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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

In the past few years, I’ve visited a number of cities in Western North America. I’ve usually spent about a day or two roaming around their downtown core and various districts. In doing so, I tend to collect information about the city in terms of my knowledge about what makes a livable and sustainable urban space - transportation options, vibrant communities, housing mix, social equality, and more. With some of these barometers in mind, I invite you to check out my first city review: Seattle. 

Pros:

• The waterfront
• Eclectic shops
• Encroaching Vancouverism i.e. Harbour Steps, developments near Olympic Sculpture Park
• All the festivals! (3 were going on when I visited)
• Pike Place Market!
• It’s vast transit expansion plans
• 3 streetcar lines!
• A very diverse, multicultural population
• Seattle Center refurb plans

Just to let you all know that myself and Karen Fung, the organizers of TransitCamp Vancouver last year, are holding something of a version 2.0, called TransportHero Camp, this Sunday.

We are organizing the open session workshop as part of CUTA’s Youth Summit on Sustainable Transportation and are inviting members of the public and other local transit geeks to come and join in on the discussions :)

Here’s the info:
Sunday, August 24th
UBC, the Isabel MacInnes room at the Gage residence [map]

It’s a short walk form the UBC bus loop. Sorry for the short notice and hope to see some of you there!

This is the follow up to an earlier post detailing what made me change my mind about safety issues on SkyTrain.

As I said in the former post, I used to be anti-turnstiles and considered safety concerns at SkyTrain hyperbolic and mostly due to perception. Now that that has all changed, here’s a few ideas that I feel would make our transit system much safer. 

Turnstiles with 1 attendant at each station

The real problem with safety *on* SkyTrain has to do with undesirables getting onto the system so easily. Turnstiles solves this problem because it creates a barrier (both figuratively and literally), encouraging only legitimate usage of the train. 

Furthermore, turnstiles require at least one attendant to be there at all times in case there’s issues with the gates. This ensures that there is a staff presence at each station, and will make people feel safer because they know someone is always there (unlike the current roaming structure). If the attendants end up “adopting” one, or a few, stations as their regulars, it will also create a sense of community for users. 

Flexibility with frequencies

What I encountered the other day with a completely empty train could be resolved by adjusting the train frequency. Now, I know, the great thing about SkyTrain is very consistent frequencies. For example, trains come at least every 4 minutes at late night! It’s odd though, considering how TransLink tends to play with frequencies much more on the buses to increase efficiency. That is to say, it’s not like they’ll run 1/3 full buses every 10 minutes over half an hour period - instead they’ll just run one full bus every 30 minutes. 

So why not explore this option for times when safety is a real issue (usually late nights)? Why not reduce the SkyTrain service on Mondays to Thursday between 10 and 11 to every 10 minutes? Then between 11 and 1 to every 15 minutes? 

On Fridays when things are busier, maybe increase the frequency a bit. Play with the frequencies to fit the actual demand - this ensures that there is sufficient ridership on the trains to reduce safety concerns. 

This suggestion was made at one point during a 24/7 SkyTrain service discussion I was having. The point was made that having 24/7 service didn’t mean running trains every 6 minutes from 1am to 5am. It could be as simply as running one train every 30 minutes or hour! Besides, there wouldn’t even be enough demand to warrant such high frequencies that late at night. 

Playing with frequencies would make more efficient usage of the trains, reduce maintenance costs, and improve safety on the system. 

Stations as Community Hubs

Considering how much money we’ve paid for SkyTrain, it’s actually quite absurd that we haven’t utilized this expensive infrastructure to it’s full capacity. Transit oriented development around these parts is a relatively new thing unfortunately. Our SkyTrain stations should be the hubs of urban communities. 

This model has never really been fully implemented yet, but half baked versions exist at Metrotown, Edmonds, Gateway, Brentwood, and Joyce. For example, at Joyce, what I refer to as the most successful attempt yet, they built an urban village in the south east corner of the station on former industrial land. This brought in a wealth of legitimate users to the station, as well as a handful of shops and community amenities like parks and recreational space. Joyce also has community gardens below the SkyTrain guideway, and a community policing station nearby. 

Building urban communities around our SkyTrain stations makes much more efficient usage of the infrastructure, brings in more legitimate transit users (good for safety), and is a possible solution to the affordable housing problems. We need to be densifying around stations, and also locating community amenities like gardens, parks, sports fields, libraries, rec centres, pools, police stations, and more near or at the stations. 

CPTED the system

CPTED stands for Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design. It’s a series of design protocols that enhance safety and deter crime. For example, different light intensities or light heights can have different effects on safety. The same can be said for bushes and trees. 

The Expo Line stations were never built with CPTED. As we look at making substantial upgrades to the stations, CPTED should be implemented in every which way possible. 

Furthermore, there’s a ton of minor improvements that could be made at the stations to incorporate some CPTED principals without requiring millions of dollars. For example, the metal grate walls could easily and relatively cheaply be replaced with glass. Thankfully the terrible lighting is current being upgrading to a CPTED standard. We should also be looking very carefully at the existing foliage at the stations, and perhaps replant most of these areas - improving safety and beautifying the stations at the same time. 

A comprehensive media campaign 

There are vast swaths of both transit riders and non-users that simply have no idea that SkyTrain has some great security features already (i.e. the yellow boxed secure zone, the silent alarm, the real time communiqué with SkyTrain control). TransLink has kind of been pushing this more recently, however handing out mini safety guides and whistles isn’t enough. The major media corps should be publishing guides for SkyTrain safety in their papers. Maybe TransLink should look at doing full paged ads in Metro and 24, highlighting a safety feature each week. Customers need to be better informed and this will help with the heightened perception of crime on the system. 

Crime data online

Truthfully, I have absolutely no idea about the crime that goes on, either on SkyTrain, or around the stations. All I know is what the major media decides to report. So I might hear about a stabbing at Edmonds one day, but never about the cell phone or purse snatching rate. Making sure this information is consistently updated and readily available, in an easy-to-understand GUI, will also dramatically affect the perception of crime. The website could look like Google Analytics for example, showing the data in various forms such as graphs, percentages, pie charts, and even a map view. Crime stats should be taken from not just what happens on SkyTrain, but also mixed with the data from respective RCMP detachments and police departments of the municipalities, taking into account crime from 800m around the stations.

I’ve been taking SkyTrain regularly for two years now, and I’ve never once seriously felt scared for my safety until last night. Putting that into context, realistically, it says the system is quite safe. However, that doesn’t mean improvements should not be made to ameliorate the transit experience for all users. 

Maybe it was because I was going westbound at midnight on a Tuesday night Millennium Line train, a situation I’ve never been in, but three things happened last night that made me reevaluate my position on turnstiles and staff numbers. Up until yesterday, I had been a vocal opponent of turnstiles (cost to benefit ratio was too low), and I thought having more staff at stations was just a waste of money (considering how lazy most of them are). Here’s what made me change my mind. 

1. Dead, empty SkyTrains. From Braid to New Westminster, there was two other people on the train with me - a very low number and enough to make me start to feel uncomfortable. See, it’s all about the ghost town effect. I feel safe walking around at night downtown because I know I’m going to see a few people each block. It’s the eyes on the street that make me feel protected. However, in the ‘burbs, where everything is eerily quiet and nobody is around after 10; that’s when I get freaked out. Anybody could pop out from a bush! If something happened, I seriously doubt anyone would come help. 

That’s what happened on the SkyTrain. Normally returning eastbound on an Expo Line train, there’s at least 5 random strangers with me. We have a collective sense of protecting one another from creepers or hooligans. Once you go lower than that, it starts to get unnerving. 

After New Westminster, I was completely alone on the train until Patterson. It was soooo scary! See, any weirdo could’ve hopped onto my train (and these were the MK I trains, so no walking from one end to another). I would’ve been stuck on the that train with this person until the next station. Anything could’ve happened and I had no exit strategy! 

What was even more nerve-racking was stopping at a completely empty Metrotown station at night. That never happens!

2. Troublemakers. At Patterson, two rowdy teens ran up to my train as it was stopping and starting banging on the doors. Freaked the hell out of me, considering the likelihood of them joining my empty train and me being stuck with them till Joyce! Luckily, they hopped on the third car instead. 

Once I got off at Joyce though, there they were again. Bouncing up and down and tagging walls, just as the female SkyTrain attendant wasn’t looking. Very alarming stuff - especially after hearing a story from my female high school counsellor that made her hate the SkyTrain: one night she and another lady got stuck on a train with a bunch of wild teenagers that starting roughhousing on the car - leaving herself and the other woman fearing for their lives in the corners.

3. Creepers. Rather than the teens joining me at Patterson, this old guy with a trench-coat came onto the train. Seemed normal enough and besides, he was on the other side of the train. He starts looking around and I assume he’s trying to find a good seat. Then, he starts coming my way. Walking slowly, scanning the ground with his feet. Brushing aside papers and garbage. He makes eye contact. He’s close now and I’m scared shitless. Trench-coat. Maybe he’s a pedo, maybe he’s a murderer, maybe he’s a psycho. I just don’t know. He continues scrounging the floor. Oh my god - I’m stuck on here with him until the next station! 

He sits down in the middle of the train and pulls out a Bible-looking book. I see crosses hanging from his pocket and neck. Woo - maybe he’s just a weird religious guy. The next station is… Joyce. Okay, I’m finally here. Why is he getting up? This is my station not his. The door opens and he’s not moving. Oh my god, he’s waiting for me to go - maybe he’ll grab my bag, my wallet?! I quickly rush past him and towards the stairs. 

I see him scan the station then get on the eastbound train. Weird. Maybe he’s just a scrounger - trying to collect lost items of value off the train. Still, he’s crazy creepy! 

—————————————————————–

So there’s my story. Those three experiences over one night have completely changed my opinion of safety both around and *on* SkyTrain. Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post with my ideas on how to improve this horrific safety situation. 

Been emailing with Bryan Volger, one of the advocates behind what we now know as the West Coast Express. I was seeking the information to help in figuring out how to restore service to the Interurban. Here’s what he wrote:

The West Coast Express was started by myself at an all mayors rally in Port moody in 1989.  At the time the Socreds were loosing power and the N.D.P was building a winning party for the 1990 election.  At the same time the Progressive Conservatives in Ottawa were going down in the same year.  Both of those parties are no longer with us today.  The N.D.P got the majority of the seats in B.C. and pounced on my idea.  By 1990 I had formed a group of railway people from across Canada mixed with local intrest groups and called it The Lower Mainland Commuter Rail Consortium.  The Consortium dealt with national rail policy which had seen Via chopped in half and C.N. going up for sale. 

Via needed more passenger business to stay alive in Vancouver. The proposal was to run commuter rail down the BN-CN tracks and one leg would join up with B.C. Southern and the other leg would go to Mission. Both would split at Sapperton junction. When the merger plans of C.N. and B.N. fell through the commuter rail plan was moved onto C.P.R.track.  However we had reached a deal with Burlington Northern for full cooperation from B.C. Transit.

One of the members of the Consortium was Bombardier Transportation who had made bi- level cars for Toronto and Florida.  Los Angles Metrolink had ordered about 100 cars and Bombardier offered Glen Clark to order some while the line was up.  

Im 1990 I ran in Burnaby for council with the commuter rail plan. I failed to get in because with the C.P.R. I could reach the valley with C.N. access to B.C. Southern tracks at the Patullou rail bridge.  At the time in 1986 the Socreds had run light rail cars on the old interurban for Expo 86.  Most felt that would continue, but it did not. Proof that it can be done though.  

The West Coast Express was part of an international move that had Seattle next in line with the Sounder commuter rail system. The West coast of north America was doing the same thing.  These cars are all interchangeable and can be bought and sold if a track lease fails to be renewed. 

In 1992 the Cascadia Talgo trains were being built for Amtrack service between Seattle and Vancouver which would connect all commuter rail operations by train on the West Coast. 

In 1993 after a year of speeches at cities between Burnaby and Mission every riding was now N.D.P. 

The North East Transportation Plan was put together by community groups and B.C. Transit for a fifteen year transportation plan including highways and train infrastructure.  It got approval from the B.C. Government and the first objective was to get a deal with the C.P.R.  Through the B.C. Terms of Union between Ottawa and B.C. to bring the province into confederation linking Canada by rail and the recent law suit in 1989 by the Socreds to stop Ottawa from shutting down the E&N on Vancouver Island strengthened the B.C. hand.

The cars were ordered in 1992 from Bombardier at 2 million each and G.M. supplied the locomotives. 

In 1994 the commuter deal was done giving the commuter rail plan success and the Millennium line to run parallel to the BN-CN tracks.  By 1995 the schedule was fixed to have only the commuter rail running in time slots to avoid collisions with freight trains.  In 1995 the N.D.P had a name contest and the West Coast Express was chosen. 
 
In 1996 The Millennium Line was planned because the people of Burnaby did not want Skytrain running from Edmonds to Lougheed Mall across Burnaby.  With full cooperation from the B.N. and a huge rally the public told Burnaby to build the line from new Westminster over the B.N. yards to Lougheed Mall and follow the original proposal with Skytrain. 
 
Meanwhile the freight company on Vancouver Island Rail America was closing down and B.C. Southern took over.  Today theyshare the track with Via Rail and there is no reason why they cannot run in the Fraser Valley also. The President of B.C. Southern told me this year its a done deal if the governments have money. We will not go anywhere without the government.  Obviously the former government railway owner followed the same recipe as C.P.Rail. and Express.
 
So I have got permission to press ahead with railforthevalley.com and other groups.  I have submitted a plan to the President of B.C. Southern whom may not reply until the envelope arrives from Victoria. I have written Mr. falcon and he is not against the railway serving the people with passenger rail. He knows the freeway faults and the high gas prices that just started going up last year.  I believe he will announce it before the next election.   

The future expansion of the express was to go around Coquitlam on the C.P tracks from Braid to Coquitlam Station, however I believe that is the Evergreen line with Skytrain now. 

The other expansion was to Abbotsford to Mission over the C.P.R. bridge, however now Via does not use that route it is closed to all passenger trains. 

Via was awarded a multi-million dollar repair contract by The West coast Express to maintain the cars. Now Via could stay in Vancouver. 

The ground work has been done it needs money and I think you have it. Falcon needs pushed, but his political timing to keep the valley Liberal is important. 

We have suggest B.C. buy into Bombardier fast train technology being made for Sweden in Canada.  The factory goes into operation this year. 

This train would getr people from Chilliwack to Whistler in three hours using the B.N. track thru Burnaby to North Vancouver and switch onto C.N. track there. 

We have suggested Colorado Rail Car EMU self propelled diesel cars the Budd cars of today.

We have recommended Bus service between Kawatlen College in Langley and The University of the Fraser Valley in Abbotsford as a inter-city route run by school buses or contract buses. They will pick up at both airports on the Fraser Highway.