Transport alternatives neglected in City budget
Ever wonder how much the City spends on transportation? While you may assume TransLink pulls the heavy lifting, the City plans to spend just over $700 million over the next decade on transport in Surrey. 94% of that money will go towards roads, leaving just 6% for cycling, sidewalks, and transit improvements.
3.2% of the total engineering budget for the next 10 years will go towards bicycle infrastructure. 1.6% is dedicated for sidewalks, and just 1% will go to transit.
57% of the budget is expected to be funded through new developments. 34% comes from general tax revenue, and 9% from senior levels of government.
For a City that likes to tout its shifting priorities, a look at where the money goes shows little change. Until Council dedicates more funding towards sustainable alternatives to the car, it’s all just lip service.
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Wow, staggering. I always wondered what the transportation budget was. So 21 million over 10 years for cycling. I suppose that includes the muli-use trails which are also for pedestrians.
Is the city planning on upping it’s cycling budget? 21 million over 10 years means $2.1 million per year. $4.34 per capita per year. Right now the budget is for $1 million per year.
Transportation tax $ per year per person is $49 or $144 from total revenue. -
I can’t say I’m shocked by the outlays for Surrey’s transport budget. I am disappointed. In particular I’m dismayed that so little is going towards sidewalks, which are the essential starting point for building good urbanism. All of the rest of it stems from having sidewalks and so much of Surrey is lacking, as anyone who wanders more than 5 minutes from Surrey Central can attest.
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is it not possible that some of the road stuff is also sidewalk being added along new roads.
the percent put to sidewalks is likely just fixing up old side walks and adding some new sidewalks to areas where there werent any.
Plus with the greenway do they not also pull some money out of the parks section?
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