British Columbia transportation

Historydiesel buses, although the City of Vancouver is
Transportation played a major role in Britishalso serviced by a fleet of electric buses.
Columbia history. The Rocky Mountains and theTransLink operates SkyTrain, a light rapid transit
ranges west of them constituted a significantsystem serving Vancouver, Burnaby, New
obstacle to overland travel until the completion ofWestminster, and North Surrey. Presently,
the transcontinental railway in 1885. The Peaceextensions of the line south to Richmond (the
River Canyon through the Rocky Mountains wasCanada Line) and east to Coquitlam and Port
the route that the earliest explorers and furMoody (the Evergreen Line) are being developed.
traders used. Along with that route, overlandRail
travel from the rest of Canada involved using aThe completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway
combination of trails and wagon roads (such as(CPR) in 1885 was a condition of British Columbia's
the Cariboo Wagon Road). The difficulty ofentry into the Canadian Confederation. Rail
overland travel prior to 1885 meant that mostdevelopment expanded greatly in the subsequent
transportation to and from the region occurreddecades, and was the chief mode of long-distance
via the Pacific Ocean, primarily through the portssurface transportation until the expansion and
of Victoria and New Westminster.improvement of the provincial highways system
Until the 1930s, rail was the only means ofbegan in the 1950s. Apart from the CPR,
overland travel to and from the rest of Canadanumerous other lines were developed. Two major
— travellers using motor vehiclesroutes through the Yellowhead Pass competed
needed to journey through the United States.with the CPR — the Grand Trunk
With the construction of the Inter-ProvincialPacific, terminating at Prince Rupert, and the
Highway in 1932 (now known as the CrowsnestCanadian National Railway (CNR), terminating at
Pass Highway), and later the Trans-CanadaVancouver. The Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) line
Highway, road transportation evolved into thesupplemented this service, providing a north-south
preferred mode of overland travel to and fromroute between Interior resource communities and
the rest of the country.the coast. The PGE (later known as British
Roads and highwaysColumbia Railway and now owned by CNR)
Due to its size and rugged, varying topography,connects Fort St. James, Fort Nelson, and
British Columbia requires thousands of kilometresTumbler Ridge with North Vancouver.
of provincial highways to connect its communities.Water
British Columbia's roads systems were notoriouslyBC Ferries was established as a provincial crown
poorly maintained and dangerous until acorporation in 1960 to provide passenger and
concentrated programme of improvement wasvehicle ferry service between Vancouver Island
initiated in the 1950s and 60s. There are nowand the Lower Mainland as a cheaper and more
freeways in the Lower Mainland and Centralreliable alternative to the service operated by the
Interior of the province, and much of the rest ofCPR. It now operates 25 routes among the
the province is accessible by well-maintained twoislands of British Columbia, as well as between the
lane arterial highways with additional passing lanesislands and the mainland. Ferry service to
in mountainous areas. The building andWashington is offered by the Washington State
maintenance of provincial highways is theFerries (between Sidney and Anacortes) and
responsibility of the provincial government.Black Ball Ferries (between Victoria and Port
There are four major routes through the RockyAngeles). Ferry service over inland lakes and
Mountains to the rest of Canada. From south torivers is provided by the provincial government.
north they are: The Crowsnest Pass HighwayCommercial ocean transport is of vital importance.
through Sparwood, the Trans-Canada HighwayMajor ports are located at Vancouver, Roberts
through Banff National Park, the YellowheadBank (near Tsawwassen), Prince Rupert, and
Highway through Jasper National Park, andVictoria. Of these, the Port of Vancouver is the
Highway 2 through Dawson Creek. There are alsomost important, being the largest in Canada and
several highway crossings to the adjoiningthe most diversified in North America. Vancouver,
American states of Washington, Idaho, andVictoria, and Prince Rupert are also major ports
Montana. The longest highway is Highway 97,of call for cruise ships.
running 2081 km from the BC-Washington borderAir
at Osoyoos north to Watson Lake, Yukon.There are over 200 airports located throughout
Surface public transitB.C, the major ones being the Vancouver
Prior to 1978, surface public transit wasInternational Airport (YVR), the Victoria
administered by BC Hydro (formerly BritishInternational Airport (YYJ), the Kelowna
Columbia Electric), the provincial crown corporationInternational Airport (YLW), and the Prince George
responsible for the production and distribution ofInternational Airport (YXS), the first three of
electricity. Subsequently, the province establishedwhich each served over 1,000,000 passengers in
BC Transit to oversee and operate all municipal2005. Vancouver International Airport is the
transportation systems. In 1998, TransLink, asecond busiest airport in the country with an
separate authority for the Greater Vancouverestimated 16 million travellers passing through in
Regional District, was established.2005.
Public Transit in British Columbia consists mainly of