Dear Editor,
Re: “We need a skytrain from Richmond to Surrey,” and “We already have rapid transit from Richmond to Surrey,” Opinion, Richmond-News.com.
Contrary to an opinion expressed in a letter to the editor, Richmond does not have rapid transit to Surrey, nor will Richmond ever have a rapid transit line to Surrey in the future.
The current cost of an approximately 23 km light-metro line (SkyTrain) from Richmond to Surrey would be expensive and based on the estimated per km cost of the proposed Expo Line extension to Langley, about $280 million/km.
The estimated cost would be around $6.5 billion, not including a stand-alone bridge crossing the Fraser, which would add about $3 billion to the cost.
The other problem would be the choice of technology, as the trains used on the Expo and Millennium Lines (the proprietary Movia Automatic Light Metro system, erroneously called SkyTrain) or the Canada Line’s conventional heavy rail railway. Both are incompatible in operation.
Currently, the only way to reach Surrey by rail is a 25-minute trip to Waterfront Station, an inconvenient 10-minute transfer to the Expo Line and a 45-minute trip to Surrey Central.
The rail for the Valley Leewood Study, a template for restoring a modern passenger-rail service from Vancouver (Marpole) to Chilliwack, via Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford leaves the option open for a route from Richmond via the CN line.
Such a line would cost about $10 million/km to $15 million/km to install and would provide a seamless customer journey to Surrey in half the time.
Malcolm Johnston
Delta
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