Buses in Kamloops have new digs, the coastal ferry engagement plan got a consultation team, new legislation will help TransLink crack down on fare evaders, and upgrades to Highway 6 near Nelson will help motorists travelling along the Selkirk Loop and beyond. It’s another instalment of Bridging the Week, our way of getting you up to speed on all things BC transportation.
In a collective effort to move transit into the 21st century in the Kamloops area, we were on site this week, along with BC Transit, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada for the opening of a new BC Transit Centre in Kamloops.
The new facility replaces an outdated facility with a state of the art one, which has the capacity to support all the fleet needs of growing ridership. A highlight of the new centre is the automated bus wash which recycles eighty percent of water used during a ninety second cycle. Cool!
The coastal ferries engagement program took a major step toward realization this week when a consultation firm was awarded a contract to seek public input on strategies to support a long-term vision of connecting coastal communities. Kirk & Co. Consulting Ltd. were the successful bidders and have worked on consultations with clients which include the BC Children’s Hospital and the City of Vancouver. The consultation process includes online and in person engagement activities and will be completed for review before the end of the year. Stay tuned!
The Province of British Columbia introduced changes to the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Act this week. What does that mean for you? Basically it means that the government has created legislation which could impose a serious fine for people who sneak on transit. The long term cost of this type of theft means increased fares for those who pay to use the system. As a result of this announcement, TransLink has announced that it will be cracking down on fare evaders in an effort to keep their system running as smoothly as possible.
And in the south east corner of the province this week, we announced that a portion of Highway 6 between Euphrates Mine and Nelson will be resurfaced this summer. Work will begin this month and should be completed by the end of September. To learn more about the types of resurfacing methods we use across the province, read our blog and look for the clues as you travel past active projects this summer. During construction, motorists can expect single-lane alternating traffic and minor delays up to 20 minutes. Check DriveBC for construction delays at: www.drivebc.ca
Well, that’s the round up of transportation news from July 30 to August 3rd. Enjoy your weekend and stop by next week for more updates. Safe travels!
