10-year program includes two new rapid transit lines and new roads
William Boei
Sun
Councillor Fred Bass says the plan is too heavy with rapid transit projects, such as SkyTrain.
TransLink approved a $4-billion, 10-year regional transportation plan Wednesday, despite criticism of a new tax on free-parking spaces and a financial strategy that depends on the generosity of prime minister-designate Paul Martin.
The plan calls for an ambitious building program that includes two rapid transit lines, new roads, a new Fraser River crossing and a modest expansion of TransLink’s bus fleet, all by 2013.
Most TransLink directors saw the plan as the necessary first step in a fight against urban sprawl and traffic congestion in Greater Vancouver.
There were few quibbles about the plan itself but many about the financial strategy, which includes an increase in property taxes, the new parking tax and transit fare hikes tied to inflation to finance the first three years.
Some directors didn’t like the new parking tax, others complained that property taxes are an unfair way to fund transit, and some demanded that transit service be improved before fares are increased again.
But most voted for the plan, agreeing with chief executive Pat Jacobsen that turning it down risked plunging TransLink into another financial crisis like one three years ago that led to project delays and a four-month transit strike in 2001.
The plant counts on Martin to deliver a big chunk of federal fuel-tax revenue to pay for the last seven years.
If he fails to come through, TransLink will fall back on fare increases, the parking tax and delaying some programs, Jacobsen said.
“But our core strategy remains to secure the federal gas tax,” she added. “We will solicit the support of the municipalities and the business community to that end.”
Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell said he expects Martin to deliver.
“He is dedicated to helping municipalities,” Campbell said. “He recognizes that 80 per cent of the people of Canada live in municipalities, and that they need help with their infrastructure.”
Campbell won his fight against the proposed tripling of an existing tax on paid offstreet parking, which would have hit downtown Vancouver especially hard. Instead, the new tax will require the owners of free parking spaces at shopping malls and office parks to pay about $30 per parking space per year, or eight cents a day.
“We should not be carrying the weight of the whole TransLink system in the city of Vancouver,” Campbell told the board.
Some mayors of mall-rich municipalities, including Richmond‘s Malcolm Brodie, grumbled about the switch but accepted an assurance from Jacobsen that merchants and mall owners will be consulted, and that the tax will be implemented as painlessly as possible.
Later, Campbell told reporters that if the tax is the difference between a store’s success and failure, “they shouldn’t be in business.”
He said Greater Vancouver has no choice but to spend money on transportation infrastructure.
“You have to pay for it, that’s all there is to it,” Campbell said. “The option is to end up with complete and total gridlock here, where businesses can’t move and we can’t move goods.
“There’s no free ride here. I wish there was.”
Wednesday’s meeting appear-ed to widen a rift between Vancouver‘s TransLink directors, with Campbell and Councillor David Cadman on one side and Councillor Fred Bass on the other.
Bass said the 10-year plan pays too much attention to rapid transit projects and road-building at the expense of expanding the bus fleet. But his attempt to have each item in the plan put to individual votes was rejected by chairman Doug McCallum. Bass ended up voting against the financial plan, while Campbell and Cadman supported it.
Bass called the process undemocratic and the TransLink board “a kangaroo court.” As he spoke, Campbell folded his hands and bowed his head, as if praying.
Green transit advocate Ray Straatsma agreed with Bass that the plan has weaknesses, but said it was a worthwhile compromise
“Do we like everything in the plan?” Straatsma asked. “No. Could it be better? Yes. But on balance, I think TransLink made a very important decision today, and its a decision in the right direction.”
Straatsma, policy director for Better Environmentally Sound Transportation (BEST) said challenges include the lack of firm financing for seven-tenths of the plan, and the need to come to grips with land use issues to prevent urban sprawl.
Former Vancouver councillor and TransLink chairman George Puil, who lost his seat in the wake of TransLink’s last financial crisis, said TransLink made the right choice Wednesday, although he predicted it may eventually have to reconsider a vehicle levy.
“You have to think of what’s best for the region,” Puil said. “I think they’re moving in the right direction.”
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TRANSLINK’S 10-YEAR PLAN
The 10-year plan adopted Wednesday by TransLink, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, includes:
– Completing the Richmond-
Airport-Vancouver rapid transit line before 2010.
– Working concurrently on a rapid transit line to fast-growing northeastern municipalities, and planning a third line west on Broadway.
– A new bridge over the Fraser River in the northeast sector.
– Twinning the Dollarton Bridge.
– A new North Fraser perimeter road.
-Widening the Fraser Highway.
– Expanding the U-Pass program from 60,000 students to 100,000 by 2007.
– Expanding transit pass programs to include employee groups who work near transit facilities.
– Boosting transit, cycling and walking as alternatives to driving.
– Increasing bus service capacity by one-third by 2013.
– More use of commuter ferries.
– Replacing aging SkyTrain cars and older buses.
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