Port Moody councillors are on board with high-speed regional rail service.
Tuesday, Nov. 12, they voted unanimously to sign an open letter supporting the efforts by a group called Mountain Valley Express (MVX) which is advocating for a 350-km regional rail network that would link communities across the Lower Mainland, from Chilliwack to Tsawwassen to Whistler. The electric trains would travel at speeds up to 160 km/h.
According to the group, construction of dedicated track running parallel to existing CPKC freight lines, as well as 35 stations, would cost $9.6 billion and attract about 130,000 passengers every day.
Lee Haber, a civil engineer and transportation planner who is the technical lead for MVX, said while Metro Vancouver is well served by rapid transit options like SkyTrain, it still lacks a frequent regional rail service that is common to other similar-sized cities elsewhere in the world.
“Without world class regional rail service, we risk falling behind other cities,” he said.
Linking regional rail to existing services would significantly reduce travel times and reduce congestion on roads, Haber added.
For instance a trip from Port Moody to Vancouver International Airport using SkyTrain and regional rail would take about 35 minutes compared to 55 minutes by car. A journey to Tsawwassen to catch a ferry that would take almost two hours by current transit options would take 44 minutes with regional rail.
Coun. Kyla Knowles said such numbers would be an “absolute game-changer for our economy.”
Mayor Meghan Lahti agreed, adding council’s endorsement to the group’s pitch for an in-depth study of regional rail’s viability as well the establishment of a directory of properties that should be preserved to accommodate future construction “Is something that is very supportable.”
A similar presentation by Haber to Coquitlam council last summer was met with some skepticism.
Mayor Richard Stewart questioned the group’s travel time claims while other councillors said the scheme is just too rich at this point given TransLink’s current funding challenges.
📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in the Tri-Cities? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].
📲 Want to stay updated on Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Anmore and Belcarra news? Sign up for our free daily newsletter.
💬 Words missing in an article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
