Rapid transit along Broadway corridor will affect business
Posted November 4, 2012 8:34 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Comparing it to Cambie Street and the building of the Canada Line, an expert says businesses along the Broadway corridor will likely suffer if rapid transit is built.
SFU City Program Director Gordon Price says it’s absolutely necessary though.
The Transportation 2040 plan was voted on and passed unanimously at a city council meeting last Wednesday. It looks to bring rapid transit to five corridors, with a priority being Broadway.
“You could build a line tomorrow and it would be one of the most heavily used in North America. The demand is already there,” Price emphasizes.
He says a rapid transit system is important if Vancouver has any hope of handling the kind of growth that is anticipated in the future.
“You have to be willing to accept it because in the long run, you’re going to get a better result.”
Price does say however, merchants need to be consulted.
“It shouldn’t be diminished though that there are going to be some real costs, and they won’t be shared.”
Price notes that the key thing to do is give people adequate warnings and some alternatives.
He also adds a political question that everyone should ponder. “Should Broadway be built before there’s a commitment to anything South of the Fraser?”
