Quote:
Originally Posted by LeftCoaster
Brutalist? It's a highway bridge, not an office tower. It's designed by an engineer not an architect. Why is it different than a transit station? Because of exactly that.
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And engineering is the main problem with BC highways, they are engineered poorly.
Lets forget the fact that BC is the only place in the North America that puts zero effort into aesthetically improving their highways (and even when it does try, it fails
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.058285,-1...ZFoIKe4TmE7i4ew!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en dead logs and shrubs?? just make a nice patch of green grass. This isn't YVR, the fake nature scene looks ridiculous)
BC has huge problems with dips and sinking spots in their highways. This comes from poor compacting of the underlying foundation of the highway which is a result of poor engineering. And please no excuses about the soil. New Jersey was built on a swamp and still manages to have flat, level highway surfaces.
Another problem is BC's refusal to use steel guard rails in some areas. They stand up to crashes just as well as concrete barriers, and they also let debris pass through instead of rocketing back at oncoming cars. Again this comes back to poor engineering. EDIT* oh wait I did find an area that uses steel guard rails, in Chiliwack... in the CENTER of the median! The one place you DON'T use steel guard rails. Why would they install them in the center so debris can pass through.... right into the other lane of on coming traffic!!! For god sakes use them on the shoulders ONLY
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.1387497,-...kk26E3IP0EWoJfg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Yet another problem with engineering for BC highways are the use of supports for overpasses. These for example
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.0957293,-...VwDqTYxkgUBmH1g!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.2324827,-...Ki22PeRZSEtgGtw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Why are the supports right next to the abutment? It looks absolutely ridiculous. Couldn't they have built the supports INTO the abutment wall like this?
https://www.google.ca/maps/@39.7651107,-...eLPxN68ESgmzkrg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
Value value value engineering. It makes BC highways look bush league.
And finally yes I critique the jersey barriers because they're just hideous. Function over form is great but you can't tell me this
https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.1694409,-...2MumsuRAoPEXhPw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en
looks better then this
And before you respond with "well none of that is important", like someone else said its important to some people. The same way people critique the font of the exit signs in a subway station, we critique the many different aspects of road infrastructure and BC gets a C- in my books
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