Hey TransLink: Go Get Your Eyes Checked.
The decisions made by Vancouver's regional transit authority continue to exist outside the realm of common sense and rational explanation. Yesterday's 6-6 tie between the members of the Board of Directors effectively killed the construction of the RAV line (Richmond, Airport, Vancouver); such a decision was nothing less than a grave mistake.
How can an environmentally conscious city in need of substantial improvements to its public transport system, that's consistently ranked as one of the top five cities in the world, and is the future host of the 2010 Olympics make such an egregiously short-sighted mistake? Do they think that the rapid transit line running from one of the fastest growing suburbs of Vancouver (Richmond) as well as from the improved and expanded Vancouver Airport, and through the core of Vancouver won't attract riders? Are they completely blind to the fact that most big cities in North America have subway systems that are consistently packed with riders eager to ditch their cars and save both money and the environment? Do they think that the population density of said corridor will stagnate or decrease over the next ten years? There are too many questions and too few answers, aside from 'excessive cost'. These things do cost money, folks. Suck it up. The RAV line, a public-private partnership, was to cost between 1.2 to 1.4 billion dollars and take up to six years to construct. It's been in the works for what seems like years, the consultation process was extensive, and there was widespread support for its construction. The Province put forward a proposal to cover any potential cost-overruns, but that was also voted down amidst allegations that the Gordon Campbell was hijacking the project. While it would have most likely shifted much of the decision-making power into the hands of the provincial government, the project would have at least been completed to the benefit of every resident of the city of Vancouver and to the province as a whole.
The anti-RAV liners say that "no matter which level of government assumes the risk, taxpayers will still end up paying for the rapid transit line." If taxes aren't for the construction of infrastructure projects that will reduce congestion, reduce wear-and-tear on our roads, save people money by reducing their dependancy on cars to travel within the city (especially on those SUVs that are all the rage in Vancouver despite the fact that only a microscopic percentage are used off-road) and contribute to the economic growth of the region, then what the heck are they for? Taxpayers should pay for the rapid transit line because they stand to benefit from it in so many ways, well on into the future.
Vancouver's a world-class city, but if it would like to remain so, the public transportation system needs to be improved and susbtantially expanded. RAV was our chance, and we blew it.
How can an environmentally conscious city in need of substantial improvements to its public transport system, that's consistently ranked as one of the top five cities in the world, and is the future host of the 2010 Olympics make such an egregiously short-sighted mistake? Do they think that the rapid transit line running from one of the fastest growing suburbs of Vancouver (Richmond) as well as from the improved and expanded Vancouver Airport, and through the core of Vancouver won't attract riders? Are they completely blind to the fact that most big cities in North America have subway systems that are consistently packed with riders eager to ditch their cars and save both money and the environment? Do they think that the population density of said corridor will stagnate or decrease over the next ten years? There are too many questions and too few answers, aside from 'excessive cost'. These things do cost money, folks. Suck it up. The RAV line, a public-private partnership, was to cost between 1.2 to 1.4 billion dollars and take up to six years to construct. It's been in the works for what seems like years, the consultation process was extensive, and there was widespread support for its construction. The Province put forward a proposal to cover any potential cost-overruns, but that was also voted down amidst allegations that the Gordon Campbell was hijacking the project. While it would have most likely shifted much of the decision-making power into the hands of the provincial government, the project would have at least been completed to the benefit of every resident of the city of Vancouver and to the province as a whole.
The anti-RAV liners say that "no matter which level of government assumes the risk, taxpayers will still end up paying for the rapid transit line." If taxes aren't for the construction of infrastructure projects that will reduce congestion, reduce wear-and-tear on our roads, save people money by reducing their dependancy on cars to travel within the city (especially on those SUVs that are all the rage in Vancouver despite the fact that only a microscopic percentage are used off-road) and contribute to the economic growth of the region, then what the heck are they for? Taxpayers should pay for the rapid transit line because they stand to benefit from it in so many ways, well on into the future.
Vancouver's a world-class city, but if it would like to remain so, the public transportation system needs to be improved and susbtantially expanded. RAV was our chance, and we blew it.
posted by Per at 9:06 a.m.
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