TransLink’s American CEO, Kevin Desmond, was always TransLink’s man. A consummate bureaucrat, he knows what buttons to push and what whistles to blow, but when it comes to transit, Desmond does what he is told to do.
TransLink has never acknowledged the fact that the public, especially the taxpayer after the 2015 plebiscite do not like nor trust the ponderous bureacracy. Blaming everyone else for TransLink’s woes, bureaucrats offered some “window dressing” changes but nothing more and one of those window dressing changes was Kevin Desmond, the new CEO.
Today, TransLink is mired in a fiscal fiasco, where it’s gross spending habits have greatly outpaced its income. Unwilling to live within its means and continuing to plan for two mega transportation projects that smack of “FastFerry Fiasco”, the over $2 billion Surrey LRT and the now estimated almost $4 billion Broadway subway, TransLink has doubled down by offering gimmicks, which were previously offered before, to take the attention away from their continued blundering.
The SFU Gondola, which the last cost estimate was $120 million in 2011, is supposes to placate the SFU types with “gimmickbahnn” transit, instead of investing about $10 thousand for chains for buses.
Sadly, unlike buses, a gondola operation does not have intermediate stops and the bus route to SFU would still continue. Contrary to what the TransLink CEO said, a SFU gondola will add to the cost of providing students; a gold plated transit solution on an economy class transit route. Economy class, you say? Yes, indeed as the vast majority of users would be those using the $1 a day U-Pass!
Then to add icing to the cake as to how unsuitable and out of touch Desmond is, he offers this little nugget:
Desmond also said there is a blueprint for extending the Arbutus Line to theAi??University of British Columbia, but said completing the mayorsai??i?? ten-year plan is TransLinkai??i??s top priority.
Desmond says if Arbutus line went to @UBC, it would double price of project. It says next set of plans should go out to the university
There are no plans to use the Arbutus Line for Rail, nor any plans to extend the line to UBC.
If LRT were to be used a 15 km Marpole to UBC Line would cost no more than $500 million, but if a subway is proposed for the Arbutus the same 15km route would cost over $4.5 billion.
Obviously Desmond is talking out of his hat and incredulous statements that are emanating from TransLink’s CEO, should signal that it is time to say adios and farewell to Kevin Desmond.
TransLink proposes electric-powered gondola for Simon Fraser University
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By Kyle Benning Reporter Ai??CKNW
TransLinkAi??is trying to find a cleaner way to get people to Simon Fraser University according to CEO Kevin Desmond.
Desmond said the transport company is in talks with the academic institution to get an electric-powered gondola on Burnaby Mountain.
ai???The idea is if there is a gondola, it would replace the major bus route that goes from Production Way Station to the University. It would be a more reliable service, possibly as much, if not more capacity than the buses allow.ai???
He said the operating costs of the bus route would be incorporated into the costs of running the gondola.
ai???If we can figure out a way to pay for the capital; I believe SFU needs to be part of that solution as well. We think there might be some federal grants that could be available for that also, we might be able to put together a really nice project and replace basically at this point, diesel-powered buses.ai???
Desmond also said there is a blueprint for extending the Arbutus Line to theAi??University of British Columbia, but said completing the mayorsai??i?? ten-year plan is TransLinkai??i??s top priority.
