ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 30, 1999

Author/Local: R. Malkin/7745 Dept. File No. H 193-43
RTS No. 695
CC File No. 5562
T&T Date: May 18, 1999

TO: Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic

FROM: General Manager of Engineering Services in Consultation with the Director of City Plans

SUBJECT: TransLink: Vancouver Area Transit Plan

INFORMATION

The General Manager of Engineering Services submits this report for information.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council approved a Transportation Plan that requires transit to accommodate future increases in travel demand.

PURPOSE

This report discusses the TransLink (formerly Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority) program to develop Area Transit Plans for all communities in the Region. A detailed report by TransLink is attached.

BACKGROUND
TransLink's first Annual Program Plan and Budget was approved in March 1999. It includes a program to develop Area Transit Plans in various communities across the region, for planned completion in March 2001. The Area Transit Plans would identify service priority objectives, principles, options and recommendations by sub-region, for 1-3 year and3-6 year planning time frames. The results would be included in future regional overall annual plans and budgets. The Area Transit Plans are intended to be updated every three years.

SCHEDULE

On April 28, 1999, the TransLink Board approved undertaking:

- Three Area Plans in 1999: Richmond

Surrey/White Rock/Langleys/Delta.
North Shore

- Four Area Plans in 2000: Vancouver/UBC

Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows
Burnaby/New West
Northeast Sector

The Vancouver/UBC process is deferred to next year due to the magnitude of the project and other factors, including the more immediate need to rationalize local services in Richmond because of Vancouver-Richmond RapidBus.

BASIC PROCESS

The Area Transit Planning programs would be developed in consultation with the public, area municipalities and Transit Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC), and would have the following key elements:

- Project Management

TransLink will manage the overall planning process and consultants.

- Public Consultation

The public process will involve significant input from area residents, transit users and stakeholder groups. Input would be through a process designed and facilitated by one public consultation consultant hired for all the plans.

It is anticipated that one or more Public Advisory Committees would be established for each Area Transit Plan. These committees would oversee andadvise on the process and deliverables. It is suggested the committees consist of six to ten local representatives nominated by the municipal councils.

- Council/Municipal Input

Municipal input would primarily be through a Project Technical Steering Group that would review and provide comments on all major plan deliverables. There would be one Project Technical Steering Group for each Area Plan, co-chaired by a municipal staff person and a TransLink representative. Staff would provide Council with reports on progress, for direction and approvals, as required.

SHAPING THE PROCESS

The processes for developing area plans need to be tailored to each community. For example, the City/UBC plan will be produced in the context of an intensively developed high frequency transit grid system, with high population densities and heavy ridership. The City of Vancouver alone has half of the regional ridership, and Downtown Vancouver and UBC are the top two transit destinations in the GVRD. Overcrowding and reliability problems are major concerns. In contrast, many other areas have less frequent transit usage, a more spread out transit network, and less dense population patterns.

Given these diversities, the terms of reference for each area plan will require individual treatment including the resource commitment, and level of municipal input and control. The area transit plans to be developed in 1999 in the communities south of the Fraser River, and on the North Shore, will provide guidance for subsequent processes.

Many parts of the bus network are not confined to municipal boundaries; therefore, there must be mutual consultation on the cross-over routes. For example, the proposal to create a bus express service on Cambie Street using several Richmond transit services should be considered now as part of the Richmond Area Transit Planning process, rather than delayed to the Vancouver Area Transit Plan in 2000. Public consultation along the Cambie Street
corridor would be conducted as part of the planning exercise, and staff would report to Council in advance of the consultation process.

CITY TRANSIT NEEDS

The Vancouver/UBC Area Transit Plan should provide the actions needed to meet the goals and objectives of the City Transportation Plan. One of the primary goals is to significantly increase transit use, as set out in specific mode split targets. In this context, TransLink will be expected to review improvements including:

- improved frequency and reliability of service.
- improved passenger comfort, safety, and information options
- new routes
- alternative route structures
- an express route grid
- innovative transit service options, including small community buses and custom services, where regular buses are not warranted
- improved fare structures, including lower fares for short trips in high density areas, and incentive bus-pass programs
- replacement/expansion of the trolley bus fleet

FUNDING

Developing a Vancouver/UBC Area Transit Plan will be a complex undertaking, with considerable resource requirements. Staff will be reporting to Council on the City requirements, including staffing, at the appropriate time.

In addition, the Area Transit Plan may identify the need to enhance municipal infrastructure in order to implement transit strategies. The City will be expected to allocate funds for those components of the transit system it is currently responsible for, e.g. bus stops, shelters and curb ramps, and provision for these will be required in the 2000-2002 Capital Plan.

CONCLUSION

The Area Transit Plan program represents a more innovative customer/stakeholder focused approach to transit planning than has occurred in the past. It is anticipated that this exercise, combined with other transportation initiatives occurring at the City and regional level (e.g. the regional Strategic Transportation Plan), will lead to improved mobility and accessibility for City residents.

When the timing, topics, and resources required to do this work are clearer, staff will report back with a detailed work program and, if necessary, funding required to work with TransLink to prepare a Vancouver Area Transit Plan.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver