Planning experts say too early to predict timeline of SkyTrain linking Surrey with Langley

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — Building a new SkyTrain line in Surrey is too much of a guessing game right now.

That’s what a prominent urban planner says about mayor-elect Doug McCallum’s promise to scrap light rail when he takes office Nov. 5th.

He’s also suggesting the construction timeline doesn’t have to change, but transportation expert Gord Price says it’s not that simple and McCallum can’t possibly predict how long construction will take.

“No. I can’t see how anyone could? Big, big unknowns here,” Price says.

“What does it mean to ram it through? Take into account, there’s a regional funding package based on that ten year plan. Move one part, other parts move too…. Do the other mayors have to be consulted? How does the money move? How much is involved? The board of trade, Guildford and Newton will have a lot to say about it, so, no way can this be a fast decision.”

Price tells NEWS1130, “The decision was made, so now to go back and pretend that it’s just a matter of switching from one technology to another moving the money around — don’t think it’s going to be that easy.”

His comments are echoed by UBC Okanagan’s Gordon Lovegrove, who spent time consulting on the construction of the Canada Line rapid transit line, and says timing might depend on whether new fuel cell technology can be used.

“It took eight years to get the Evergreen Line going, right, from day to announcement. They haven’t even announced technology yet. They’re now into the middle of a fight that’s going to take some time. Just the politics alone is, I would say, putting that 10-year at risk.”

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Lovegrove is also suggesting, as long as they’re designed right, both options could be built on time and within budget using hydrail technology already being used in Europe.

“You can say the exact same thing for at-grade solutions, as well as a 50 foot in the air skytrain,” Lovegrove says. “Practically speaking, the engineers could get this done — certainly within ten years. Have Doug McCallum looking like a hero because it will reduce electrification costs.”

Price, who’s also a former Vancouver city councillor, says rapid transit to Langley benefits Vancouver because LRT — which is considered a ‘second-class’ option — is more about local access and SkyTrain draws more people to where most jobs are in urban areas.

Vancouver’s outgoing Mayor Gregor Robertson says he still prefers light rail, but he doubts federal funding already in place will be withdrawn because he doesn’t believe it is conditional.

“Federal and provincial funding is for the overall 10-year plan and for rapid transit investment in Surrey. Those levels of government leave it up to our local decision-making.”

The LRT plan is expected to cost $1.65 billion and some local mayors have suggested replacing it with SkyTrain could cost an extra billion dollars.

NEWS 1130 has repeatedly reached out to McCallum since the October 20th civic election, but he hasn’t responded.