Surrey and Vancouver are on the shortlist for $50 million in funding through the Infrastructure Canada for their joint submission to implement the nation鈥檚 first pair of 鈥渃ollision-free corridors鈥� using driver-less vehicles.
There were 199 applicants from across the county and out of 16 submissions in Surrey鈥檚 and Vancouver鈥檚 category, they made the top five.
鈥淲e will receive $250,000, jointly, Vancouver and Surrey to split, from which we will be looking to see which partners are going to help us move forward at the next stage of the application,鈥� Sean Simpson, Surrey鈥檚 director of information technology, told the Now-Leader. The next step of the application is due next winter. 鈥淭hey haven鈥檛 said whether it鈥檚 November or December, we鈥檙e not sure.鈥�
鈥淭hey will announce next spring who is the winner of the $50 million is in our category, which is the 500,000 and over, population size.鈥�
The Vancouver corridor extends from Granville Island to Science World but Surrey鈥檚 is under wraps.
鈥淲e haven鈥檛 identified where, we have candidates, that鈥檚 what the next phase will flesh out,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 want to be naming at this time where those corridors are.鈥�
Simpson also declined to say if they鈥檙e looking at north or south Surrey. 鈥淎ll we鈥檙e saying at this time is it鈥檚 connecting with existing transit hubs; we鈥檒l be looking at connecting key facilities and really looking where we can have the greatest impact on moving people through a corridor whether it鈥檚 in a car, bus, walking or cycling.
鈥淭his has nothing to do with LRT. This is a separate project. This is a federal challenge. We will be seeking partners in this, and TransLink runs public transportation, right, so we鈥檒l be seeking partnerships.鈥�
How does Surrey and Vancouver propose to achieve these 鈥渃ollision-free鈥� corridors?
鈥淲ell, that鈥檚 what the challenge is and that鈥檚 what we鈥檒l be working towards with our partners, to reduce the incidence of collisions between all different modes,鈥� Simpson said. 鈥淐ollisions aren鈥檛 just between cars 鈥� more often than not, the collisions are between cars and pedestrians.鈥�
Simpson said there are no figures yet available as to how many driver-less vehicles will potentially be motoring around in Surrey. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a provincial mandate about when they decide to let autonomous, so we鈥檒l be working with the province on that legislation,鈥� he said.
Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner said Surrey and Vancouver 鈥渉ope to demonstrate the path to safer, healthier and more connected communities while reducing emissions, improving transportation efficiency and enhancing livability in the face of rapid growth and traffic congestion.鈥�
tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
Like us on Follow us on and follow Tom on
