SkyTrain won’t happen soon – if ever

Mass transit in Kelowna, if it arrives at all, is more than 20 years away.

The city doesn’t have the population density or financial resources to support the development of a light rail transit system, streetcar network or dedicated bus lines in the near future, council heard Monday.

About 50,000 more people are expected to arrive in Kelowna (current population: 130,000) by 2040. Given these projections, staff considered the potential viability of mass transit along three corridors:

— Highway 97. Half of all Kelowna jobs are now within 800 metres of the highway, making it a popular destination. But only 15 per cent of people live within walking distance of the highway, a fact that seriously undercuts the potential viability of mass transit along the highway.

— Pandosy Street. High employment generators in the area include the hospital and college, and the area has a relatively high number of residents. But there is little room along the street to separate transit from other traffic.

— The CN Rail corridor from downtown to the airport, a distance of 14 kilometres. Although there is good availability of public land along the corridor, there are few popular employment destinations near the corridor.

It would currently cost as much as $181 million per kilometre to build a light rail transit system, while the equivalent costs for streetcars are up to $52 million and $14 million for dedicated bus lanes, council heard.

“The costs are really quite shocking,” said Coun. Tracy Gray.

Any mass transit system is “so out of context with what we’re ready for,” said Coun. Gail Given.

Coun. Luke Stack said he didn’t believe streetcars were being implemented widely in many communities.

“I lean toward thinking it would be quite impractical for us,” Stack said.

The most likely transit future for Kelowna, staff and council agreed, is the ongoing expansion of the current traditional bus system, with possible upgrades to the RapidBus line along Highway 97.