Coquitlam shows SkyTrain can integrate with community

Mayor Watts says that SkyTrain will “cut our communities in half” and “destroy our city”, while claiming that it’s “not just about moving people as far as you can from A to B” and that her preferred option of light rail (LRT) is about “building a community”.

Yet, the City of Coquitlam has just released a concept for street enhancements that shows a very high level of community integration, which will accompany the Evergreen Line SkyTrain. The concepts are a critical element of the Coquitlam city-wide Official Community Plan (OCP) and detail the City’s opportunity to shape the functionality and livability of the three primary corridors impacted by the facility.

The street reconstruction work will reduce pedestrian crossing distances while simultaneously improving traffic mobility. It will also ensure that space under the guideway and near stations is used effectively, responding to the new demand for access to station areas and linkages along the corridor and into the surrounding local community. For example, a multi-use pedestrian and bike pathway will complement most of the Evergreen Line guideway on the side of the street.

It’s clear that the community-friendly integration and community-building abilities of SkyTrain have been overlooked by Surrey city leadership.