. A half-day workshop will use the Discussion Guide & Feedback form. Time and Location: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Richmond City Hall - No. 3 Road & Granville, Council Chambers Mar. 12 Public Workshop – Vancouver. A workshop will use the Discussion Guide & Feedback form. Time and Location: 6:30 pm – 9:00 pm, Vancouver Public Library, Alice MacKay Room – 350 W. Georgia St.,Vancouver Mar. 15 Public Workshop – Vancouver. A half-day workshop will use the Discussion Guide & Feedback form. Time and Location: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm, Plaza 500 Ballroom – 500 W. 12th Ave., Vancouver Feb. 24 - Small Group Meetings Meetings with community organizations are Mar. 24 being scheduled throughout March, 2003 1 ! RAPID TRANSIT Across the globe, a thriving rapid transit system is an integral part of vibrant cities. 2 ! WHAT IS THE RICHMOND•AIRPORT•VANCOUVER RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT? The Richmond•Airport•Vancouver Rapid Transit Project is a proposed rail rapid transit line connecting central Richmond, the Airport and Sea Island, central Broadway and downtown Vancouver. A rapid transit line would connect with existing rapid transit lines at Waterfront Station and with major east/west transit services, creating a transit network to serve the region. The Richmond/Vancouver corridor is the primary north/south corridor in the Lower Mainland. It is one of the busiest corridors in the region, home to one-third of the region’s jobs and 20% of the population. Three Decades of Planning The Vancouver/Richmond corridor is one of three trunk corridors identified for rapid transit in the GVRD’s Livable Region Strategic Plan (LRSP) and TransLink’s Strategic Transportation Plan.It is also part of city planning policy in Richmond and Vancouver. In addition to transportation policy work, there have been many technical studies regarding a rapid transit connection in the north/south corridor, dating back to the 1970s. ’s ent” il line eable tion Plan ra tion Plan n Transportation ond/ efinition” ink’s Strategic ’s “Liv ntow nsport 2021” rious studies ow V 2001/2002 V 2002/2003 ra ! va of Richm Region StrategicProvince/GVRD Plan” Transporta City of Vancouver’sD Plan RA RA Vancouver City of“Clouds Vancouver ofGVRD Change” ‘s “T City ofTransporta Vancouver’s TransL “Needs Assessm “Project D 70’s 80’s 90’s 2000 2001 2002 2003 A Multi-Agency Initiative Continued growth in Richmond and Vancouver and on Sea Island at the Airport and growing congestion prompted renewed attention to the need to add transit capacity. The most recent review of the feasibility of rapid transit in this corridor began in 2000, with funding from Canada, the Province, TransLink and Vancouver International Airport (Contributing Agencies) and with participation by the Cities of Richmond and Vancouver, the Vancouver Port Authority, and the GVRD (Participating Agencies). THE RICHMOND • AIRPORT • VANCOUVER CORRIDOR ! is the primary north/south corridor in the Lower Mainland and one of the busiest corridors in the region ! is home to one-third of the region’s jobs and 20% of it’s population !! connects Richmond and the Airport to central Broadway, downtown Vancouver, Canada Place and the convention centre, and Vancouver Port cruise ship facilities connects to the regional transportation network through existing east/west rapid transit lines at the downtown Vancouver Waterfront terminus and through east/west transit services, creating a transit network to serve the Greater Vancouver region 3 ! REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK 4 !! THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION NETWORK - IMPROVING TRAVEL OPTIONS The proposed rail connection between Richmond, the Airport and Vancouver is part of a much larger family of road and transit services throughout Greater Vancouver including: • 2,200 km of roads. • Public transit, including the Coast Mountain Bus Company, Blue buses, Community Shuttle buses and HandyDart. • The Expo and Millennium rapid transit lines and the West Coast Express commuter rail. TransLink’s New Road and Transportation Priorities To meet the demands of population growth, address congestion and provide broader travel options throughout the region,TransLink has established four immediate priorities including: • Rapid Transit to the North East sector • A new road crossing of the Fraser River • Trolley bus replacement and bus expansion • A Richmond•Airport•Vancouver Rapid Transit line TransLink’s Capital Plan TransLink plans to make significant capital investments in roads & bridges, trolley buses, and transit service to improve the movement of goods and people throughout the region. TransLink’s Service Plan Looking past the near and mid-term planning horizons to the longer term, Greater Vancouver will double its bus service and have a mature rapid transit network including a new Richmond Airport Vancouver line, Coquitlam line and a Broadway line. WHY DO WE NEED A RICHMOND • AIRPORT • VANCOUVER RAIL RAPID TRANSIT LINE? A Richmond/Vancouver line has been studied since the ‘70’s and has been part of the regional plan for 10 years.The regional plan calls for increased transit capacity in this corridor.The north- south corridor between Richmond, the Airport and Vancouver is one of the busiest in the region.