Kevin Quinn was in Cloverdale last week to chat all things Surrey transit.
The TransLink CEO offered an update on SkyTrain, bus routes, and rapid bus lines during a luncheon held June 12 at Elements Casino and hosted by the Cloverdale District Chamber of Commerce.
Quinn told the Cloverdale Reporter when the SkyTrain gets into Clayton Heights he likes the idea of having bus service running south from the stations, down toward Highway 10 and potentially into Campbell Heights.
“The approach that we’ll be taking with the implementation of SkyTrain is really a rethinking of bus service south of the Fraser River,” Quinn said. “It's an area that has not ever had SkyTrain. It's going to now have a very high-frequency, high-quality SkyTrain service. So, we will rethink bus routes and how they plug into that SkyTrain system, like feeders.”
He said he could see so-called “bus spurs” going straight down 184th and/or 188th and serving the new hospital and cancer centre, the small industrial area nestled along 52nd Avenue (between 184th and 192nd), and possibly even on to Campbell Heights.
“I don’t have the answer today to what that routing is going to be,” he added. “But in a couple years we’ve got to plan that out for when SkyTrain opens in 2029.”
Quinn said whenever SkyTrain comes to a new area, there is process TransLink follows to optimize bus service that ties in well with the stations.
“We meet with each municipality, we meet with Metro Vancouver, and we’ll meet with other stakeholders to understand the land use, how it’s changed, what is planned, what’s been approved—from a development perspective,” Quinn explained. “We want to be sure those (bus) services are hitting major employment centres, major industrial centres, shopping centres, hospitals, medical centres—places where people want to go—and we'll combine all that data together and develop, essentially, a new bus network that will serve Surrey.”
After lunch was served, Quinn stepped up to the podium and offered an update on transit in Surrey and Cloverdale.
He said a major complaint he always hears is that buses are overcrowded. He said TransLink is going to address that issue on about 50 routes in the Surrey-Langley area.
“Overall, transit service in the Surrey, Langley, White Rock, and North Delta region is receiving about 29 per cent of all the new service that’s been allocated,” Quinn noted. “It's an overall 7 per cent increase in service to Surrey.”
He added that TransLink is also looking at ways to enhance seasonal service to places like parks and beaches and to increase both Handy Dart and West Coast Express services.
He also said TransLink is increasing funding to municipalities so those cities can improve road conditions. Quinn explained that TransLink provides funding to all municipalities throughout the region to help repair, maintain, and upgrade their major roads.
“We've done about a 70 per cent increase in funding that will come to, say, the City of Surrey and to other municipalities,” he said. “That will keep roads and bridges safer, maintain them, (pay for ) repaving projects. So, your roads are going to get better as well.”
Quinn noted that “new and improved” service will be coming to industrial areas in Surrey such as Campbell Heights and other areas in need.
He said he appreciates the tireless advocacy shown by the Chamber, Cloverdale KPU, Mayor Brenda Locke’s office, businesses owners, and other stakeholders in Cloverdale on behalf of businesses in the area and their need for better bus service in both Cloverdale and Campbell Heights.
“It helps,” he said. “A lot of times people might think we take it at TransLink as an attack. No. I’m on board. I agree with you. We need better Transit and your voices have helped us achieve this investment plan.”
He said improved bus service and new routes are coming to Campbell Heights, Gloucester, Tilbury, and other industrial areas. He also noted that 25 of the most overcrowded routes south of the Fraser—in Surrey, Langley, White Rock, and North Delta—will see an increase of bus service beginning this fall.
“We also … have a new route that we’re going to be rolling out in Campbell Heights,” he added. “I can’t tell you where it’s going to go, ‘cause we don't know.”
He said the funding’s already been allocated because TransLink has identified the need for a new route in there. Next up will be a consultation process.
“We’re in the preliminary stages and we’ll be working with many of you on the routing,” he said. “That will provide additional coverage for the business park by travelling on different roadways to improve acces to more destinations."
He said planning out the route will be worked on this spring and summer. After that bus pads and shelters will need to be built. He anticipates the new route in Campbell Heights will roll out by early 2027.
"We anticipate (servcie) will probably be every 30 minutes on weekdays,” he added. “We still need to work on the span of the service and all the details of it … but the good news is the money is there. and that's really what counts when it comes to rolling out these new services.”
