District plans to introduce transit to Alice Lake park in 2025

Enhancing Access: Transit Plans Set for Alice Lake Park Introduction in 2025

District of Squamish is planning to introduce a bus service to Alice Lake Provincial Park in 2025.

District staff have been working with BC Transit to develop three options for transit expansion in the community, one of them being a bus to Alice Lake Provincial Park. In a recent interview, Mayor Armand Hurford lamented the lack of funding from Province for transit expansion. At a Committee of the Whole meeting on July 11, 2023, staff shared three options with council on possible transit expansions in Squamish.

Below is the detail of all three options being considered by the District:

In 2024-25, more transit frequency is planned for Route 1 and 2 with plans to deviate Route 3 in Valleycliffe to provide seasonal support to Squamish Oceanfront. There are also plans to improve weekend service for additional 1,500 hours. This would need three medium-duty vehicles.

In 2025-26, District plans to introduce a new transit service to Alice Lake and an improved service to South Squamish parks as well as Oceanfront. This would require one medium duty vehicle.

In 2026-2027, there are plans to introduce three heavy duty vehicles and 5,000 more hours of transit, which would require four medium duty vehicles and three heavy-duty vehicles.

Transit services in Squamish are jointly provided by BC Transit, the District and PWTransit, the local operating company. Each year the District signs an Annual Operating Agreement with BC Transit that outlines the transit service area, annual budget, payment schedule and fares. Last year, the District of Squamish approved a five-year transit plan that includes doubling of transit in five years.

The Alice Lake road and Highway 99 intersection remains among the top five dangerous intersections in the community. Afew years ago, a local resident, Kerry Grey, had started a petition asking the Province install traffic lights at the intersection. Alice Lake intersection. The Province plans to improve the intersection this year.