Dear Editor:
The Main-Marine B-Line is the most significant North Shore transit improvement since the SeaBus was introduced in 1977, but in order for it to fulfill its potential we will need our municipal governments to get on board.
B-Lines are fast, frequent, and direct, and have proven to be hugely successful in other parts of the region (for instance: the introduction of the 95 B-Line shaved a good 10-15 minutes off of my commute each way when I was still a student at SFU). Due to the unique challenges the North Shore poses, if we want to achieve this level of success we will need to implement things like dedicated transit lanes to ensure service remains quick and reliable.
Metro Vancouver saw the highest increase in public transit ridership of any city in North America last year. The demand is clearly there, and as we continue to invest in our public transportation network more people will look to transit as a viable alternative. This helps everyone get around more efficiently and is one of the best ways to tackle our traffic concerns: if more people choose transit over driving, it will mean less vehicles on the road and in turn less congestion.
Everyone likes to complain about traffic on the North Shore. If we’re serious about addressing it then we need to support our councils in making the tough decisions that prioritize getting people to where they need to go. Ensuring the success of the Main-Marine B-Line is a good place to start.
Mack McCorkindale
North Vancouver
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