Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

they only earn what they get from meetings? i never knew that....in that case, i'm all for it.

i have no idea if that is all they get paid for being on the board. i do interpret the article in that way though. if there was some other fixed salary in addition, why not just lump it all together? aren't the meetings themselves the crux of their work for the board anyways?

[bils]

the media always likes to blow these things out of proportion.... by saying things like "translink board approves 600% pay raise"
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from news1130.com

"Harcourt says paying each board member $1,200 a meeting is appropriate because of the responsibilities they're going to have.

And he hopes people will reserve judgement about the pay structure until board members have had a chance to prove their worth.

Twelve-hundred bucks a meeting is only a small portion of TransLink's total pay package.

A typical director could now be making $45,000 a year, compared to the $7,200 paid to the average director in 2006.

TransLink's new chair will collect $100,000 a year, up from the $40,000 the position used to pay."

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i'm actually shocked they make so little

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by bils

the media always likes to blow these things out of proportion.... by saying things like "translink board approves 600% pay raise"
---------------------

from news1130.com

"Harcourt says paying each board member $1,200 a meeting is appropriate because of the responsibilities they're going to have.

And he hopes people will reserve judgement about the pay structure until board members have had a chance to prove their worth.

Twelve-hundred bucks a meeting is only a small portion of TransLink's total pay package.

A typical director could now be making $45,000 a year, compared to the $7,200 paid to the average director in 2006.

TransLink's new chair will collect $100,000 a year, up from the $40,000 the position used to pay."

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i'm actually shocked they make so little

These types of people typically sit on multiple boards. It's not meant to be a full time position. Factor that in, and $45,000 times 3 boards becomes a lot more money.

[officedweller]

You're paying for expertise, rather than a politician (who may just have a high school education).

[CPE]

Skytrain is closed between Lake City Way and Production because of a gas leak in the area. I only caught the end of the report on Global news.

[SpongeG]

yeah a lot of roads are closed down too

major detours in the area

[deasine]

Traffic Update: They are going to close Lougheed Highway tomorrow morning for the gas-leek investigation and perhaps fix the problem or problems before, during, and after the gas-leek. SkyTrain, however, will continue to run.

[SpongeG]

the underpass in surrey on hwy 1 is really underway - every week more and more so

[mr.x]

Light-rail service pushed for Valley at public meeting

Glenda Luymes, Fraser Valley Reporter
Published: Sunday, February 17, 2008

The push for passenger rail in the Fraser Valley is on track -- at least with the 150 people who turned out for a public meeting in Chilliwack yesterday afternoon.

"The time is now," said Nathan Pachal, member of the Valley Transportation Advisory Committee.

The group is convinced the 850,000 residents living between Chilliwack and Surrey will support a modern light-rail service -- but getting the B.C. government on board is proving a challenge.

"We don't want any more hugely expensive subways for Vancouver," said speaker Brian Vogler.

Vogler, a former railway employee, is the founder of the advocacy group that helped get the West Coast Express commuter train going between Mission and Vancouver.

"The outcome [of public meetings] is what will get us from here to the government negotiating table -- or back to the highway for another 10 years!"

Before the meeting, supporters milled around the Lions Club Hall, sharing stories about "bumper-to-bumper" traffic on Highway 1.

"On Friday it took me two hours to drive into Vancouver," said Chilliwack senior Neil Hagman. "We need to start talking about this and planning for this now."

John Vissers said he'd like to see a service that people could use to travel between Fraser Valley communities -- not just for commuting to Vancouver. "I think this could become a municipal election issue in the Valley," the Abbotsford man predicted.

Teacher Stacey Chambers said she'd use rail to commute between Chilliwack and Abbotsford if it was accessible. "The amount of traffic on the highway is just crazy," she said.

The old Interurban railway tracks, laid roughly 100 years ago, pass along most major population centres and colleges on their way from Chilliwack to North Surrey.

The route, which a 2006 TransLink study pegged at $27 million per kilometre to build, compared with $233 million per kilometre for the University of B.C. SkyTrain line, runs near both the Chilliwack and Abbotsford campuses of the University College of the Fraser Valley on its way through Langley, Cloverdale, Newton and finally near the existing Scott Road SkyTrain station. The line also passes close to the Abbotsford airport.

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[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Light-rail service pushed for Valley at public meeting


"We don't want any more hugely expensive subways for Vancouver," said speaker Brian Vogler.


"On Friday it took me two hours to drive into Vancouver," said Chilliwack senior Neil Hagman.

I'm all in favour of this but someone from Chilliwack telling the residents of Vancouver that they don't need a new subway for the Broadway corridor is ridiculous. Of course people are selfish and tend to view services that they don't personally use as unnecessary. It's bad enough that we have to wait for the UBC extension while an obviously far less traveled transit route, the Evergreen Line, is being built. Nevertheless, it would be equally ridiculous of me to oppose this line.

Sorry about your 2 hour commute, but you live in CHILLIWACK.... god... people have such silly expectations. Still, the new WCE idea is a good one.

[g35]

Originally Posted by dreambrother808

Of course people are selfish and tend to view services that they don't personally use as unnecessary.

And of course, people are selfish and tend to view services that they are personally affected by as the very most necessary. It's always me, me, me, and that goes for people in Vancouver, too.

[twoNeurons]

Welcome to the "me-first" generation...

[dreambrother808]

Originally Posted by g35

And of course, people are selfish and tend to view services that they are personally affected by as the very most necessary. It's always me, me, me, and that goes for people in Vancouver, too.

I agree, and that is why I say we need BOTH, as well as the Evergreen Line. But trashing the needs of Vancouver will not serve the residents of Chilliwack, Abbotsford, etc., especially when more people will use the expansion in Vancouver.

[deasine]

Interesting video on Facebook - I made a comment on it =P

http://hs.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=12509411060&oid=4047993377

Anyone with facebook should be able to view this video

[deasine]

The Effectivness of Bus Rapid Transit, this is from TransJakarta SCC forum:

[SpongeG]

what are those unfinished concrete things? along the left

[deasine]

not sure public art?! =P

Or it might be the monorail columns they are doing. I'm not familiar with Jakarata.

[officedweller]

I noticed those too - look like monorail or elevated guideway columns. They seem evenly spaced except for two close togther a bit down the road. They are not repeated on the other side of the street (so unlikely for a road deck).

Is Jakarta building a monorail? I know KL has one.

[worldwide]

Originally Posted by deasine

Interesting video on Facebook - I made a comment on it =P

http://hs.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=12509411060&oid=4047993377

Anyone with facebook should be able to view this video

yeah so much for that. the kid obviously doesnt fully understand the issues here. urban design in the larger context? no. just build a line and people will take it. yeah right.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I noticed those too - look like monorail or elevated guideway columns. They seem evenly spaced except for two close togther a bit down the road. They are not repeated on the other side of the street (so unlikely for a road deck).

Is Jakarta building a monorail? I know KL has one.

I think they are...

Originally Posted by worldwide

yeah so much for that. the kid obviously doesnt fully understand the issues here. urban design in the larger context? no. just build a line and people will take it. yeah right.

The South of Fraser is severely underserved by transit, both rapid and buses. I think the provincial government should consider it and do a study or a business case first. If ridership proves that the line is needed, then build it. We can first start off with a DMU type of line, which is not expensive (the Otrain was about 26 million if I don't recall wrong) and then move on to LRT later. Or expand the DMU to Abbotsford.