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Originally Posted by twoNeurons
This is so true. People here are all up in arms about LRT thinking that it's somehow going to REPLACE SkyTrain. However, I think they're not getting the point. LRT is a Surrey system for intracity travel. It's similar to the WCE that the tri-cities has.
Few would say the Evergreen line replaces the WCE. Few would argue that the WCE promotes more TOD than the SkyTrain. SkyTrain stations are not (generally) built around park n ride stations. SkyTrain has a better chance of being built into the urban fabric of the city. WCE didn't do much in that regard, but no one cared, because it was designed for LONG-DISTANCE commuting.
The LRT is designed for short-distance commuting. It's a more attractive bus with a FIXED route. Don't underestimate the power of a fixed route, even if it's not appreciably faster. A fixed route with stations gives that route permanence.
Developers can build TOD with less parking citing the proximity to a train station. Developers are encouraged to build street-facing retail and housing. People are encouraged to walk as streets are narrowed, forcing cars to slow down or take alternative routes.
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The problem with this comparison is that the WCE is separate from car traffic and is a long distance express service. Surrey's L Line will be running down the middle of busy streets (King George is still a secondary highway) and is not going to be anything resembling express. A more accurate comparison would be to imagine LRT travelling down the center of Kingsway (ignoring that the Expo Line is parallel to Kingsway).
Narrowing streets in Surrey is not what we want to see. Too many of the major streets there are already checker boards where the number of lanes alternate between 2 and 4. Plus there aren't enough 4 lane east - west routes spaced regularly through the city. It can making driving through Surrey a nightmare. Local drivers already take alternate routes and rat race through residential areas to get around.
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