Anticipation of the light-rail transit line linking Newton with central Surrey has helped drive the cost of land zoned for higher-density multi-family in the transit corridor above $4 million per acre. (Surrey City Development)
After being sworn into office on Monday, November 5, Mayor Doug McCallum fulfilled his campaign promise to cancel the Surry LRT.
The motion to suspend the project, in favour of expanding the SkyTrain, passed unanimously in City Council.
Translink CEO Kevin Desmond released a statement announcing that, "In light of the resolution passed by the City of Surrey council we are pausing work on the Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT Project and suspending the RFQ process while we await direction from the Mayors’ Council and the TransLink Board."
"We are committed to improving rapid transit in Surrey and Langley and we look forward to working with the Mayors’ Council, the City of Surrey, and the City and Township of Langley to advance the best options for the people south of the Fraser and the entire region as quickly as possible," he explained.
According to TransLink, the City of Surrey, City of Langley, and Township of Langley will welcome over 400,000 new residents as well as create 185,000 additional jobs. As such, improving rapid transit in the South of Fraser area is a regional priority.
As a result, it plans to work alongside the cities to expand the SkyTrain from King George Station to Langley City.
With that being said, "According to a 2017 Preliminary Cost Estimates Report the budget estimate for this Project is $1.95B for LRT and $2.91B for SkyTrain."
The transit authority is currently awaiting direction from the Mayor as well as the TransLink Board.
With files from the Canadian Press.
