David Burke
Whistler Question
The four-month Squamish-Whistler transit pilot project came to an end last week, but officials in both communities are hopeful that a permanent service will be established in the future, perhaps by this fall.
The Sea to Sky Transit service, which was launched in early December, departed Whistler for Squamish on Monday (April 24) at 7:45 a.m., completing the commuting loop for those who worked the graveyard shift in Whistler.
This is the second time the service -which uses three buses on loan from B.C. Transit -has been offered as a temporary pilot project.
It was first launched in early 2005 as a way to move those who live in Squamish and work in Whistler safely, economically and conveniently. The initial launch took place after seven people, including five who were returning home after working the night shift at hotels in Whistler, were killed in a two-vehicle collision on Highway 99 near Brackendale.
The pilot projects in 2005 and 2006 were established with funding from the RMOW and the District of Squamish (DOS), with the buses provided by B.C. Transit. When the initial service was launched, officials said they hoped to garner support for some sort of regional transit authority that would have the authority to levy a fuel or other tax to pay for a permanent service, but added that it would likely take two years for the entity to be established.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday (April 18), RMOW and DOS officials said they are "working with the Province to secure a long-term funding source to launch a permanent Sea to Sky Transit System. They hope for a resolution in the fall of 2006."
Brian Barnett, RMOW general manager of engineering and public works, on Tuesday said proponents have the support of corridor communities, including First Nations. The biggest challenge now, he said, is getting the support of the provincial government."Special legislation has to be created for that taxation to occur," he said. "We are being careful in presenting the appropriate business case for the establishment of the service.
"To this point we have been doing our homework, but we still have to have high-level discussions with the politicians and senior bureaucrats."
The pilot project included not only the Sea to Sky Transit buses but also subsidized commuter tickets for Greyhound buses and an emergency-ride-home program.
Officials said ridership figures and surveys of transit users indicated continued strong support for such a service. The date from the most recent pilot project showed that 98 per cent of those using the Sea to Sky Transit buses were using it to travel to and from work.
Forty-four per cent of those surveyed said they had no other transportation option.
