The ridership is there
This is a consensus 2021 population density map. This Corridor has history, beautiful views, and our economic centres are getting tripped up by road interruptions!
Vancouver Island's population growth and points of high density in proximity to the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor justifies Restoring Island Rail Services. Freight is picking up at an alarming rate in Port of Nanaimo, and Port of Alberni has plans too! The increasing volume of online ordering today is traveling on our roads from arrival points at Airports and Ferries as well! Shipping needs will only increase for supplies and putting Public Service Trains on the track for $200 per month is a bonus for us regular Tax-Payers!
lines up with the concentrations needed for success.
The Island Corridor isn't a dead horse, it's just asleep
They still haul Propane on it in Nanaimo, so it's not entirely asleep either.
shows densities consistent with expected ratios for success.
Vancouver Island Economic Alliance
The Vancouver Island Economic Alliance (Business) have identified the Island's rail needs from the beginning!
in 2015 they produced a video
MovIng Forward 2015 - VIEA - YouTube
and every year the updated content includes a professionally phrased "WE NEED RAIL!"
2020SOTI-Report-WEB-New.pdf (viea.ca)
Watch this video of Duke Point's operation
DP World Nanaimo: Short Sea Shipping - YouTube then picture another one in Port Alberni
The new Pacific Gateway!
And check out Port Alberni's plans
Minimizing impact on sensitive ecosystems
Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2022 management measures (dfo-mpo.gc.ca)
Everyone wants better and cheaper travel
How do we bypass commuter and freight traffic from the Malahat?
"The bus is subject to the same traffic a personal vehicle is, so why would they take the bus when they can be in their own car. " - Dominique T
The inviting Rail Map
Travel up and down the island doesn't need to be complicated with additional mid-island transfers and the high risk of getting stuck in congested traffic. In addition to the 20-40% of the population that would use the service, how many Tourists might see this as a reliable way to tour the island?
Multimodal use of the Rail Corridor
Community trails and bike lanes need to be thought through and designed by municipalities with engagement. Otherwise they can cause problems like the Bike-Lane-Beside-Roadways are causing. Turning right? now you have 2 lanes of oncoming (Bikes and Vehicles) traffic, and a cycle lane going the same direction. Add all the other normal precautions we need to take while driving. Can you see why they cause accidents?
Check out the trail network! https://www.alltrails.com/explore?b_tl_lat=50.71153212140041&b_tl_lng=-128.57416633978139&b_br_lat=48.41484061286138&b_br_lng=-122.02633818654124&mobileMap=true
Modern trains are attractive!
Why would a train be more desirable than a bus? Well, for starters a train won't get hung up in traffic congestion or accidents, they are safer to travel in than any road based vehicle, and are well suited for long distance travel, have bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and space to socially distance.
View of ridership
ICF's expectations for ridership are Low.
"In a typical community, 20-40% of travellers cannot, should not, or prefer not to drive, yet non-auto modes only receive about 10% of total transportation infrastructure investments."
Todd Litman - Victoria Transport Policy Institute .
pairs well with a glass of this article
Passenger Rail is not on the decline
Rail passenger traffic in America from 2006 to 2019 (in billion passenger kilometers)
Rail passenger traffic – America 2019
That tiny dip is in 2019 was from Covid-19, its on the rise again rapidly in 2022
It will come from taxes already paid
There is no Vancouver Island specific tax-base, lucky for us we are part of B.C. and Canada so the cost spreads out. But we also pay for other projects across Canada and B.C. like the 2.8 billion 5.7 km SkyTrain extension.
Add up all the taxes you paid this year using the red bar in the graphic and ask yourself how much money in taxes come from Vancouver Island Tax-Payers.
Everyone will use it
Winter will come, and we will all be thinking about the Vancouver Island Rail Corridor in a whole new way. Winter is treacherous on the island with black ice and hilly terrain. Trains have plows built right on the front, and have no problem in any inclement weather.
https://www.cbc.ca/.../western-canad-la-nina-triple-dip...
All about the Business Case including links to the actual documents
https://restoreislandrail.com/more-about-the-plan
Who would use it?
https://restoreislandrail.com/who-would-use-it%3F-1
It's in Vancouver Island Economic Alliance Transportation Plan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8sHnfcygmb0
It's supported by the CRD, CVRD, and the ACRD where John Jack gives a powerful speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FTFzFLxLTQ
Benefits to Transit island wide
Freight operators like Southern Railway of British Columbia pay weight-distance "Freight Rate" charges to the owner for maintenance and upkeep of the tracks.
The Passenger service is like B.C. Transit, did you know it only gets 3.1% of its funding from fares? The nature of Public Services are to help us Tax-Payers!
An attractive service with benefits
"In a typical community, 20-40% of travelers cannot, should not, or prefer not to drive, yet non-auto modes only receive about 10% of total transportation infrastructure investments."
Inexpensive travel up and down the island will save people money for other essentials and reduce their need to use their car for long distances that put wear and tear on their vehicles, cost gas, etc.
They may even be able to lose the car while they save to rise from poverty.
Health Infrastructure must come first!
There are already many Health projects underway as well as a few other infrastructure investments, but no sign of transportation infrastructure For Vancouver Island.
Creating a healthy car-less transit infrastructure will make living here more affordable for those we need to staff these hospitals, construction workers to build them, and everyone else involved in making it happen.
Residents love events, not the Traffic!
One of the biggest complaints I've heard from residents up and down the island in the vicinity of events is the crazy traffic along with garbage. The train can't help with the garbage, but it can certainly help Events reduce vehicle traffic and even scale events up by having an easy to understand fully integrated transit system on the Island.
It will go faster than 45km/hour
It will go faster than 45km/hour
The Tracks will be renewed, trestles repaired and seismically updated. Train speeds will be much faster on straight stretches (slower on corners and controlled level crossings) cutting the old Dayliner's 4 hours 45 minutes from Courtenay to Victoria almost in half!
No one drives the same speed all the time when commuting and Trains are no different.
It's only $430 Million because
Costs for rail restorations are well known!
2017 Railroad Engineering & Construction Costs | Compass International