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Steveston Interurban Tram
Photo by Chung Chow
Steveston Interurban tram dream alive again
Published 12:59 PDT, Thu April 19, 2018
Last Updated: 2:12 PDT, Wed May 12, 2021
Could an operational tram be in the cards for
Steveston in the not-too-distant future?
It’s certainly now more than a pipe dream
after the City of Richmond on March 22 issued a request for proposals to “engage
the services of a team of transportation professionals” to prep a feasibility
study. The deadline for submissions is Monday, April 23 at 5 p.m.
According to the request for proposal, the
Steveston Interurban Tram would run from its current location at 4011 Moncton
St. to the Gulf of Georgia Cannery on Fourth Avenue.
The City of Richmond wants to connect with
interest parties who are capable of carrying out the work, including making
submissions that form the basis for evaluation, the potential interview and
selection.
City of Richmond spokesperson Ted Townsend
said the feasability study will look at the costs and larger implications of
putting the tram car into service.
“Council passed a motion last September
allocating funding to undertake a feasibility study that includes a
transportation and engineering analysis of the operation of the tram…,” he
said. $50,000 was set aside for the study, which would also look at the capital
and operating costs of the tram itself, as well as a business case analysis
that would include a cost versus benefits analysis.
Following the April 23 deadline, city staff
will review the proposals.
The fact the tram’s restoration is now “substantially
complete” has prompted council to revisit the issue.
Putting the tram into service was last
considered in 2005, and was met with some opposition, including from condo
residents who were, among other things, concerned about the noise the tram
would create if built along certain routes.
At the time, council considered a few
options, including running the tram between Steveston Village and London Farm,
between Britannia Heritage Shipyard and London Landing, and between Britannia
Heritage Shipyard and Steveston Village.
The cost of laying the track, providing
stations, road crossings, crossing protections and power were estimated at
between $1.9 million and $2.9 million depending on the route.
“These estimates did not include costs of any
land acquisition required.”
But council passed a resolution to “abandon
any tram routing options in Steveston” on Jan. 24, 2005.
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