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EDITORIAL: Point A to B-Line

During a three-and-a-half hour public hearing over residential towers at Park Royal Monday night, a common theme emerged among the opponents: How can we have more people living at one of the most traffic congested intersections in the Lower Mainland?
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During a three-and-a-half hour public hearing over residential towers at Park Royal Monday night, a common theme emerged among the opponents: How can we have more people living at one of the most traffic congested intersections in the Lower Mainland?

The answer, the proponents say, is transit – and lots of it, including the North Shore’s first B-Line express bus, due to start rolling next year. Every eight minutes, a high-capacity, articulated bus will come along, connecting Phibbs Exchange to Dundarave.

But what good is an express bus if it too is stuck in traffic? It’s a question our municipalities are now trying to figure out and TransLink is seeking North Shore residents’ views on just how they’d like to see their first B-Line bus run on our notoriously congested streets. Space is limited and we have competing needs and wants.

Where should the stops be? How much street parking should we eliminate to make way for the bus? Would we accept no-left-turn restrictions if it meant more people taking transit and fewer cars on the road?

Some sacrifices will have to be made but we believe this is in the best interest of North Shore families, businesses and commuters alike.

Ultimately, our transportation system should be more concerned with moving people than with moving cars. Efficiency must be a principle that guides our decisions and you couldn’t invent anything less efficient than a single-occupancy vehicle.

TransLink’s survey can be filled out online at translink.ca/bline. We urge you not to miss this bus.

What are your thoughts? Send us a letter via email by clicking here or post a comment below.