Is Vancouver International Airport really "Building
Better Connections"?
The Vancouver International Airport Authority (YVRAA) is
currently levying an "Airport Improvement Fee" (AIF) to
pay for a $350 million expansion, which includes a new
international terminal building and $100 million for runway
08L/26R and associated taxiways. Unfortunately, YVRAA seems to
not be striving to do as its slogan says, because the only ground
side improvement planned is reorganised roads and a $25 million
parkade (2000 stalls - yes, that's $12 500 per parking spot).
According to the February 1995 YVR SkyTalk, already 1.46 million
cars per year park at the airport.
Certainly it is not within the YVRAA's power to build a rapid
transit line, and the authority does have space set aside for a
rapid transit right of way in their year 2015 plan, but surely
more should be done. The fact that BC Transit does not run
direct bus service from downtown to the airport suggests that the
taxi companies, park and fly operators, and express bus operators
have too much influence.
As for the authority's boast that their project will
"ensure the airport ranks among the world's best" - I
hope the authority will look at the world's best, notice the
rapid rail connections, and emulate them. It is no use having one
of the "world's best" airports if you can't get to it
conveniently and cheaply.
James Strickland
|
