North/West Vancouver, British Columbia, June 17, 2011 – Families riding buses on Marine Drive and across the Lions Gate Bridge now have a faster, more reliable trip across the North Shore and into Metro Vancouver, thanks to the opening of two new bus-only lanes. Buses will start using the lanes on Monday, June 20, 2011.
These improvements will reduce congestion and enhance the reliability of bus service along this busy route for all commuters who choose public transit.
The bus-only lanes, along with a new transit priority signal on Marine Drive at Taylor Way, will allow buses to move swiftly past traffic congestion, getting commuters where they need to go on schedule and faster than before.
The bus lanes are part of a bigger project to reduce traffic congestion and improve travel times along Marine Drive and the Lions Gate Bridge. Construction continues on the new Capilano River Bridge and the Marine Drive Overpass as well as on bike and pedestrian pathways. The entire project is expected to be finished this summer.
The Province, Government of Canada and TransLink are providing funding for this $34-million project, which is one of the largest transit projects currently underway in Metro Vancouver.
"Improved public transit is an important factor in enhancing the quality of life for residents of Vancouver and in communities across the country as well as contributing to a cleaner environment," said Andrew Saxton, MP for North Vancouver. “This project is another example of the important investments we are making under the Economic Action Plan to promote public transit, strengthen local jobs, and build safe and strong communities.”
"Our government’s top priority is the economy, which is why we are continuing to move forward with Canada’s Economic Action Plan,” said John Weston, Member of Parliament for West Vancouver – Sunshine Coast – Sea to Sky Country. “This project, along with all of our government’s projects in BC, not only puts people to work, but it also provides British Columbians with the critical infrastructure that will form part of the foundations of our community’s future.”
“The Lions Gate Bridge is pretty much at capacity during rush hours,” said Ralph Sultan, MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano. “Since we can't squeeze more vehicles across the bridge, we have to figure out how to get more people across the bridge.”
“This will encourage more folks to take the bus because they won't be competing with cars to get over the bridge,” said Jane Thornthwaite, MLA for North Vancouver-Seymour. “Hopefully people can get to their destination quicker which, of course, is the whole idea.”
“Bus-only lanes will encourage more people to make the decision to get on the bus, which will improve traffic flow and make our air cleaner,” said Joan McIntyre, MLA for West Vancouver-Sea-to-Sky. “This is an exciting new development on the North Shore that will benefit our community for generations.”
“More than 16,000 trips by bus are made each day along Marine Drive and across the Lions Gate Bridge,” said Richard Walton, Mayor of the District of North Vancouver and Mayor’s Council on Regional Transportation. “Thanks to this investment from our senior government partners, our buses will no longer be stuck in traffic, and these trips will be more efficient and reliable for our customers, and shave minutes off their commuting times. This will make getting around by transit a better choice for more people. “
Quick Facts about the bus only-lanes:
- Buses represent two per cent of traffic on the Lions Gate Bridge, but carry 28 per cent of the people who cross it during the morning rush.
- The new westbound bus-only lane from just west of Tatlow Avenue in North Vancouver to southbound Lions Gate Bridge is also a shared cycling lane – the lanes are wider than normal lanes so that bikes and buses can ride side-by-side in the same lane.
- The new eastbound bus-only lane adjacent to Park Royal is from Pound Road in West Vancouver to the Taylor Way intersection. Cyclists are encouraged to use the dedicated bike lane on the Spirit Trail south of Park Royal Shopping Centre.
- Transit priority signal at Taylor Way and Marine Drive allows buses to pull ahead of regular traffic that is stopped at the intersection and proceed to the bus queue jump lane southbound onto the Lions Gate Bridge or across to North Vancouver.
- 60 or more people on a bus will be able to get across the intersection at Taylor Way and Marine Drive in less than five seconds’ time. If all of these passengers were in single occupant vehicles, it could take more than six minutes.
- A new, five-lane Marine Drive Overpass is open to accommodate the westbound buses.
- All buses in the Coast Mountain Bus Company and West Vancouver Transit (“Blue Bus”) fleets are fully accessible, and also equipped with bike racks.
- In addition to the bus-only lanes, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure opened the new three-lane Capilano River Bridge to traffic in May and anticipates site reclamation to be complete this summer.
- More than four million trips by transit are taken across Lions Gate Bridge each year.
- The provincial Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is working on the Marine Drive project with the District of North Vancouver, the District of West Vancouver and TransLink.
- The following contributions were made toward this $34-million project: the Government of Canada’s Infrastructure Stimulus Fund: $14.5 million, the Province of British Columbia: $18.5 million and TransLink: $1 million.
Federal funding for this project was provided through the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund. As part of the Government of Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund is providing funding to more than 4,100 infrastructure projects across the country. Since March 2009, a total federal investment of over $506.4 million has been committed to more than 430 projects under this Fund across British Columbia.
Learn More:
Contact:
Vanessa Schneider
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Jeff Knight
Communications Manager
Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
250 356-7707
Infrastructure Canada
613-948-1148
Or toll-free: 1-877-250-7154
Drew Snider
Public Information Officer, Translink
604 453-3054
