I stumbled across TL’s 2009 10-Year Plan on the new commissioner’s website. The Commissioner is legislated to review this and other documents and provide a conclusion. Martin Crilly, the commissioner, offered these three notes on the 10-Year Plan:

• next year’s plan, the 2010 10-Year Plan, needs to include those major capital investments that move the transportation system in Metro Vancouver in the direction of the 2040 vision;
• to accomplish this, a search for additional revenue is imperative; and
• a consultation process must accompany the preparation of the next 10-Year Plan to gauge the willingness of the public and its elected representatives to accept any new taxation or fare levies contained in Supplemental Plans.

So here’s how the new planning process at TL works. Each year, they have to develop a rolling 10-Year “Base” Plan that can be accomplished under the current revenue estimates. As most know, TL’s expenses are going to surpass their revenue in the next three years, leaving the agency with a gap of $150 million annually. The expansion efforts, new operational costs, new debt payments, and rising gas prices, which all added to this funding gap, are going to be covered, temporarily in the next few years, with a surplus fund that TransLink has been gathering.

With that said, understandably, this year’s “Base” Plan includes a lot of expansion and upgrades to the system, but which are being paid for by the surplus fund. Once we hit 2011, when the surplus fund runs out, either new revenue sources will have been found to continue towards the 2040 vision, or service will have to be dramatically reduced and many planned system upgrades or expansions will be cancelled.

TransLink has the option of also developing “Supplemental” Plans, in addition to the yearly “Base” Plans. They would outline additional upgrades or expansions if new revenue mechanisms or unforeseen surpluses arose.

So, while there are a number of plans laid out in the 2009 10-Year Plan that I would love to see come to fruition, it’s doubtful most will unless new funding mechanisms come on-stream within the next year or so. What that means is either a vehicle levy or congestion pricing, or both, will have to be introduced before this time next year, or the 2011 10-Year Plan (developed a year in advance in 2010) will include significant cuts to service.

2009 10-Year Base Plan Includes:

• Bus fleet replacement
• SkyTrain fleet refurbishment
• 2009 bus expansion (157 vehicles)
• Third SeaBus
• Transit infrastructure maintained in good order
• Canada Line
• Evergreen Line
• Golden Ears Bridge
• Bicycle Infrastructure Program funding for Canada Line bicycle bridge
• Five remaining major road projects (Fraser Hwy Widening, Main St Widening, Coast Meridian Overpass, Roberts Bank Rail corridor Grade Separation and Murray-Clarke Connector)
• SkyTrain fleet expansion (72 vehicles)
• SkyTrain station upgrades (Main St and Broadway)
• New dept and new Maintenance Trades and Training Centre

2009 10-Year Base Plan Excludes:

• Transit fleet expansion after 2009-2010
• Post-2009 Bicycle Infrastructure Program
• Post-2009 Major Road Network Minor Capital Program
• Post-2009 Major Road Capital Program
• King George Busway in Surrey
• Smart Card implementation
• Controlled access implementation
• Projects identified by South of Fraser Area Transit Plan, other than what is proposed for implementation in 2009
• Projects identified by the Access Transit Plan, beyond the 10 per cent increase to Custom Transit service proposed for 2009
• Detailed design and construction of the new rapid transit lines identified in the Provincial Transit Plan

Some of the intriguing projects and stats identified in the 10-Year Plan:

Transit Network

• By the end of 2008, 48% of the Metro Vancouver population will reside within a five minute walk of the Frequent Transit Network (service every 15 minutes, 15 hours per day, 7 days a week).
• A Strategic Network Review is being undertaken to ensure the logical sequencing and phasing of the planned transit expansion projects.
• A rapid transit study on alignment, technology and phasing alternatives for the UBC Line will be completed by 2009.
• A study is underway to determine alignment, technology and phasing for bus and rail rapid transit in Surrey. It will be complete by 2009.
• In partnership with the City of Vancouver and the City of Burnaby, a study will examine bus rapid transit services on 41st Ave and Hastings St (95 and 91 B-Lines).
• Bus service expansion will focus on the South of Fraser area. New services will connect Langley and Maple Ridge across the new Golden Ears Bridge, as well as Langley and White Rock.
• As a precursor to BRT, limited stop B-Line service using articulated buses is proposed along 104th/King George in 2010.
• Implementation of the first phase of an expanded regional NightBus network (date not specified).
• Improvements on services that do not currently meet the Transit Service Guidelines minimums for frequency.
• Design is underway for the Maintenance and Transportation Training Centre, located in Maple Ridge and slated to open in 2011. It will be used for major bus maintenance and provide trades training in conjunction with BCIT.
• Initiatives are underway with partners to improve the transit exchange experience at Burnaby Mountain, UBC, Semiahmoo, Newton, Steveston, Capilano College, and Guildford.
• TransLink is exploring the feasibility of coordinating with the City of Vancouver’s streetcar demonstration project during the Olympics.
• TransLink is participating in the Strategic Review of Transit in the Fraser Valley.
• TransLink is developing a regional, multi-modal wayfinding program, with implementation planned to begin in late 2008. A pilot testing will be initiated at two SkyTrain stations for effectiveness.
• Continuation of the implementation of the onboard annunciators and dynamic displays
• A comprehensive review of the fare policy for transit services is scheduled for completion in 2009. It will examine various fare policy options, ranging from distance-based fares to alternative fare zone structures. It will also review the Employer Pass and U-Pass programs.

Road Network

• TransLink is participating in the Greater Vancouver Goods Movement Study, in partnership with Transport Canada and the BC Ministry of Transportation.
• TransLink is also directly involved with the North Shore Trade Area study, the South Shore Trade Area study and an evaluation of the future of the New Westminster Rail Bridge.
• Subject to Board approval, a study will refine the design concepts and cost estimates, and evaluate potential revenue sources to fund the construction of a new Patullo Bridge.
• TransLink is working with local and provincial road agencies to install traffic sensors at key locations to collect and transmit real-time traffic information to road users and a future regional traffic management centre

SkyTrain

• Construction of the 11 km ALRT Evergreen Line is scheduled to commence in 2010, with completion by 2014. The $1.4 billion line will be fully compatible with the existing Expo and Millennium Lines. TransLink has secured it’s portion of the funding; further partnership and senior government funding is still required.
• 34 SkyTrain cars will be introduced in 2009, along with 14 more in 2010. An additional 24 cars are planned to be ordered for arrival in 2011.
• Older Mark I vehicles are planned to be refurbished to extend their lifespan
• A Station Upgrade Program has been developed that will provide the framework to work with municipalities on improvements around SkyTrain stations to maximize the benefit of transit infrastructure.
• The first phase of a two-phase major retrofit at Broadway will begin in 2008 and be completed in 2009. Design for Phase II, which includes major capacity upgrades, will continue through 2009.
• The Main Street Station retrofit will address significant access deficiencies through the addition of a full east entrance and access improvements at the west entrance.
• In 2009, Metrotown Station will receive a detailed design for upgrades to address capacity, access, and customer amenity issues.
• Design work for the relocation of the Surrey Central bus loop to a street grid exchange will proceed pending cost sharing and successful property negotiation by the City of Surrey.
• In 2008-2009, a concept plan is being developed for Waterfront Station to create a multi-modal transportation facility that is highly functional and more accessible to users.

SeaBus

• The addition of a third SeaBus in 2009 will enable the service to enter the Frequent Transit Network and allow for the two older vehicles to be refurbished.
• Based on a 2007 concept plan, improvements to Lonsdale Quay exchange are being investigated. Detailed design will be undertaken in 2008, and construction may be completed by the end of 2009.

West Coast Express

• A plan is being initiated to review the existing system and provide a vision for the future.
• Upgrades to the Port Haney passenger drop-off are in planning stages, as are expansions to the Maple Meadows Park and Ride.
• A new station may be built in the Albion Ferry area by 2011.

Cycling

• Development of a long range Bicycle Master Plan
• Development of an online trip planning tool
• Expansion of bicycle parking at transit hubs

Other initiatives

• In 2009, the TransLink website will feature the first phase of it’s planned overhaul
• Real-time dynamic information, such as SMS or online service alerts, will provide advertising opportunities to assist in recovering the costs associated with the new services.
• A pilot testing of innovative user education and training programs such as Bus Buddies and Train-the-Trainers