Delta could be included in future rapid transit expansions.
That’s according a report to city council by engineering director Steven Lan on TransLink’s development of Transport 2050, a new long-term regional transportation strategy for the Metro Vancouver region.
TransLink has taken the feedback from the first phase of the strategy’s development to come up with phase two, which is now underway, having just completed public consultation for the second phase.
The plan is to establish goals, targets and directions over the next 30 years to meet Metro Vancouver's transportation needs, also outlining key strategies and actions needed to achieve those goals.
One of the actions identified for phase two is having faster and frequent rapid transit.
Lan’s report notes Transport 2050 has provided two potential rapid transit networks.
One would be more focused on underground and aboveground rapid transit, including the Canada Line and SkyTrain, with a more limited expansion of the network of approximately 200 kilometres.
The second network would be focused on road-based rapid transit, such as light rail and rapid bus, which would be less expensive and provide a greater network expansion of approximately 400 kilometres.
“For Delta, both proposed networks have identified Scott Road between 96 Avenue and 72 Avenue as being serviced by future rapid transit. TransLink has also identified a separate category of improved services as Express/lnterregional Services that would link various Delta communities in Tsawwassen, Ladner and North Delta. These linkages are likely to include future service along sections of major corridors, such as Nordel Way and 64 Avenue in North Delta; Ladner Trunk Road in Ladner; and 56 Street in Tsawwassen,” the report notes.
“Connections along the major provincial highways, such as Highway 99, Highway 17 (SFPR); Highway 17A; and Highway 91 are also envisioned. Recent discussions with TransLink staff have indicated that the express/interregional service frequency would be quite fast and frequent and envisioned to be in a separate transit lane.”
Lan’s report also notes that although the concept is still in development, TransLink had indicated that it could be similar to Rapid Bus service.
The City of Delta is requesting that routing and service frequency for the express/interregional service be clarified.
TransLink will use the feedback from its latest round of consultation to prepare a draft strategy, which is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2021 for more public consultation.
