HIGH LEVEL REVIEW OF LANGLEY TOWNSHIP COMMUNITY RAIL Presented to Township Council April 21, 2008

Agenda Objectives Community Rail Study Related Studies and Background Information Summary

Objectives

Community Rail Study

Related Studies and Background Information

Summary

To provide a High Level Review of Langley Township Community Rail To provide a brief update on related studies and background information Objectives

To provide a High Level Review of Langley Township Community Rail

To provide a brief update on related studies and background information

Township Community Rail Study Builds upon a similar study conducted for the City of Surrey “ High Level” analysis and review Key issues identified Costs and benefits Final report completed December 2007 Final report amended to reflect new information from other key plans/studies

Builds upon a similar study conducted for the City of Surrey

“ High Level” analysis and review

Key issues identified

Costs and benefits

Final report completed December 2007

Final report amended to reflect new information from other key plans/studies

Community Rail Proposal – Station Locations

Must separate Freight and Passenger Traffic Interaction of Road/Rail Interface Freight Trains – 3 minute crossing Residual impact – 5 to 10 minutes 37 trains (1.5 per hour), impact of up to 20 minutes per hour Passenger Train – 30 second crossing Residual impact – 2 to 3 minutes 20 minute frequency – impact of up to 18 minutes per hour 10 minute frequency – impact of up to 36 minutes per hour Community Rail Study - Key Issues Freight traffic 2008 – 22 per day 2012 – 27 per day 2021 – 37 per day Traffic Volumes (Township Data) 200 St - 36,000 to 49,000 vpd 202 St – 2,000 to 25,000 vpd 208 St – 19,000 to 42,000 vpd 216 St – 4,000 to 22,000 vpd Fraser Hwy – 23,000 to 33,000 vpd

Must separate Freight and Passenger Traffic

Interaction of Road/Rail Interface

Freight Trains – 3 minute crossing

Residual impact – 5 to 10 minutes

37 trains (1.5 per hour), impact of up to 20 minutes per hour

Passenger Train – 30 second crossing

Residual impact – 2 to 3 minutes

20 minute frequency – impact of up to 18 minutes per hour

10 minute frequency – impact of up to 36 minutes per hour

Freight traffic

2008 – 22 per day

2012 – 27 per day

2021 – 37 per day

Traffic Volumes (Township Data)

200 St - 36,000 to 49,000 vpd

202 St – 2,000 to 25,000 vpd

208 St – 19,000 to 42,000 vpd

216 St – 4,000 to 22,000 vpd

Fraser Hwy – 23,000 to 33,000 vpd

Key Issues - Regulatory and Safety Road/Rail interaction Road safety near stations Pedestrian/Cyclist Safety and accessibility issues Anti-whistling Safety Act requirement BC Hydro approval/indemnification Southern Railway of BC standards Double tracking stations Communications Systems Assessment and Improvement of at-grade crossings Federal/Provincial rail transport rules Environmental Assessment

Road/Rail interaction

Road safety near stations

Pedestrian/Cyclist Safety and accessibility issues

Anti-whistling

Safety Act requirement

BC Hydro approval/indemnification

Southern Railway of BC standards

Double tracking stations

Communications Systems

Assessment and Improvement of at-grade crossings

Federal/Provincial rail transport rules

Environmental Assessment

Potential Ridership Land Use, population and employment projections Type/frequency of service Existing/future travel patterns Pedestrian/cyclist/transit linkages Provision of Park and Ride facilities Duplication of services Potential Passenger Rail Vehicles Parry People Movers, LRT cars, BC Hydrogen Highway Comparable service – ridership of 5,000 to 6,000 per day Key Issues - Potential Ridership

Potential Ridership

Land Use, population and employment projections

Type/frequency of service

Existing/future travel patterns

Pedestrian/cyclist/transit linkages

Provision of Park and Ride facilities

Duplication of services

Potential Passenger Rail Vehicles

Parry People Movers, LRT cars, BC Hydrogen Highway

Comparable service – ridership of 5,000 to 6,000 per day

$82 - $112 million capital cost PLUS Freight traffic relocation costs or compensation Right of way acquisition Passenger station costs Modifying industrial sidings Double tracking station area Parking/pedestrian improvements New LRT like vehicles Fare revenue collection system Train communication and signal systems future safety/grade separation upgrades along the corridor $6 million annual operating cost Key Issues – High Level Cost Estimates

$82 - $112 million capital cost PLUS

Freight traffic relocation costs or compensation

Right of way acquisition

Passenger station costs

Modifying industrial sidings

Double tracking station area

Parking/pedestrian improvements

New LRT like vehicles

Fare revenue collection system

Train communication and signal systems

future safety/grade separation upgrades along the corridor

$6 million annual operating cost

Safety and traffic conflict issues with passenger rail Must be a physical separation between freight and passenger traffic Langley not well linked to Abbottsford by community rail Community rail could draw ridership from future Bus Rapid Transit Potential Ridership requires further analysis Success would require: Capital and operating funding Strong community, political and financial support Study Conclusions

Safety and traffic conflict issues with passenger rail

Must be a physical separation between freight and passenger traffic

Langley not well linked to Abbottsford by community rail

Community rail could draw ridership from future Bus Rapid Transit

Potential Ridership requires further analysis

Success would require:

Capital and operating funding

Strong community, political and financial support

Community Rail corridor be protected for the future OCP changes (City and Township) Incorporate in TransLink 2040 Outlook TransLink, Delta, Metro Vancouver, and other agencies encouraged to support efforts of the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society Consider regional effort to find a long term solution to enhance movement of container traffic Study Recommendations

Community Rail corridor be protected for the future

OCP changes (City and Township)

Incorporate in TransLink 2040 Outlook

TransLink, Delta, Metro Vancouver, and other agencies encouraged to support efforts of the Fraser Valley Heritage Railway Society

Consider regional effort to find a long term solution to enhance movement of container traffic

Related Studies and Background Information Population and employment projections Travel Patterns Sustainability Goals South of Fraser Area Transit Plan Technical Assessment of Operating Passenger Rail on the Interurban Provincial Transit Plan Provincial Gateway Program Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Study Draft Transportation Vision for the FVRD

Population and employment projections

Travel Patterns

Sustainability Goals

South of Fraser Area Transit Plan

Technical Assessment of Operating Passenger Rail on the Interurban

Provincial Transit Plan

Provincial Gateway Program

Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Study

Draft Transportation Vision for the FVRD

1. Population and Employment Projections

2. Travel Patterns

3. Sustainability Goals Integrate transportation and community planning Encourage and facilitate transit oriented developments Provide safe and affordable transportation infrastructure Coordinate with other agencies and groups to improve transit and road service More complete compact communities Live/work within Langley Reduce the need for long commute trips

Integrate transportation and community planning

Encourage and facilitate transit oriented developments

Provide safe and affordable transportation infrastructure

Coordinate with other agencies and groups to improve transit and road service

More complete compact communities

Live/work within Langley

Reduce the need for long commute trips

4. SOFA TP 2031 Network BRT Fraser Hwy 200 Street Highway 1 West Frequent Bus 200 St Highway 1 East 96 Ave 88 Ave 64 Ave Hwy 10 West Fraser Hwy East 32/24 Ave 208 St Facilities 200 Street Park and Ride/Transit Exchange Willowbrook Park and Ride/Transit Exchange

Facilities

200 Street Park and Ride/Transit Exchange

Willowbrook Park and Ride/Transit Exchange

5. Technical Assessment of Operating Passenger Rail on the Interurban Corridor Determine construction costs for passenger rail between Scott Road and Langley City Inventory of existing rail corridor Describe alternatives Identify technical and constructability issues Prepare rough order of magnitude costs

Determine construction costs for passenger rail between Scott Road and Langley City

Inventory of existing rail corridor

Describe alternatives

Identify technical and constructability issues

Prepare rough order of magnitude costs

5. (cont’d) Operating Passenger Rail - Interurban Corridor Modes examined: Heavy diesel push-pull commuter (WCE) Heavy rail diesel multiple unit (DMU) LRT with diesel multiple unit LRT with electric multiple unit Technical and Constructability Issues: 19 issues identified with 2 major concerns: Right of way with BC Hydro electric transmission poles restricts ability to expand rail infrastructure CPR Page subdivision has significant coal/container traffic and is subject to potential expansion Rough Order of Magnitude Costs Heavy Rail Push Pull - $365,000,000 Heavy Rail DMU - $355,000,000 Light Rail DMU - $590,000,000 Light Rail EMU - $695,000,000

Modes examined:

Heavy diesel push-pull commuter (WCE)

Heavy rail diesel multiple unit (DMU)

LRT with diesel multiple unit

LRT with electric multiple unit

Technical and Constructability Issues:

19 issues identified with 2 major concerns:

Right of way with BC Hydro electric transmission poles restricts ability to expand rail infrastructure

CPR Page subdivision has significant coal/container traffic and is subject to potential expansion

Rough Order of Magnitude Costs

Heavy Rail Push Pull - $365,000,000

Heavy Rail DMU - $355,000,000

Light Rail DMU - $590,000,000

Light Rail EMU - $695,000,000

6. Provincial Transit Plan (2020) Expansion of SkyTrain – 6 km to Fleetwood

6. Provincial Transit Plan (2020) (Bus) BRT Fraser Hwy Hwy 1 King George Hwy Golden Ears Bridge

7. Provincial Gateway Program Highway 1 Bus/HOV Lanes 20 buses, 10-15 minute frequency. 200 Street to Lougheed Mall Carvolth Transit Exchange/Park and Ride Transit/HOV Tunnel, vicinity of 202 Street Willowbrook Transit Exchange/Park and Ride

Highway 1 Bus/HOV Lanes

20 buses, 10-15 minute frequency.

200 Street to Lougheed Mall

Carvolth Transit Exchange/Park and Ride

Transit/HOV Tunnel, vicinity of 202 Street

Willowbrook Transit Exchange/Park and Ride

8. Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Study 196 Street/54 Ave/192 St Combo Overpass Project Alternate North/South route to 200 Street TransLink Study on Alignment Options Provides north/south link from Langley City to Willoughby Provides link to: Willowbrook Park and Ride/Transit Exchange 200 Street BRT Fraser Highway BRT

196 Street/54 Ave/192 St Combo Overpass Project

Alternate North/South route to 200 Street

TransLink Study on Alignment Options

Provides north/south link from Langley City to Willoughby

Provides link to:

Willowbrook Park and Ride/Transit Exchange

200 Street BRT

Fraser Highway BRT

9. Draft Background Paper for the Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD) Transportation Vision Conclusions: “ Transit needs to be improved at the local, regional and inter-regional level by a factor of four or five. Returns on transit expenditures will not yield optimum benefits unless the region’s communities densify considerably and create fully pedestrian and bicycle friendly communities.” “ While there is some appetite for expanded rail into the Fraser Valley, the cold hard reality is that the level of demand can easily be met, probably for many decades with rubber tired solutions. Nonetheless steps should be taken to protect rail rights of way for future generations.”

Conclusions:

“ Transit needs to be improved at the local, regional and inter-regional level by a factor of four or five. Returns on transit expenditures will not yield optimum benefits unless the region’s communities densify considerably and create fully pedestrian and bicycle friendly communities.”

“ While there is some appetite for expanded rail into the Fraser Valley, the cold hard reality is that the level of demand can easily be met, probably for many decades with rubber tired solutions. Nonetheless steps should be taken to protect rail rights of way for future generations.”

Summary Limited information from Community Rail Study Differences from Technical Assessment Population and Employment projections Existing Travel Patterns Sustainability Goals South of Fraser Area Transit Plan Provincial Transit Plan Gateway Program Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Study Fraser Valley Regional District Transportation Vision

Limited information from Community Rail Study

Differences from Technical Assessment

Population and Employment projections

Existing Travel Patterns

Sustainability Goals

South of Fraser Area Transit Plan

Provincial Transit Plan

Gateway Program

Roberts Bank Rail Corridor Study

Fraser Valley Regional District Transportation Vision

Next Steps Community Rail passenger service be re-examined following successful implementation of a similar type of community rail service between Scott Road and Cloverdale which is significantly greater than the current proposal of a “Heritage Train” (2010). Measures of success include: Ridership levels and construction costs that justify the significant investment A type of service that is consistent with the communities sustainability goals

Community Rail passenger service be re-examined following successful implementation of a similar type of community rail service between Scott Road and Cloverdale which is significantly greater than the current proposal of a “Heritage Train” (2010). Measures of success include:

Ridership levels and construction costs that justify the significant investment

A type of service that is consistent with the communities sustainability goals