VibrantVictoria.ca » Infrastructure

BC Transit reports strong growth on commuter transit routes

Mike Kozakowski — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 21:28:05 +0000

Commuter transit services between the Cowichan Valley and downtown Victoria are quickly gaining popularity, according to newly released BC Transit statistics. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

Metro Victoria’s burgeoning real-estate prices have pushed many homebuyers north of the Capital Regional District (CRD) to the Cowichan Valley Regional District (CVRD), which includes the communities of Shawnigan Lake, Malahat, Mill Bay and Duncan.

With the population growth in the CVRD and its partial dependence on the CRD for employment, education and amenities, BC Transit (in partnership with the CVRD and Victoria Transit Commission) launched a two-route commuter network in 2008 connecting Duncan and Shawnigan Lake (and multiple communities in between) with downtown Victoria.

The Cowichan Valley Commuter routes, according to newly released numbers by BC Transit, are being hailed as a success with 118% growth in passenger volumes between October 2008 and March 2011.

“I’m encouraged and delighted to hear that more people are choosing to travel by transit,” said Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Blair Lekstrom. “The rising popularity of the Cowichan Valley Commuter is a testament to the high level of service being provided on this route by BC Transit.”

Monthly combined ridership as of March 2011 is just under 6,000 passengers for routes 66 Duncan Connector (not to be confused with route 66 East Sooke) and 99 Shawnigan Connector with two-thirds of surveyed passengers saying the service is “very good” or “excellent.”

Expansion plans for the Cowichan Valley Commuter service, currently offered on six buses heading southbound during the AM rush and northbound during the PM rush, are part of BC Transit’s 25-year Transit Future plan for the CVRD, could one day include expanded service hours and frequency.

“As the Cowichan Valley grows, and continues to realize the benefit to the environment in reducing the number of vehicles on the roads, more residents will see the value of transit service,” said Cowichan Valley Regional District Chair Gerry Giles. “As the service grows, we will require additional transit expansion hours and infrastructure from BC Transit and the Province to sustain the service.”

Funding for the Cowichan Valley Commuter Transit System is cost shared between the Cowichan Valley Regional District, Victoria Regional Transit Commission and BC Transit.

A one-way fare on the commuter service is $7 and monthly passes are priced at $165 for transit travel within the Cowichan Valley and on the Cowichan Valley Commuter, and $200 for a pass valid in both the Cowichan Valley and Victoria regions together with the Cowichan Valley Commuter. VV

To stay up to date on the south Island’s transit issues and news, refer to VibrantVictoria’s Victoria Regional Transit System discussion thread.

Passenger volumes continue to decline at Victoria International

Mike Kozakowski — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:19:44 +0000

Victoria International Airport. Photo © by Victoria International Airport Authority.

For the third month in a row and compounding what could become the third year in a row of declining passenger volumes at Victoria International Airport, May 2011’s passenger statistics released by the Victoria Airport Authority show a 1.4 per-cent decline over 2010.

Year-to-date, passenger volumes are down by 2.1 per-cent with 592,723 passengers having walked through airport gates.

Victoria International had negative growth in both 2008 and 2009 after a record year in 2008 with nearly 1.54-million passengers. Declining passenger volumes are believed to be attributed to competition from more competitive markets in Vancouver and Seattle usurping travelers, and the economic slow-down.

Meanwhile Vancouver International (YVR) and Sea-Tac International (SEA) airports are reporting positive growth in 2011 through the month of April (the most recent publicly accessible statistics). VV

To stay up to date on the latest news and issues affecting the Victoria International Airport on the VibrantVictoria discussion forum, click here. To view Victoria International’s statistics, click here.

Stranded motorists to receive reparations after truck crash closes Malahat

Mike Kozakowski — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 01:03:33 +0000

A b-train fuel truck operated by Columbia Fuels, similar to the one pictured above, crashed on the Malahat Drive snarling traffic for nearly 24-hours.

Saturday’s gasoline truck accident just south of Goldstream Park left motorists stranded for nearly 24-hours, and today Columbia Fuels, the operator of the vehicle, announced its intentions for reparations.

In a statement released on Columbia Fuels’ website the company has pledged to “reimburse legitimate expenses incurred by travelers delayed by this incident on the night of Saturday, April 16th, and an objective third-party will adjudicate these expenses and make recommendations.”

The statement also touches on the environmental effects of the fuel spill and the company’s plans to assist authorities with environmental management.

A tractor-trailer carrying 40,000 liters of fuel crashed Saturday afternoon along a winding portion of the Trans Canada Highway’s Malahat Drive. The highway was closed for 22-hours as crews worked to investigate the incident and ascertain the environmental damage caused by the spill. VV

To read the full statement by Columbia Fuels, click here. To discuss this accident and other traffic accidents throughout the CRD and south Island, view VibrantVictoria’s Victoria traffic incident thread.

Dayliner sidelined as track woes cancel rail service

Robert Randall — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:27:19 +0000

A Budd car used for Via Rail's Island service. File photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

VIA Rail’s Victoria-to-Courtenay train service remains canceled as authorities deem the tracks unfit for travel.

VIA Rail had intended to resume Dayliner service this Friday but a statement released Wednesday said that “significant infrastructure improvement will be required before passenger rail service can resume”. VIA did not specify what the deficiencies were or exactly when the train will resume its up-Island run. The train has been down since March 21.

In the meantime, VIA continues to run a daily bus service to Courtenay with coaches leaving the Downtown E&N station at 8 a.m. Monday to Saturday and 10:oo a.m. Sunday.

The inspections are a joint effort among the Southern Railway of Vancouver Island, the BC Safety Authority, the BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, and VIA.

News and opinions regarding VIA Rail’s Dayliner service are discussed here on VibrantVictoria’s forum.

Savoie rival Causton opens Victoria campaign office

Robert Randall — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 06:57:32 +0000

Liberal candidate Christopher Causton outside his Pandora Avenue campaign headquarters. Photo © VibrantVictoria.ca

Liberal candidate Chris Causton officially opened his campaign office late Thursday afternoon in a familiar location–932 Pandora Avenue, next to the popular Relish and Cranberry’s Cafe eateries and across the street from the Our Place shelter. The former auto glass storefront was used by Barry Hobbis as a campaign office in his failed attempt at a council seat in the 2010 civic by-election.

Communications expert Mat Wright handled the technology and social media duties for the Hobbis campaign and is handling the same duties for Causton this time around.

Wright says they will try some of the initiatives that met with success last year, including at least one telephone town hall meeting. Hobbis’ town hall teleconference, British Coumbia’s first, saw nearly 5,000 Victorians taking part in the interactive chat.

Causton says his team will not be placing any lawn signs on city boulevards or other public property, citing environmental concerns, visual pollution and vandalism as primary reasons.

The Oak Bay mayor and restauranteur is confident he can unseat incumbent NDP MP Denise Savoie, saying Victoria has traditionally been a Liberal riding going back a generation. Causton says the CBC’s Vote Compass has convinced many in the Victoria-Beacon Hill riding that the Liberal party accurately reflects their social and economic values. Causton says his many years of service on various regional boards and committees over the last two decades give him a unique perspective on regional governance.

Wright and the rest of the Causton team have their work cut out for them if they hope to topple Savoie, a popular former City councillor. Savoie beat Liberal challenger Dallas Henault 12,591 to 5,998 in the 2009 Federal election. VV

News on the upcoming 2011 Federal election is discussed here on VibrantVictoria’s forum.

Cridge Park: boon or blown opportunity?

Robert Randall — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:01:31 +0000

A new monument in Cridge Park awaits the installation of historical plaques. Photo © VibrantVictoria.ca

When Victoria Mayor Dean Fortin formally unveils the new and improved Cridge Park on the morning of April 8, it will mark the final chapter in the struggle to retain one of the few remaining park spaces in south Downtown.

The battle would pit those who envisaged a bustling cultural hub against those who wanted to see an extended green belt cutting through the Humboldt Valley.

Cridge Park lies nestled between The Church of Our Lord and the Crystal Garden and includes the land leased to the neighbouring Canadian Pacific Lawn Bowling Club.

A path linking Belleville Street with Blanshard Street winds its way through the revitalized Cridge Park. Photo © VibrantVictoria

The new changes include three winding bricked pathways that converge at a historical marker at the park’s centre. A line of tree stumps snake their way through a play area offering children the opportunity to climb and balance. Metal benches offer pedestrians a chance to rest their feet and check their latest text messages. Shade is provided by the remaining old trees scattered around the park.

In 2007, former Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe said City Hall was considering evicting the lawn bowling club and redeveloping the entire Cridge Park site for cultural purposes. An underground parkade would be built on the site of the bowling green and a cluster of buildings would sit atop the property at the corner of Belleville and Blanshard. Possible tenants discussed at the time included a childrens’ museum and a satellite venue for the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. The plan outraged park supporters and faced with a voter backlash on the eve of the 2008 civic election, City Hall abandoned the plan and decided to enact a bylaw ensuring the park would remain a permanent green space. The City announced the Cridge Park renewal plan last year.

Meanwhile, Vancouver development firm Westbank struggled to come up with a redevelopment plan for the Crystal Court motel site across Belleville Street from the park. City Hall liked the idea of an extensive landscaping treatment on the site along with a pedestrian-friendly sculpture garden. Planners and Councillors liked the idea that the privately-funded green space in front of Westbank’s proposed luxury condo highrise would link the tourist-laden Inner Harbour district with the nearby St. Ann’s Academy grounds. When the developers finally threw in the towel in 2008, the landscaping plan died with it and the boarded-up motel has sat there ever since.

While many celebrated the saving of the park, some lamented a lost opportunity. Councillor Chris Coleman noted at the time that the construction of the parkade did not necessarily mean the bowling green would vanish–it could simply be reconstructed above it. The childrens’ museum supporters continue to search for a Downtown venue while arts and cultural organizations have put expansion plans on hold in uncertain economic times.

The official opening celebration for Cridge Park happens Friday, April 8, from 11:15 a.m till noon with a reception following at The Church of Our Lord.

News on pocket parks and playgrounds can be found on this thread on VibrantVictoria’s discussion forum. The Cridge Park thread is here.

Gas prices in Victoria heading for record highs

Mike Kozakowski — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 00:58:06 +0000

The price at the pump is fueled by significant upwards momentum going by historical figures and current geo-political events. Photo © by Guide to Society.

Drivers in Victoria would be wise brace for record gasoline prices in 2011 as an unstable middle east and north Africa add pressure to already stressed global oil supplies.

An idea of what to expect in Victoria come summer is in the run-up to June and July 2008’s record-obliterating $1.53 per liter of gasoline. In March of that year prices at the pump were hovering slightly lower than $1.20 per liter, according to historical data supplied by the gasoline price tracking website GasBuddy.com.

Fast forwarding to 2011, this past January and February surpassed the records of the priciest first two months of any previous year. March has, too, and it’s only the second day of the month.

Today’s price of $1.239 per liter suggests that significant capacity for higher prices remains and a wild ride is to be expected through the fall, after which prices typically begin to recede.

Considering the political instability abroad and today’s announcement of a barrel of oil closing north of $100 (marking a 2 and half year high), 2011’s prices could ultimately make drivers wish for highs from 2008. VV

To discuss the price of gasoline in the capital region and south Island on the VibrantVictoria discussion forum, click here.

BC Transit to raise fares in Victoria on April 1st

Mike Kozakowski — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 21:41:07 +0000

Adult monthly passes will increase by $2.50 with senior and youth passes rising by $3 on April 1st. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.

BC Transit is raising monthly and college bus fares on April 1st, marking the second consecutive year of fare hikes for the Victoria Regional Transit System.

Fares for adult monthly pass holders will rise by $2.50 to $82.50. College and university passes will increase by $2.50 to $74.50 for a semester pass. handyDART fares will also increase by $2.50 to $82.50.

Seniors and youth (ages 6 through 18) will pay $3 more for a monthly pass totaling $49.

Single ride tickets and cash fares, dubbed conventional fares, will remain unchanged at $2.50 per ride, or $22.50 for a set of 10 tickets. Youth and senior 10-ticket packs will continue to sell for $15.

A 2009 fare review conducted by BC Transit called for a gradual rise in the cost of an adult monthly pass to $90 and mulled the introduction of an off-peak pass for $75, although no advancements in the alternative pass have been publicized.

According to BC Transit’s statistics, rider fares make up just shy of 40% of total revenues. 30% comes from the province and another 30% is split between gas and property taxes. Advertising revenues bring in a negligible 0.5%.

Operating 365 days per year, the capital’s transit system serves approximately 22-million passengers annually. VV

To discuss BC Transit and Victoria Regional Transit System issues on the VibrantVictoria discussion forum, click here. To view BC Transit’s fare information page, click here.

Environment Canada: snow may linger till weekend

Robert Randall — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 01:53:59 +0000

A car manages to crest a hill in Saanich's Gordon Head neighbourhood. Some drivers were observed adding to the challenge of driving by chatting on cell phones. Photo © VibrantVictoria.ca

The surprise snow storm that dumped nearly a foot of snow over much of the capital region today has ended but the weather office says sub-zero temperatures for the next couple of days will mean it will likely stick around until the weekend.

Environment Canada’s late afternoon forecast says the wind and cloud cover will hang around until Friday when periods of sun and rain are expected to start erasing the effects of the storm. Several more days of rain and single-digit temperatures will ensure this late winter storm will quickly become a memory.

The City of Victoria has a web page with information on residents’ responsibility for snow clearing and self-sufficiency. Saanich encourages residents to report snow problems to stormevents@saanich.ca. Twitter has a tag for snow information: #yyjsnow. VV

Keep up to date on the region’s extreme weather by following this thread on VibrantVictoria’s discussion forum.

Saanich moves quickly to ease Stanhope congestion

Robert Randall — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:43:36 +0000

A portion of Old East Road showing potholes and crumbling asphalt. Photo by VibrantVictoria member "Sparky"

Saanich’s engineering department has put up signage that they hope will alleviate the frustration residents of Old East Road have experienced since construction of a composting facility began earlier this year.

In a letter to resident and VibrantVictoria member “Logic” posted on the website’s discussion forum, District of Saanich engineer J. D. Hemstock writes, “The District of Saanich has prepared signage to allow for local delivery only, eliminating any heavy trucks (over 5,500 kg) that are bound for areas beyond our Municipal border.”

Hemstock goes on to say that Saanich Engineering and the Saanich Police feel there is a safety risk for any heavy truck turning left from Tanner Road onto the highway and that signage restricting turns for heavy trucks will be installed.

The District of Saanich intends to co-operate with Central Saanich in resolving the border-straddling traffic dilemma

An Old East Road resident has put up a makeshift barrier to protect the rock wall near his property from damage caused by turning trucks. Photo by VibrantVictoria member "Sparky".

Residents have been complaining about the stream of heavy trucks coming to and from Stanhope farm’s composting facility. Although farm machinery like tractors and trucks are allowed on Old East Road, the vehicles often seen coming from Stanhope are large dump truck-trailer combinations more commonly seen at highrise excavation sites and cement factories. Homeowners have reported careless behaviour by drivers and damage to roads and rock walls.

Political consultant Bernard von Schulmann writes on his blog that intolerance of farming activities has a grave effect on the viability of regional agriculture:

The biggest threat to farm land in our area comes from people buying 5 to 20 acres lots and building mansions on them. North Saanich has had the biggest loss of productive farm land to residential use of anywhere on the south island. It is then the height of hubris to have people that have build their houses on ALR land to complain about people farming.

Hemstock’s letter concludes by saying that Central Saanich’s consultation process may lead to opening up Lochside Road to heavy farm traffic which may also help to bring traffic to previously acceptable levels. VV

Follow the Stanhope Farms traffic controversy here on VibrantVictoria’s discussion forum.