INFORMATION BULLETIN

2010TRAN0121-001577 Dec. 16, 2010

Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

 

FRASER VALLEY TRANSIT STUDY RELEASED

 

VICTORIA – The Province released a study to help local governments and funding partners in the Fraser Valley plan sustainable transit services over the next 25 years.

 

            The Province completed the study in partnership with the Fraser Valley Regional District, BC Transit and TransLink. The study includes input from local governments, community and regional stakeholders, as well as the public.

 

            The study examines how people travel in the communities of Abbotsford, Chilliwack, Hope, Kent, Mission and Harrison Hot Springs and throughout the region. The results show:

·         Each day people make 800,000 trips by different styles of transport.

·         About 80 per cent of people travel the most inside their own community.

·         Out of all daily trips, one per cent of people (8,000) take transit.

 

Based on this travel information, the study concludes that a local transit service would carry the most people and be the most efficient and affordable at this time. Some ideas include in the study for transit service are:

·         A service similar to rapid transit would be preferred along the busiest routes.

·         An express coach bus network would improve connections between Mission, Abbotsford, and Chilliwack and Vancouver, Langley, Surrey and Maple Ridge.

·         Community buses, HandyDART service and Dial-A-Bus would work well for smaller populations.

 

The study also includes analysis for two options for commuter rail service: extending West Coast Express to Abbotsford and adding commuter rail service on the inter-urban line from Chilliwack to Surrey. The study finds that:

·         Commuter rail may be a long-term option in the future.

·         Both projects require significant investment and both have lower projected ridership than other transit options in the study.

·         An inter-urban commuter rail service from Surrey to Abbotsford would cost about $70 million annually, which is significantly more than the other transit options available.

·         Passengers would pay more for a ticket using commuter rail than for a premium bus service.

 

The study estimates a potential ridership of 15 million passengers by 2030. To achieve this, service hours would need to reach 420,000 hours annually and services must be enhanced. Since 2001, ridership has increased by 62 per cent to 2.7 million from 1.7 million.

 

Current annual funding for transit in the Fraser Valley is $10 million. The Province provides 47 per cent of funding. Fares and property taxes contribute the rest of the funding. Since 2001, provincial funding has increased by 75 per cent -- from about $3 million.

 

Communities can now use this study to create transit plans and priorities.

 

            The Strategic Review of Transit in the Fraser Valley is available online: www.srtfv.ca or www.th.gov.bc.ca/FraserValleyTransit/

 

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Media Contact:

Jeff Knight Public Affairs Bureau Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure 250 356-7707

 

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