Prince George, B.C. – The  Prince George to Prince Rupert   transportation plan is making  progress says B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone, and  some aspects are expected to be  rolling by the end of this year.

The  plan calls for a number of  elements  including BC Transit,  Northern Health and the development of community  van service.  

( at right Transportation Minister  Todd Stone addresses  group at ICBA  gathering in Prince George – photo 250News)

Minister Stone met with the Highway 16 Advisory Council this week “It was a great opportunity to mutually update each other on how its going and how the plan  is ramping up.  We are making tremendous progress. It was a very positive meeting.  Some of the transit should be in place by the end of this year.   We will have all of the transit in  every community from Rupert to George  in place by the late Spring of next year.”

Stone says  many of the transit shelters are in place,  the driver education contract has been awarded to Carrier Sekani  , “On the collaboration front, there is some really good work going on with  Northern Health on the  use of the Northern Health bus and synchronizing the schedules  of existing transportation providers like Northern Health  with the community vans and transit services.  It’s  a complicated mix of initiatives, but its all coming together  quite nicely.”

One of the  surprises in this transportation  puzzle is the  offer by VIA Rail to get involved. “I am cautiously optimistic that VIA Rail will becoming to the table  with something quite extraordinary” says Minister Stone. ” They   are very serious, and really exploring with  us and others on the Highway 16 Advisory Council   how they might be  part of the solution moving forward.  So they’re considering  a heavily discounted fare for  individuals along the corridor who really need transportation.  That would just provide another option.  It won’t work for everybody, but   it will work for some,  I am just thrilled that they are willing to have a conversation  with us  about it,  and it was their initiative, they were proactive and  came forward, it wasn’t that we   approached them  so  I have to give them full credit.  I look forward to having further discussions taking place with them.”

Part of the  Highway 16 Transportation plan is an operations/maintenance  facility for Prince George.  That’s a $23 million dollar project. “It is a much needed facility here in Prince George” says Stone .   He says the location  of that facility  will  be announced  soon “We are getting very  close on  finalizing all the details”  and he is hopeful the  work  can start  before  Christmas.