Bees, famously, fly in straight lines because it’s the most efficient way of getting from Point A to Point B. It’s precisely why TransLink has named their express bus routes B-Lines.
But for many, a B-Line in West Vancouver offers more sting than honey.
TransLink is coming to the table with studies showing the B-Line would be a net improvement, not just for bus riders but for drivers too. But opponents of the plan are having none of it, opting instead to fight the proposal with hyperbole and armchair engineering.
After six weeks of consultation, council may very well decide to walk away from this opportunity and spend another decade sulking that TransLink won’t provide better service to their taxpayers.
It will be a legitimate decision and TransLink won’t force the express bus service on a municipality that doesn’t want it. But it will be capitulating to populism. It will give West Vancouver pariah status among Lower Mainland governments attempting to improve mobility through better transit.
It will also undermine the effectiveness of the rest of the 11.5-kilometre line for the thousands who ride it. And it will mean the roughly 75 per cent of West Van employees who commute from outside the district will be stuck with two options: meager bus service or another car on the road.
It would be easy for council to follow the straight line from community outrage to a successful re-election campaign. Much harder would be valuing information over emotion and making a decision for today’s employees, tomorrow’s residents and the quiet contingent who’d rather not drive in rush hour.
We hope council takes the long road.
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