The mayors of Langley City, Township, and Surrey are trying to determine if light rail or SkyTrain is the way of the future.
Langley City Mayor Ted Schaffer said staff from all three communities are working together on a comparison of the two systems.
Part of the long-term plans of TransLink, still not fully funded, is a rail link from the Surrey SkyTrain terminus down Fraser Highway to Langley City.
“We want to see what the best model is for the community,” said Schaffer.
The study will look at both short and long term costs. Which system is more expensive to build, which to run. Some considerations are the costs for drivers for a light rail system, or whether a new maintenance yard would be needed.
Although Surrey’s Mayor Linda Hepner has said her community would consider going it alone on a light rail project, should TransLink, the province, and the federal government not come to a funding deal.
Schaffer said he felt that Surrey and the Langleys building the line entirely on their own isn’t a realistic option.