THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED TransLink’s Improbable Journey from 1999 to 2008 Copyright © 2008 by TransLink All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the copyright holder. TransLink 1600 – 4720 Kingsway Burnaby, BC V5H 4N2 Canada 604-453-4500 www.translink.bc.ca Written by Trevor Wales Revised by Heather Prittie and Jhenifer Pabillano Edited by Patricia G. Webb Preface by Mike Harcourt Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication Wales, Trevor, 1986- The road less travelled: TransLink’s improbable journey from 1999 to 2008 / written by Trevor Wales; edited by Patricia G. Webb; preface by Mike Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-9810441-0-1 1. TransLink (Firm)--History. 2. Local transit--British Columbia--Vancouver Metropolitan Area--History. 3. Transportation and state--British Columbia--Vancouver Metropolitan Area--History. I. Webb, Patricia G. (Patricia Grace), 1959- II. TransLink (Firm) III. Title. HE4508.B7W35 2008 388.409711’33 C2008-903858-4 CONTENTS 1 Preface by Mike Harcourt 51 Millennium Line SkyTrain Opens Amid Controversy 2 The TransLink 55 Three-Year Plan Marks Family of Companies a Fresh Start 59 U-Pass Earns High Marks 1- 5 Ignition: Pre-history - 1999 From University Students 6 Timeline 1897-1988 9 TransLink: A New Model 4-61 Momentum: 2004 - 2007 for Managing Transportation 62 Timeline 2005-2007 11 Life Before TransLink 65 Building Relationships 15 First Steps Throughout the Region 69 A New Plan, a 10-Year Outlook, 2-21 Pathfi nding: 1999 - 2001 and a New Deal 73 The Canada Line Debates 22 Timeline 1999-2001 77 Major Shifts in Governance, 25 Leaders are Appointed Mandate, and Funding and the Transition Begins 29 Early Transit and Road Improvements 5-81 New Destinations: 2008 and Beyond 33 The Vehicle Levy Stalls - 37 Transit Strike Crawls 82 Timeline 2008 2040 85 Expanded Mandate Makes Bigger Projects Possible 3-41 Acceleration: 2002 - 2003 42 Timeline 2002-2004 88 Awards 45 New Leadership Revitalizes TransLink 49 A New Push for Stable Funding PREFACE by Mike Harcourt Mike Harcourt is a former premier of British Columbia, mayor of Vancouver, and city councillor. His work has helped B.C. become one of the most livable regions in the world. Today, he continues to champion sustainable development and livable communities worldwide, and has been honoured for his efforts with the Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service, and the Canadian Urban Institute's Jane Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2006, he chaired the Prime Minister's Advisory Committee for Cities and Communities, and co-chaired the National Advisory Committee on the UN-HABITAT World Urban Forum. Preface 1 In the 1990s, transportation was the top issue in the Opening in 2009, the new Canada Line provides a rapid Lower Mainland. Skyrocketing rates of car ownership and transit link between Richmond, Vancouver, and the Vancouver gridlock on the roads made commuting a nightmare, as well International Airport. The line offsets the need for more roads as challenging efficient goods movement and producing and bridges, adding the transit capacity of 10 major road environmentally damaging emissions. The provincial lanes to a corridor containing one-third of our region’s jobs, government and leaders of the 20 municipalities making up and one-fifth of its population. the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD) knew at that time this situation couldn’t go on. And TransLink’s work has helped the region reduce its environmental impact. New transit vehicles run on cleaner The solution, the GVRD believed, lay in a regional response. diesel fuels that use less fuel and produce far fewer With no other transportation model coming close to fitting emissions, and 141 diesel-electric hybrid buses are even its needs, Greater Vancouver blazed its own trail, developing cleaner. TransLink also continues investing in zero-emission a regional agency with unprecedented authority to tackle electric trolley buses, replacing its entire trolley fleet to the crisis. Through negotiations with the Province of British low-floor models. Cycling infrastructure and bike access to Columbia, TransLink was born in 1999: a unique, made-in-B.C. transit are also major priorities: most TransLink buses are solution unmatched by any transportation authority in now equipped with bike racks, and bike lockers are in many the world. SkyTrain stations. MIKE HARCOURT TransLink has three key features. First, it is responsible for What will blow everyone’s socks off, however, is TransLink’s creating a transportation network to move people and goods next five to seven years. With 2008 bringing a new board efficiently, and building capacity to handle population growth structure and more dedicated funding, TransLink can now and meet the municipalities’ economic plans. Second, it is truly deliver on its promise of transporting people and goods responsible for both the major road network and the public while responding to the needs of municipalities. transit system - in almost every other city, these areas are the responsibility of separate departments. Third, it has the means Aligning with provincial plans, TransLink is already planning to raise its own funds through taxation—a key change from its two new rail rapid transit lines, the Evergreen Line and UBC predecessor BC Transit, who had to appeal to the province for Line, as well as an extension of the Expo Line. Seven more funding every year. high-capacity rapid bus lines will also be launched in Metro Vancouver. TransLink’s new real estate function is looking to The structure works. In the years since its formation, TransLink’s shape smarter, denser city development early on. Through work has brought a wealth of benefits to our region. these projects and more, TransLink is moving toward a complete regional transportation system, offering a viable For instance, after a decade that saw virtually no expansion alternative to the car, and linking city centres and corridors of transit services, TransLink increased transit service hours that are greener and more compact. by 32 per cent since 1999. The bus fleet expanded from 1092 vehicles to over 1400. Specialized services like community So enjoy this book: a thorough look at the monumental task shuttles and rapid bus lines have been added, and ridership of building TransLink, and the successes and challenges jumped due to programs like the Vancity U-Pass. overcome in its first decade of growth. There are many amazing achievements in these years. What comes next will TransLink also builds key roads and bridges to keep the region be even more spectacular. moving, expanding its capital budget from $600 million in 1999 to about $5 billion in 2008. Projects include the new Golden Ears Bridge opening in 2009, connecting Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows to Surrey and Langley. The bridge ties directly into the road upgrades of the province’s Gateway Program, improving regional traffic flows immensely. 2 SERVICES OPERATING Subsidiaries Contractors BUS & SEABUS COAST MTN BUS CO LTD DISTRICT OF WEST VAN CONTRACTED SERVICES COMMUNITY SHUTTLES BC RAPID SKYTRAIN PUBLIC TRANSIT TRANSIT CO LTD CP RAIL WEST COAST WEST COAST EXPRESS EXPRESS LTD VIA RAIL 7 CONTRACTORS HANDYDART (8 CONTRACTS) FRASER RIVER ALBION FERRY MARINE LTD MUNICIPALITIES MAJOR ROAD & MINISTRY OF NETWORK TRANSPORTATION ROADS & BRIDGES AND HIGHWAYS TRANSPORTATION JACK BELL DEMAND MANAGEMENT B.E.S.T PACIFIC VEHICLE AIRCARE TESTING ENVIROTEST TECHNOLOGY LTD CANADA INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION 592040 BC LTD SYSTEMS Coast Mountain Bus Company BC Rapid Transit Company The Coast Mountain Bus Company The British Columbia Rapid Transit (CMBC) was created on April 1, 1999, Company operates the internationally TransLink is responsible for planning, and was formerly known as BC Transit respected SkyTrain advanced rapid financing, and managing transportation within Metro Vancouver. It is TransLink’s transit system, which connects largest subsidiary, with a current fl eet of downtown Vancouver with Burnaby, modes and services in the Metro more than 1,400 buses and over 5,000 New Westminster, and Surrey. Vancouver region of British Columbia. employees. CMBC operates over 96 per TransLink’s SkyTrain is the world’s cent of the region’s bus service, which longest automated light rapid transit includes 208 state-of-the-art clean diesel system. SkyTrain began with the Expo The first North American transportation buses and 228 zero-emission trolleys. Line, built for the Expo 86 World Fair, authority responsible for both roads Contracted companies, including West with the Millennium Line added in 2002. Vancouver Blue Bus and community The two lines have a combined total of and transit, TransLink also oversees shuttle services, operate the remaining 49.5-kilometres of track and 33 stations. transportation demand management, four per cent of regional bus service. The system uses the same family of linear induction motor-driven trains cycling facilities, AirCare vehicle CMBC also operates the SeaBus found in Toronto, New York, and Kuala emissions testing, and intelligent passenger ferries, a vital link between Lumpur. SkyTrain is one of the country’s North Vancouver and downtown largest transit services, carrying over transportation systems technology. Vancouver. These two vessels, which 65 million people every year. This model allows TransLink to plan carry up to 400 passengers each, were a world fi rst when launched in 1977. The West Coast Express the network as a strategic whole, and SeaBus crosses Burrard Inlet 45,000 West Coast Express runs the rail and has drawn acclaim from transportation times a year and carried more than 94 bus service that connects Mission, million passengers by 2007. Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port experts worldwide. Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with downtown Vancouver. It is the travel choice of over 9,000 a day and The TransLink Family of Companies 3 THE TRANSLINK FAMILY OF COMPANIES over two million customers a year, and Intelligent Transportation Systems emissions inspection.