With the recent study of the cost to upgrade the E&N rail line there has been talk of ending the rail. Here are some of the facts not to.
The cost of upgrading the entire 289 kilometres is less than three kilometres of underground rail rapid transit. It would cost considerably less than building a new road from Victoria to Courtenay.
The rail line would also provide an alternate access through the Malahat and would not be affected by a closure on the Island Highway.
READ MORE: Island Rail Corridor needs $700 million in upgrades to get back on track
The amount of boarding’s estimated for Scenario 2 Peak Service in the report is 664,040 per year. The Inter City alone would have 369,980 boardings per year.
The Via train service had 44,000 passengers per year.
Upgrading the rail and building a trail on the corridor would have the broadest use, and at the end of the day the E&N corridor should benefit all stakeholders and not just one.
Gwyer Webber
Nanaimo