SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2
T&T COMMITTEE AGENDA
JUNE 3, 1997
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: 20 May 1997
Dept. File No. 4252-10
CC File No.: 8111/5554-1
TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services
SUBJECT: West End Transit Service
RECOMMENDATION
A. THAT the proposed new #5 Robson/Downtown and #6 Davie/
Waterfront transit routes, as illustrated in Appendix C, be
approved.
B. THAT BC Transit be requested to investigate as a high priority
the potential for moving the termini for the West End transit
services from Denman and Davie Streets to the eastern
Entertainment District in order to provide a continuous
transit connection between the Davie, Denman and Robson Street
commercial/residential neighbourhoods, as illustrated in
Appendix E.
C. THAT staff report back on new bus stops, shelters, litter
containers, landing improvements and other details of route
implementation as necessary.
COUNCIL POLICY
- Council has established public transit as a high priority.
- Council supports measures to increase transit use as a means of
reducing the impacts of general vehicular traffic growth and
improving regional air quality, as per the Transport 2021
initiatives and Draft Transportation Plan.
- Council approves transit routes and bus stops locations on City
streets.
PURPOSE
BC Transit will be implementing a revised West End transit service on
September 1, 1997. This report recommends approval of the proposed
route.
BACKGROUND
The City has for many years requested that West End transit services be
separated from the Main and Fraser Street services. The services are
currently combined, as illustrated in Appendix A.
Advantages to separating the West End services include:
- Improved service reliability.
Separating the services would shorten the existing routes and
isolate service problems in the West End or on Main and Fraser
Streets. These service problems can be more easily dealt with
and therefore service reliability would increase. West End
routes are already separated from the Main Street and Fraser
Street services in the evenings, Sundays and holidays,
primarily in order to deal with delays caused by congestion on
Robson Street.
- Enhanced service frequencies
Separating the routes would make it easier to implement
service frequencies designed specifically for the West End,
independent of changes to the Fraser and Main Street services.
Service frequencies could be more closely matched to
ridership.
- Lower fares
A separate West End service could make it easier for BC
Transit to implement lower transit fares in the downtown in
future, as requested by Council.
On June 21, 1990 Council requested BC Transit introduce a separated West
End route as illustrated in Appendix B. On June 29, 1997, the Vancouver
Regional Transit Commission approved BC Transit s plan to introduce a
separate West End service in September 1997.
PUBLIC WORKSHOP
On April 21, 1997, BC Transit hosted a public workshop at the Vancouver
Public Library regarding proposed new downtown transit services.
Thirty-one people attended, including City staff. There was general
agreement on the concept of a separate West End service. Other comments
included the need for improved frequencies, less crowding and direct
connections to other components of the transit network, especially to
SkyTrain.
PROPOSED SERVICE
Based on input from the workshop, a new service plan was developed and
presented to the City on May 20, 1997. As illustrated in Appendix C, BC
Transit is proposing no change to the existing routes in the West End,
west of Granville Street. The termini would remain at Davie and Denman
Streets. However, east of Granville Street, the routes would turn
around at Waterfront Station and at Library Square, rather than continue
on to Main and Fraser Streets.
Service frequencies would be improved. As described in Appendix D, the
most significant improvements would occur in the midday (from about 8.5
to 7 minutes) and evenings (from 15 to 10 minutes).
The public process and proposed routes are described in more detail in a
BC Transit report (available in the City Clerk s office) entitled
"Downtown Vancouver Transit Enhancement Phase II - West End to
Downtown".
DISCUSSION
BC Transit s proposal would achieve the benefits of a separated service.
Reliability would be improved and a service connection would be provided
to the Entertainment District and Library Square.
However, there is still a need to improve internal West End transit
service. At present, West End transit routes effectively discontinue at
the Davie and Denman Street termini. Buses terminate for up to 10
minutes and transit passengers may be required to get off the bus when
it is stopped. As a result, transit customers can not make efficient
transit trips between the Denman/Robson and Davie Street
commercial/residential neighbour-hoods.
It would be desirable to relocate the Denman Street and Davie Street
termini to the Entertainment District in future, as illustrated in
Appendix E. This would create a continuous internal West End transit
link. In addition to the travel benefits to West End transit customers,
there would likely be less automobile use for internal West End trips,
and the noise and visual concerns at the current Davie Street and Denman
Street termini would be reduced. BC Transit has identified this as a
potential future option. It is recommended that BC Transit investigate
the proposal in detail as a high priority City request.
MAIN AND FRASER STREET SERVICES
New routes would have to be developed for the #3 Main and #8 Fraser
services in the downtown, since they would no longer be connected to the
West End services. The preference would be for these routes to extend
as far west as the Golden Triangle. The proposed routes will be
reported to Council for approval when finalized.
CONCLUSION
It is recommended that Council approve the proposed new West End transit
routes in order to improve service frequency and reliability, and
provide a new transit connection to the Entertainment/Library District.
Staff will report back on new bus stops and other details regarding
route implementation, as necessary. Service levels and ridership will
be monitored when the service is introduced. Staff will work with BC
Transit on the proposal to create a continuous West End service with an
eastern termini.
* * * * *
APPENDIX D
WEST END TRANSIT SERVICE FREQUENCY COMPARISON
TIME PERIODS EXISTING FREQUENCY PROPOSED FREQUENCY
(MINUTES) (MINUTES)
AM PEAK 6-7 6
MIDDAY 8-9 7
PM PEAK 5-6 5-6
EVENING 15 10
NIGHT 15 15
SATURDAY BASE 6-10 7
SUNDAY/HOLIDAYS 10 10