Evergreen Line Business Case Executive Summary, Feb 2008 report from BC Ministry

 

 

 

Excerpts from report:

 

The business case for the Evergreen Line Rapid Transit Project (the Project) demonstrates the need for investment
in rapid transit to Coquitlam, recommends a preferred technology, reviews route options, and outlines
a process for determining the preferred procurement method and competitive selection process to best
meet the Project objectives and achieve value for taxpayer dollars.
The business case concludes that:
1. Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT, or SkyTrain-type technology) is the clearly preferred technology.
2. Both the Northwest (NW) corridor (Lougheed Mall to Coquitlam via Port Moody) and the Southeast (SE)
corridor (Lougheed Mall to Coquitlam via Lougheed Highway) options have good results in combination
with ALRT technology. The NW corridor as the previously-adopted corridor has very slight technical
advantages over the SE corridor and is consistent with current community development plans.
3. A comprehensive procurement and implementation analysis should be undertaken to determine the
optimum procurement method for the Project, including public private partnerships. This approach
reflects provincial policy that public private partnerships are the preferred procurement method for
major capital projects unless there is a compelling reason to do otherwise.
These recommendations reflect the following findings from the business case:
1. Ridership – ALRT will produce two and a half times the ridership of Light Rail Transit (LRT) technology;
this is consistent with the ridership goals in the Provincial Transit Plan.
2. Travel Time – ALRT will move people almost twice as fast as LRT (in the NW corridor).
3. Benefits and Cost – ALRT will achieve greater ridership and improved travel times at a capital cost of
$1.4 billion, with overall benefit-cost ratio that favour ALRT over LRT.
4. System Integration – ALRT will integrate into TransLink’s existing SkyTrain system more efficiently than
LRT.
5. Corridor – The NW corridor as the previously-adopted corridor has very slight technical advantages
over the SE corridor and is consistent with current community development plans.
6. Public Private Partnership – Following the application of screening criteria, the Project demonstrates
a range of characteristics that suggest there would be value for taxpayer dollars in procuring it
using a public private partnership approach.

Purpose of the Evergreen Line

The purpose and need for the Evergreen Line has been long-established, with planning first undertaken in
the 1990s. It was intended to provide a rapid transit connection between Lougheed Mall in Burnaby with
Port Moody and Coquitlam Town Centre, with the main objectives of increasing transportation choice, supporting
growth management, and supporting environmentally sustainable initiatives.
Metro Vancouver continues to experience significant population and economic growth that, combined with
changing regional travel patterns and expanding trade, has placed considerable strain on our transportation
system. Congestion on regional roads and highways continues to increase, with growing impacts on residents,

communities, the environment and the economy. The Evergreen Line will be one of a series of regional transit and transportation improvements that address these challenges, and is an important element of the Provincial
Transit Plan.

Metro Vancouver’s Northeast sector— including the municipalities of Coquitlam, Port Moody, Port Coquitlam, Anmore, and Belcarra—has experienced rapid growth and continues to be one of the fastest growing areas in Metro Vancouver. This current and anticipated population growth is adding pressure to the regional transportation network
as traffic volumes build and congestion increases. Without alternative transportation improvements, this trend is expected to continue, resulting in the road network in the corridor reaching capacity shortly after 2021.