TransLink wants to know what you think about its plans for the future of transportation in Metro Vancouver.
The transport authority launched a public consultation on Tuesday on phase one of the Mayors’ Council’s 10-year vision for Metro Vancouver transit and transportation, which was approved by the mayors of Metro Vancouver in September and is expected to cost $2 billion.
Members of the public can weigh in by filling out an online questionnaire by the end of October or attending any of the five public open houses that will be held throughout the Lower Mainland between Oct. 15 and Oct. 24.
The “region faces challenges, including overcrowding on our transit system, congestion on our roads, and another 1 million new residents expected to move to Metro Vancouver over the next 30 years,” a guide on the 10-year plan explains.
The public consultation comes after a year of challenges for TransLink, including the shaky roll-out of the long-awaited Compass system, which saw fare gates shut out passengers with disabilities, criticisms of poor management amid news of a rising number of TransLink employees with six-figure salaries, and an increase in reported sex offences on transit.
The vision aims to speed up public transit, reduce traffic and improve transportation with increases in the system and upgrades to major roads, as well as new sidewalks and bike routes. The planned improvements to public transport, which are slated to begin in early 2017, include a 10 per cent increase in bus service, including more service on overcrowded routes, in new areas and new B-line rapid bus routes; an 18 per cent increase in SkyTrain service; new SkyTrain and West Coast Express cars and more SeaBus sailings.
Metro Vancouver governments plan to raise funds for the improvements with a proposed $3-per-household increase in property taxes and proposed transit fair hikes that would see prices for individual trips rise by between between 20 and 30 cents by 2019. The federal and provincial government will also make contributions.
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