By Robert Smith
Special to the News

The federal government and the Vancouver International Airport Authority announced Friday, a $500,000 study at the potential for rapid transit between the airport and downtown Vancouver.

The study, to which each of the parties contributed $250,000, will be led by TransLink, in co-operation with various groups including the airport authority and the City of Richmond.

"The study is only to gauge the support for rapid transit in the community," TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said.

"With three quarters of the new B-Line (express bus service) completed, and the whole project likely to be completed in December, we have to decide whether we even need rapid transit from the airport into Vancouver."

The new study comes on the heels of a $250,000 Transport Canada study that recommends all levels of governments work together to promote a separate right-of-way rail service through the Richmond-Vancouver corridor.

On consideration might be Vancouver's bid to host the Olympic Games in 2010.

"There is no doubt about it that (hosting an Olympic Games) would require some form of reliable transportation from the airport to the city centre," Hardie said.