Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[amor de cosmos]

CBC coverage

PM pledges $350M for Evergreen rapid transit line
Last Updated: Thursday, February 26, 2009 | 3:51 PM PT
CBC News

The federal government will contribute another $350 million to build the Evergreen rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Thursday morning in Burnaby.

Harper said given the global recession, it's crucial that government contributes to major infrastructure projects that put Canadians to work.

"In the short term, we are creating thousands of direct jobs in the Metro Vancouver economy. At the same time, we are working together to ensure that local families and businesses have access to an expanded, efficient and environmentally sustainable transit system that will help Vancouver attract and keep the jobs of the future," said Harper.

Once completed, the 11-kilometre rapid transit line will run from the Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby to the Coquitlam Town Centre, via Port Moody.

Construction on the Evergreen Line project is expected to start in 2010 and be completed in 2014. The project will use the same technology as Vancouver's SkyTrain and be fully integrated into the existing system, according to a statement released by the province.

When added to Ottawa's previous commitment of $67 million, Thursday's announcement raises the total federal contribution to $417 million.

$200M funding shortfall

B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell was on hand to welcome the federal investment. Funding for the line had been promised in the recent federal budget, but not the dollar figure.

"The Evergreen Line will mean more than 8,000 direct and indirect jobs during construction as well as an expanded public transit system, new economic opportunities and improved quality of life in Metro Vancouver," said Campbell.

The province has committed $410 million to the project, and TransLink has pledged $400 million.

The project is still estimated to be almost $173 million short of its expected cost of $1.4 billion.

Coquitlam MLA Diane Thorne is concerned that TransLink, which is facing a yearly deficit of $100 million, won't be able to meet its funding commitment. She also charged that Thursday's announcement was nothing new.

"Today marks the fifth time the Campbell government has promised the Evergreen Line," says Thorne. "The last thing we need is more announcements, photo-ops, broken promises and delays. We need Campbell to stop stalling and finally start construction on a route he promised over five years ago."

The remaining $173 million will be funded by project partners, including a possible public-private partnership and potentially through transit-oriented land development, said a statement from the province.

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/02/26/bc-evergreen-line-federal-funding.html

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by amor de cosmos

another skytrain line

Haha...good answer.

Originally Posted by GeeCee

to seattle!

I don't think this one is possible. Let's just get one to North/West Vancouver first...

[smasher000]

is it gonna be SKYTRAIN and not LRT?

[metroXpress]

^ It's an skytrain extentsion!

[amor de cosmos]

Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini's response

February 26, 2009
Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini “ecstatic” over Evergreen Line funds
By Matthew Burrows

Standing in the middle of TransLink’s operations centre this morning (February 26), Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini was awaiting the arrival of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Premier Gordon Campbell to announce funding for the long-awaited Evergreen Line.

After being the prophet of doom for the northeast sector for so long—wondering whether the $1.4-billion line would ever get built—Trasolini told reporters today that he was “ecstatic” that federal funding was on the way.

“If my antennae is picking up the right messages it looks like this is the day,” Trasolini told the Straight ahead of the grand announcement. “Being one of the number of the number of people who have been fairly outspoken in lobbying for this overdue project, I’m delighted.”

Later on Trasolini said, “I have been one of the most vocal lobbyists for this project, but as you can see, if you don’t do that, you don’t get results. This is as a result of collectively putting the pressure on senior governments and being part of what looks like an accelerated project. It wasn’t going to start until after the Olympics, but I think I heard the premier say that 2010 would be the start. That’s what we were calling for, funding is in place, so let’s get it done. I thank the federal government and I thank the provincial government for being at the table and being a part of the funding formula.”

Trasolini said the Evergreen Line has been in the works since the early ’90s.

“Today is Hallelujah,” Trasolini added. “I know it’s here and the northeast sector residents are ready to jump on.”

http://www.straight.com/article-203832/p...%3F%3Fecstatic%3F%3F-over-evergreen-line

[VanHowe]

They are building a new Pitt River Bridge and I hope it has the flexibility for rapid transit. The natural progression after 2014 would be straight down the Lougheed Highway into Pitt Meadows. I hope the UBC line and Surrey extention get built first.

[Stingray2004]

Originally Posted by amor de cosmos

Port Moody Mayor Joe Trasolini's response

http://www.straight.com/article-203832/p...%3F%3Fecstatic%3F%3F-over-evergreen-line

Trasolini said the Evergreen Line has been in the works since the early ’90s.

Yeah, as I stated in the Gateway thread, so has the Port Mann Bridge twinning.

[metroXpress]

Originally Posted by VanHowe

I hope the UBC line and Surrey extention get built first.

Everyone is waiting for that.

[Mac Write]

If I am not mistaken (purely a guess for the original Skytrain construction) is:

• 1981 - Mainstreet 1km? test track constructed
• 1982 - Test track opens
• 1985 - Dec 11 Waterfront - New West First 15 stations) opens
• 1986/7 - Construction starts on the Surrey extension with Skybridge
• 1990 - Surrey Extension opens
• 1990/1 - Surrey to King George starts
• 1994 March 30 - Surrey to King George opens
• 1994 - 1998 nothing happens
• 1998-2002 - Millenium Line constructed
• 2003 - LakeCity Way opens
• 2006 - VCC Clark opens

So there is dead time from 1994 - 1998 and 2002 - 2004 (the VCC extension was mostly completed during M-Line construction. So it sure does seem there has been a few years without any construction.

[metroXpress]

^ Well, planning was going on and I suppose that counts in the "Construction" tab. Plans are essential for constructions.
Although you are correct that that is the time without actual construction.

[Kwik-E-Mart]

What else can I say as a person living in the Tri-Cities area since 1991 (save for the 2 years studying in Toronto). Finally there is an alternative for us and people living on the other side of Pitt River as Lougheed Hwy is clogged up every morning.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Kwik-E-Mart

What else can I say as a person living in the Tri-Cities area since 1991 (save for the 2 years studying in Toronto). Finally there is an alternative for us and people living on the other side of Pitt River as Lougheed Hwy is clogged up every morning.

The West Coast Express has always been there for downtown bound commuters, but the new line should help the rest of the people not bound for downtown.

[WarrenC12]

So what's next?

What are the budget estimates for the Surrey extension and the UBC Extension? After Canada Line wraps up and Evergreen is underway, hopefully the funding can be set up for the Surrey extension, construction should be shorter right? Maybe 2012-2014 to open with Evergreen?

[DKaz]

2020 at the latest. I assume construction will be in conjunction with the UBC extension.

[amor de cosmos]

Global News Hour (hit news hour & green light for evergreen):
http://canwest.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/r...PlaylistId=24845d5c80768d2d50c292ff8e60a

Kevin Falcon says the UBC line & Surrey extension are next. He also wants to double the capacity on the existing system by adding trains & expanding stations.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

If I am not mistaken (purely a guess for the original Skytrain construction) is:

• 1981 - Mainstreet 1km? test track constructed
• 1982 - Test track opens
• 1985 - Dec 11 Waterfront - New West First 15 stations) opens
• 1986/7 - Construction starts on the Surrey extension with Skybridge
• 1990 - Surrey Extension opens
• 1990/1 - Surrey to King George starts
• 1994 March 30 - Surrey to King George opens
• 1994 - 1998 nothing happens
• 1998-2002 - Millenium Line constructed
• 2003 - LakeCity Way opens
• 2006 - VCC Clark opens

So there is dead time from 1994 - 1998 and 2002 - 2004 (the VCC extension was mostly completed during M-Line construction. So it sure does seem there has been a few years without any construction.

I think WCE was implemented during the 1994-98 gap - not SkyTrain, I know, but part of the network.

[Canadian Mind]

WCE had to be before 1998, more like 1995ish

I remember this because when I was a little kid (grade 1 or 2) my Mom took me and Mike, one of my little brothers, on the train from Mission to Maple Ridge, where Grandpa picked us up in his old orange Weldwood Ford Ranger and took us home down Dewdney Trunk Road. I started grade 1 in 1994 and finished grade 2 in 1996, but the train ride itself was close to the start of the school year so it had to be 1994 or 1995.

Besides, the only major development for the WCE had to be development of the stations and the train itself. The rail lines are already in place and leased off of CN or CP (can't remember which) for use by WCE. Not really a major project akin to a Skytrain line.

[DKaz]

Indeed, November 1st, 1995. Someone who was part of the West Coast Express movement wrote an article about how it all got started, I think it was a few years of political bickering, and then a couple of years of construction when the project finally got the green light.

[officedweller]

Yeah, come to think of it - the move to WCE was the NDP's response to Social Credits' plans to build SkyTrain to Richmond and Lougheed Mall (the Surrey extension was too far along to stop).

[Jared]

Anyone else noticed how similar the Evergreen Line logo is to the Canada Line logo? The red has simply been replaced with green.

Macwrite, I don't think the Millenium Line started in 1998, unless you're including planning studies etc. Generally I wouldnt count these, since there's always studies being done; its just that not all the plans get funded. This isn't nessecarily a bad thing though, I'm glad we never built a Royal Oak-Coquitlam Centre Line.