TransLink approved a $5 million investment to study a rapid transit line  to UBC—without having the funding to actually build it.

The study has already resulted in about a dozen consultations with various groups and businesses and is expected to continue until the end of June 2009.

“Work is underway, even if the money isn’t placed…[but] when the money finally comes, we will be that one step ahead,” said Ken Hardie of TransLink media relations.

The proposed UBC rapid transit line is supposed to connect the Broadway corridor from Commercial Drive to UBC and is approximated at $2.8 billion. The line was approved by the province in January 2008 as part of a $14 billion provincial Transit Plan, which includes the $2 billion Canada Line that connects Downtown to Richmond and YVR, as well as the Evergreen Line that is projected to connect Coquitlam to Vancouver.

However, TransLink does not have the funding for any of these capital projects, let alone the UBC line. “The underlying issue is a severe lack of funding from the provincial government for TransLink, and as a result, TransLink has not been able to provide the necessary and urgently needed upgrades to transit services to campus both in the short term and in the long term through rapid expansion projects,” said AMS President Blake Frederick.

“[The UBC Line] can’t happen until TransLink has funding. There’s no specific [dates for construction],” said Hardie.
The Vancouver Mayors Council recently approved $130 million in new annual revenue under a new 2010 Ten-Year Plan. The funding was a bailout to allow TransLink to maintain transit operations at current levels that otherwise would have not been possible with TransLink’s forecasted deficit of $95.3 million by the end of this year.

Exactly how the funding will be achieved for these projects is uncertain at the moment. Suggestions include increased fares, raising gas taxes or property taxes, or putting tolls on bridges, explained Hardie, who hopes that the province and the federal government will chip in.

However, other groups are not as optimistic about the rapid line along Broadway. Nick Panos, a member of the West Broadway Business Association (WBBA), said that WBBA “demands an active involvement in the planning process for the UBC rapid transit line and to be part of the study,” and he expects compensation for surrounding businesses “who will suffer no matter what” from the “disruptive construction” that would ensue.

Panos prefers having surface-level light rail vehicles, or “trams” for the UBC line that would be least disruptive and do the job of carrying 200 to 500 passengers for each vehicle. Other identified options thus far include an electrical bus transit, an underground subway or the most expensive option—extending the current SkyTrain line.

Weighing options may be exactly why this study is so important, according to Maria Harris, director of Electoral Area A. “[It’s about] finding ways to remove bottlenecks and full buses driving past commuters still waiting at the bus stop,” she said.

“The [UBC Line] study is important to determine what is necessary for students and to assess all options.” Harris added that more housing on the UBC campus could help solve the congestion in buses.

UBC is in support of the consultation process, but feel that more information is needed before they can approve the UBC Rapid Line transit.

“It’s a bit like weather forecasting…to tell you what it is going to be like far out in the future…is difficult,” said Joe Stott, director of UBC Campus and Community Planning.

“I think it should be a test [to see] what makes a good service to UBC.” He added that UBC has not financially contributed to the study thus far.

AMS VP External Tim Chu said that the AMS does not have a formal position on the UBC line, but knows that students should be involved in the consultation process.

“Give TransLink their autonomy, let them consult with stakeholder groups, include students, develop a line where a whole community can get behind together and have the provincial and all levels of government to come in and fund it,” he said.

The AMS wants to see a change to the city’s transit system sooner than later. Chu said that according to information contained in the AMS’s freedom of information (FOI) request, total reported driver pass-ups—when full buses do not stop for a passenger—at TransLink were over 8000 last year. However, Chu added that he knows it is a much greater number than that.

“We’re 800 buses short to reach even capacity,” said Chu. “This FOI request is the tip of an iceberg to show how problematic our transit system is and how we are lacking service.”

“We fully support that TransLink is undergoing consultation and study to investigate a rapid transit line to UBC,” Frederick said, “but at the same time, we need to increase transit service campus today.”

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