Transit riders, businesses spar over Burnaby rapid bus route

Transit advocates and a local merchants' association presented competing visions of rapid transit through north Burnaby last week — even though TransLink has yet to get funding for the project.

At issue is a proposed rapid bus route from the congested North Shore to the Metrotown area of Burnaby, B.C., one of the major plans proposed by Metro Vancouver mayors last year.

The proposed route would go through Burnaby Heights in the north of the city, a residential neighbourhood that has a busy shopping area along arterial Hastings Street. 

At two separate presentations to Burnaby city council over the last week, transit advocacy group Movement and the Heights Merchants' Association asked for the proposed route to go through different streets.

While Movement argues that the rapid transit route should partially go east-west on Hastings Street and north-south along Willingdon Avenue, to serve the area's growing population, the business association is instead suggesting a route along Boundary Road that almost completely bypasses Hastings.

The association says its members would lose valuable parking spaces under the advocates' proposed route.

Even though TransLink has yet to present a business case for the North Shore-Metrotown rapid transit project, the debate points to the thorny issues that arise during any major transit expansion.

Denis Agar, the executive director of Movement, argued that a rapid bus route along Hastings would allow Burnaby Heights businesses to grow their customer base as more people take public transit to visit the neighbourhood. He pointed to a petition, signed by over 1,000 people, as proof that the neighbourhood needs more transit options.

"I can totally empathize with [businesses'] position," Agar said. "They put everything of themselves into these businesses.

"I really want them to understand that ... the residents in the neighbourhood really need this, they need better service."

Movement's proposed bus rapid transit route would mean buses have lane priority on Hastings Street, as opposed to the current arrangement where parking takes up much of the right-hand lane and buses occupy the high-occupancy vehicle lane during rush hours.

Spencer Powell, who works and lives near Hastings Street and Willingdon Avenue, said existing buses are often delayed in traffic, partly because they have to enter and exit the parking lane on Hastings.

"The obvious answer is ... to provide good, stable transit to the people that are coming here," he said.

Business concerns

Isabel Kolic, executive director of the Heights Merchants Association, says if the bus route were to run down Hastings Street, it would take away half of the parking spots allotted to each business.

Kolic said the loss of parking spaces would be felt by those who need to drive to access the neighbourhood, including seniors, those with mobility issues, or parents with young children.

She added that the Burnaby Heights neighbourhood has far fewer parking spots than Metrotown, and losing half of those spots would be a significant detriment to visitors.

"We need to respect all of our customers, not just some of them who happen to be able to take a bus," said Kolic. 

Kolic hopes TransLink will consider the Boundary route instead.

"Our district ... has a very unique small town charm and ambience that our community really values and cherishes," said Kolic. "We're worried that if they do choose alignment down Hastings Street to Willingdon, that that charm will be replaced by a six-lane transportation highway."

A TransLink spokesperson wrote in a statement the route is still unfunded and in the early planning stages. 

"No decision has been made at this time," the spokesperson said.

The transit authority said it would work closely with stakeholders and get approval from each municipal council involved before finalizing the route.