COQUITLAM Light Rail Transit ain't no Skytrain, but it’s What we're getting |Get Behind the Headlines Complete Your Education School of Journalism Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC By Brady Ehler, Coquitlam Rep. Hooray! The new arm of mass transit is finally coming to Coquitlam, Slated for construction in 2007 is the Evergreen line, a light rail transit system (or LRT) that will operate primarily on street level. It will run over 11 km from Lougheed Town Centre Station to just past Coquitlam Central Station. Essentially, Coquitlam could not afford the SkyTrain and is compromising with something less expensive, something halfway between SkyTrain and bus. Originally, The Millennium Line was supposed to continue on into Coquitlam. Proof of this are the three incomplete platforms west of the Lougheed Town Centre station, which now loom eerily above traffic like artifacts from a lost civiliza- tion. Unfortunately, funding ran out and to this day, Coquitlam has had to do without rapid transit. I personally find this fact is frustrating, since I am forced to take the 97 B-Line from Lougheed Town Centre to Coquitlam Centre several times a week. The ironically named B-Line does not head’ straight for Coquitlam Centre. Its route is, in fact, quite indirect. It goes north, then east through Port Moody, detours Barnet via Gilford, and finally rolls south towards Coquitlam Central. Despite its roundabout route, thousands of peo- ple use the B-Line daily. For most of the day, these B-Lines arrive at Lougheed Station every ten or -fif- teen minutes. Several of the B-Lines are double- length busses to accommodate the large number of passengers. That’s the good news. The bad news is that it can take 45 minutes to get to Coquitlam Centre from Lougheed. By my approximation, that is just over half an hour longer than it would take a SkyTrain to get there. Happily, I think the Evergreen line will be faster, although I’m not sure how much faster it will be. The route is slightly more direct, unfortunately though, there are five stops slated between Lougheed and Coquitlam Centre. Also, the trains will be operating primarily on street level, and will be subjected to traffic lights with the rest of traffic. So then, just like busses, the Evergreen line cabs will be required to stop at both pick-up/drop-off points and traffic lights. There will, however, be less LTR stops than bus stops. Also, the LTR cabs will get priority at stoplights. Though the system is slated to be up and run- ning by 2009, many important details have yet to be resolved. Some of the production details have not been worked out. For example, the construction plans are still vague and tenders won’t be issued until the fall of 2007. Also, some funding issues have yet to be resolved; Translink has approved an $800 million budget, but it is still unclear where all of the funding will come from (taxpayers?). Basically, they have the general idea of what they want to do, but the specifics are still up in the air. The prospective date of completion is November 2009, the goal being, of course, to have it done in time for the 2010 Olympic Games, when Vancouver opens its doors to the world. I wonder though, is the LTR line really warrant- ed? Is it worth it to invest all this money in a mass transit system that isn’t as good as the one that is currently servicing Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster? Sure the Evergreen line will be faster than the B-Line, but how much faster will it be? Will we look back 20 years from now and think to ourselves, “Jeez, our transit system needs an upgrade. We should have pressed harder to get the Skytrain here?” Aside from the LTR system being slower and less convenient, one must also consider how much the LTR system will increase traffic congestion on the roads. It will, after all, be running alongside (or in between) traffic, using the same highways and stopping at the same traffic lights. Bringing in the Skytrain would have eliminated this problem com- pletely. I think we should have decided to try and keep things more cohesive and efficient, despite the ini- tial costs. Sure, it would have taken a few more years to get the system going, but I think it would be worth it in the long run. Perhaps this is what would have been decided on if it weren’t for the pressures of giving the current transit system an overhaul in time for the Olympics. Maybe Coquitlam just isn’t a priority. Maybe Vancouver's international image is more important to the bureaucrats than doing what is best for the people. After all, a new Skytrain line is being con- structed to the airport. Wak 0 he tay . eiiaut Aerie Brace for = = more ice * and snow Programs include: ¢ Bachelor of Journalism (Regular Program, Post-Diploma Program or Public Relations Major) ¢ Post-Baccalaureate Diploma Program For more information go to: http://www.tru.ca/ae/bjour School of Journalism (250) 371-5580 admissions@tru.ca TRU Registrar's Office (250) 828-5093 Third-year entry. Application deadline April 15, 2006 NOW HIRING! The Other Press needs a PROOFREADER APPLY AE (CareMieladiaeliaace lao