Expo Line - Surrey Langley Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[Bombaman]

Most people on the Vancouver TRANSIT forum are pro-skytrain? Yes, but they are not pro-Surrey skytrain extension. They have nothing to do with Mcnut getting elected as Surrey Mayor. In fact, most of the people in other parts of Metro Vancouver think McNut is an idiot, so are the majority of his voters. You will find the answer if you spend time to check the CTV news or other media outlets. I can't see building a half — skytrain extension to fleewood is good for Surrey at all and because of it, the people in Surrey has to pay more taxes, other projects or infrastructures have to be cut, and people in some communities would not be served. The obsession of getting a little section of skytrain is just pure stupidity. It would make sense if the two planned LRT lines can be replaced by the skytrain with the current funding but not in expense of so many other things.

Originally Posted by Kisai

Nah, most people on the Vancouver TRANSIT forum are pro-skytrain because it's a proven technology that we ALREADY USE. Safe, reliable, fast, goes to places people actually want to go, etc.

Every time a LRT or Streetcar proposal is brought up, the politicians don't think 30 years out, they don't think beyond their mandate. Hence why the entire Millenium line didn't get built originally (three phases remember?), hence why the Canada Line was rushed for the Olympics, etc.

It's never been about picking the technology itself, it's about having an integrated system that has the least obstacles to it's use, and highest frequency. The system is automated, I can take the Skytrain from Metrotown to Production Way, King George, or Waterfront, or any station in between, and not have to hop on a bus. If I want to get to the Airport, I switch to the Canada Line at Waterfront, if I want to get to the Ferry I take the same Canada Line to Bridgeport and then take the 620. If I want to go to Seattle, I can get off the Skytrain at Main street and take the Amtrak.

If the system had drivers, there would be accidents, frequently. There would be strike action from unions. If it was all at grade, then it would have hundreds of accidents per month from tresspassing alone, not to mention collisions and entire vehicle write-offs from car-LRV accidents.

Now I doubt McCallum understands, or even cares about any of that. He saw a good way to win, and that was by killing the LRT project, and if that's why Surrey voted for him, then that was the will of the people of Surrey, and that was a smart move. One can make the same argument about voting the NDP back in, the kids don't remember what it was like living under the NDP before, and there's still no Uber. Politicians over-promise during election time, and that's the only time any big-ticket item will ever be put on the ballot by voting for someone. You never see these projects proposed outside of election time, and when they happen (Remember the Fast Ferry Fiasco, the Surrey LRT would be oh so much worse) those that take power take great joy in destroying the vanity project.