BC Transit seeking land for Victoria’s third bus depot
BC Transit has reportedly reached capacity at its two Victoria-area transit depots and the organization is on the lookout for an additional property to house its growing fleet of transit vehicles.
The Victoria Regional Transit System operates nearly 300 buses and shuttle vans throughout the region, and with additional vehicles destined for Victoria as the transit system expands, a third transit facility is needed.
BC Transit's Gorge Road transit depot (pictured) along with the Langford depot are reportedly at-capacity. Efforts are underway to acquire land for the region's third such facility. Photo © by VibrantVictoria.ca.
One possible location, as identified by an individual familiar with local transit operations, is in the Keating X Road area of Central Saanich.
BC Transit, however, remains tight-lipped about local facility planning, although representative Joanna Linsangan confirms that the organization is indeed on the lookout for additional land, and has been for some time.
“BC Transit is always looking for property, but we haven’t finalized anything yet,” wrote Linsangan in response to an inquiry by VibrantVictoria.
Meanwhile, BC Transit is evaluating options for the future of transit in the capital region which may include the re-introduction of trams to city streets. Should trams re-appear, any future depot acquisitions and upgrades in the Victoria area will need to specifically accommodate such vehicles while at the same time increasing capacity for traditional transit buses.
For the latest on the Victoria Regional Transit System and BC Transit, refer to VibrantVictoria’s dedicated discussion thread here.
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Responses to this Headline or Article
The five most recent replies to VibrantVictoria.ca's discussion forum's BC Transit (Victoria Regional Transit System) news and issues thread, the most relevant thread to the above headline or article:
Bernard
May 03, 2012 at 12:07 pmQuote: We've been saying all along that SNC's ties to Bombardier (maker of the light rail cars and technology) puts the rapid transitconsultant into a perceived conflict of interest position.
No the conflict is that SNC Lavalin builds LRTs and is not a transit consulting company. They recommended the project that would most likely bring them something to bid on and they have the inside track on all the information to make a bid
Coreyburger
May 03, 2012 at 2:53 pmQuote: And how long before our fantasy $1 billion LRT is up and running? 10 years? 20? The E&N makes a LOT more sense at least for the immediate future. :teacher:
Both require some sort of local funding. Neither of them have that secured right now. BC Transit and the CRD are working on local funding options for LRT right now. What is the ICF doing? (this isn't to slam the ICF, just to mention that one of these projects is moving on funding while the other isn't)
Bernard
May 03, 2012 at 3:40 pmThe cost to re-make the E&N line to usefully function as a serious transit option will not be cheap. Running a couple of trains each hour is not going to have any serious impact on traffic, for it to work it needs a lot of rebuilding and a lot of work done on all the level crossings and an extension through to Douglas street.
The E&N as a business should be focusing on where it can succeed the best and that is in the mid island.
G-Man
May 03, 2012 at 8:59 pmQuote: +1. The cart is so far ahead of the horse on this one I am not sure that poor mare can ever catch up.
Oh I would say funding for LRT is about 12 months out.
Nparker
May 03, 2012 at 9:24 pmQuote: Oh I would say funding for LRT is about 12 months out.
You really think so G? The Feds and the Province are going to fund $1 billion for LRT in Victoria in 2013? Even with a likely change in government here in BC next May, I just don't see this as priority for the Federal Conservatives, and I can't imagine the Province coming up with the full ticket price on their own, even if every riding on the Island goes to the
