Introducing the new Chair of the TransLink Board for 2014 – Marcella Szel
January 24, 2014
Introducing the new Chair of the TransLink Board for 2014 – Marcella Szel
January 24, 2014
I sat down with Marcella Szel, the new Chair of the TransLink Board recently and found out some interesting info about her background. Marcella was great to speak with and as you’ll learn from watching this video, Marcella has been involved with moving goods and people for a number of years. For more info about Marcella, you’ll want to read her bio in the Board of Directors section of the TransLink website.
Marcella is a busy person who’s involved with a number of boards and initiatives. But that doesn’t mean she’s too busy to answer your pertinent questions about her work and the Board. So, fire away, and I’ll do my best to have comments answered in a day or two.
What do you have to say to Surrey residents who have 2 tolled bridges surrounding their city while Vancouver has none?
Does the board have any say in consistency from city to city? I’ve noticed the on-street bike lanes look different depending on which city you’re in.
How many board members take transit to work every day?
Marcella has some answers for your three!
Scott: Hi Scott. Thanks for the comment. The short answer is tolling of bridges is a Provincial matter. You’ll want to read this document for more info. http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/Publications/reports_and_studies/tolling/index.htm
Sheba: Thanks for the question Sheba. The board has no control over bike lane infrastructure. Most municipalities adhere to TAC (Transportation Association of Canada) guidelines on cycling infrastructure. However, the design of bike lanes is ultimately up to the respective municipalities. I can tell you that Since 2000 TransLink has invested over 50 million in bike infrastructure. This is cost sharing money that we provide to municipalities as incentive to invest in cycling infrastructure. TransLink will be developing regional bike infrastructure design guidelines to provide as a resource to all municipalities in Metro Vancouver, in order to encourage consistency across municipal boundaries throughout the region.
Graeme: Great question Graeme! I can’t speak for the rest of the board, although I know one board member who works where he lives, but I can tell you how I get around the region. Myself, and I know a few others on the board, I use a mix of modes. Transit when it works for me, bike, walk and car if that’s the best option.
The important thing is that transit provides service in areas where there is a concentration of people that can take advantage of it. It is safe, fast, efficient. Translink also funds the MRN that allows drivers to move around the region. There is always a mix of transit and road users. And the more people that we can get onto transit, clears the road for drivers and keeps the cost of road-building down.
[…] readers following the progress of the Evergreen Line development. Today the TransLink board chair, Marcella Szel, joined Premier Christy Clark and Minister Todd Stone to announce the start of Evergreen Line […]