SFU & City of Surrey Transportation Lecture Program

 Guest Contributor: Luci Moraes

We are excited to announce the third year of the SFU & City of Surrey Transportation Lecture Program!

This is an opportunity to learn more about transportation and the role it plays in the shaping and development of our City. It offers a forum to discuss important regional and local transportation issues, provide the City the chance to better communicate and explain our role in transportation, the services we provide, and our place in the larger transportation “jig-saw”, and in turn, we will also hear first hand from you what issues and priorities are important. In partnership with the City Program – Simon Fraser University (SFU), the City of Surrey Engineering Department is offering a unique opportunity for citizens, professionals, and stakeholders to learn more about transportation in Surrey with topics including:

• Who’s responsible for different types of transportation and their inter-relationship
• How transportation is funded, regionally and locally
• How we plan new transportation systems and networks
• How we operate and manage our transportation networks
• The importance of the relationship between transportation and land use, in a growing city like Surrey.

2011 participants. Photo courtesy of the City of Surrey. 

This 2-part course provides you with a comprehensive introduction to Transportation in the Lower Mainland with a particular focus on Surrey. You will learn about a wide range of transportation issues from regional planning of development and land use through to the day-to-day operation and management of our transportation systems.

The two modules are divided into 6 sessions each (5 sessions on Wednesday evenings, and a Saturday site visit). The modules can be taken independently and in any order (Module 2 in 2012 and Module 1 in 2013 or vice-versa, or both modules in 2012).

Module 1 will give you a regional perspective of transportation planning and its relationship with land use planning and transit planning. You’ll hear from guest speakers from MetroVancouver, TransLink and City of Surrey staff. You’ll have the opportunity to engage in a role playing exercise, debates, and a site visit to different neighbourhoods in Surrey.

Module 2 will go into more details on safety, Surrey City Centre (with a presentation and a short walk), parking issues, funding, maintenance and operations, and a site visit to different neighbourhoods in Surrey. You’ll also participate in a land development debate with presentations from Surrey planning, a leading architect and a developer. This module includes a class exercise and a group project to be presented at the last session.

The site visit is a joint visit for both modules, taking place on a Saturday morning (Oct 20), from 9 am to 1 pm. The site visit will take participants to three very different neighbourhoods in Surrey and discuss the outcomes of planning decisions, show practical examples of the constraints, tradeoffs, challenges and lessons learned during the decision making process.

2010 participants ready for their site visit. Photo courtesy of the City of Surrey.

The registration fee for each module is $30.00 CAD for Surrey residents and $60.00 CAD for non-Surrey residents at the time of registration, plus a $100.00 cheque. There is a sponsorship ($100.00 CAD) available for those who are NOT being sponsored by their employer. Minimum 80 % attendance is required for eligibility.

Details (For Each Module):

Where: Surrey City Centre Library (room 406, 4^th floor).

When: Module 1 Sept 12, 2012 to October 20, 2012; Module 2 Oct 20, 2012 to Nov 28, 2012.

Time: Wednesdays 6:30pm – 9:30pm. Field visit on Oct 20 (Saturday) from 9am to 1pm.

Cost per Module: $30 + $100 for Surrey residents & $60 + $100 for non-Surrey residents. $100 sponsorship available if 80% attendance and not being sponsored by company/employer.

Who: 25 participants for each module.

For more information and to view the course outline, visit The City of Surrey’s  Transportation page.