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Whistler is a popular
destination for skiing and other leisure activities. As well,
Squamish and other communities along the way from Vancouver are
growing and attracting some who are willing to commute to
Vancouver. The Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal is also a large
generator of car traffic.
How can you get there today?
There are two fixed links between North Vancouver and Whistler
- highway 99 and the BC Rail line. Thus, one can go by bike, car,
bus or train. There is also helicopter service.
Currently the vast majority of travellers go by private car up
highway 99. The highway itself is mostly two lanes wide, has many
curves and is susceptible to landslides. Any attempt to widen the
road (or to build a second highway, up Indian Arm) would require
massive investment - approximately $2 billion.
BC Rail provides daily service from North Vancouver to
Whistler in the morning and return in the evening. This service
cannot attract a large patronage as it stands, because:
- it is twice as expensive as the bus
- it is not frequent enough (one train per day each
direction)
- it is not fast enough (2.5 hours to travel 118 km)
- the station in North Vancouver has very poor transit
connections
What could be changed so that rail service would become an
attractive option? How much would it cost, compared to the $2
billion some people want to spend on a road?
First step: new trains
A reduction in operating costs would mean BC Rail could afford
to improve the frequency of service. More frequent service means
more people are able to take the train. A reduction in travel
time would also make the service more attractive. These two
improvements would likely have a significant beneficial impact
(reduced traffic, reduced fatalities, reduced pollution).
Both of these improvements are possible if the provincial
government were willing to spend a few tens of millions of
dollars on modern train equipment. For example, the ABB Flexliner
IC3D three car diesel multiple unit, as used in Denmark (and
other countries now), can go 180 km/h, seats 140-180 depending on
configuration, has an ambient noise of 66 dBA inside, and
consumes 1.0 L/km. These figures show the efficiency possible
with rail - the IC3D consumes approximately the same amount of
fuel as ten cars going the same speed. Thus, the train
comes out ahead, as compared to single occupant vehicles, as long
as it is more than 7% full! Put another way: the fuel cost for a
140 seat train to Whistler (1995 prices) would be about $60.
Without track upgrades an IC3D would likely not be able to
sustain 180 km/h. A tilting version of the train would likely be
able to sustain significantly higher speeds than is possible at
present, however.
Second step: new station
The one problem not solved by new equipment is the
inconvenient location of the current North Vancouver BC Rail
station. There are many ways of attacking this problem:
- improve transit connections - e.g. reinstate the express
bus from downtown (low cost)
- construct a new station near the SeaBus terminal at
Lonsdale Quay (a few million)
- extend the service to cross the Second Narrows rail
bridge, then return along the south shore of Burrard
Inlet to stop at Waterfront Station (not expensive but
technically difficult and route is circuitous)
- construct a tunnel under Burrard Inlet (and preferably
electrify the line so as to avoid large ventilation
stacks) and stop at Waterfront station ($500 million)
These solutions are ordered in terms of increasing
desirability and cost. Note that the last solution is related to
the current Lion's Gate crossing debate - in this proposal the
Lion's Gate would simply be refurbished and one rail tunnel built
to vastly improve the public transit connection as well as the
viability of train service to Whistler.
Waterfront station would then be an interchange station
between bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, West Coast Express and the
"Whistler Express". In fact, why not combine the last
two?
For about the same cost as a new 4 lane tunnel or bridge,
then, there would be a fast link from downtown to West Vancouver,
Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal (new station), Squamish and
Whistler. Transit would be not just a viable alternative, it
would be significantly faster than driving.
Third step: airport connection
Since Whistler is an internationally known ski resort, a lot
of the traffic to Whistler is from Vancouver International
Airport, not downtown Vancouver. Thus the link from the airport
to downtown is crucial.
An LRT line connecting downtown to Richmond is possible in the
future. If and when it is built, there should be a spur line to
the airport with a station located underneath the new terminal
building.
In the meantime, and perhaps continuing after the LRT line is
completed, there should be an express bus service with checked
baggage through from the airport to the train.
The ultimate solution
Ideally, the airport rail station should become a major hub,
similar to stations at large airports in Europe such as Amsterdam
Schiphol. Tunnels can be built to connect the airport station to
existing rail right of ways and possibly a new right of way along
highway 99 south from the airport. Specifically, trains (be they
LRT or fast through trains) should be able to operate
- Airport - Broadway&Arbutus - Waterfront - Park Royal
- Horseshoe Bay (ferry terminal) - Squamish - Whistler
- Airport - Broadway&Arbutus - Waterfront - Burnaby -
Port Moody - ... - Mission - Abbotsford - Chilliwack -
Hope
- Airport - Marpole - New Westminster - Port Coquitlam
- Airport - Richmond - White Rock (along highway, avoiding
slow section) - Bellingham - ... - Seattle
Yes, I know - dream on. That would require about twice as much
money as is spent subsidising
cars in the Lower Mainland each year.
James Strickland
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