Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[idunno]

Wow Richmond really pulling a West Van on this one

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/richmond-brt-rapidbus-rejection-translink

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by idunno

Wow Richmond really pulling a West Van on this one

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/richmond-brt-rapidbus-rejection-translink

You forget the reason for single tracking the last section of the Canada Line...

I thought this was precious: "During the deliberations, it was also suggested that a BRT or RapidBus service with a frequency of about every 10 minutes did not warrant its own dedicated bus lanes."

[Dengler Avenue]

I’ve always wondered why Richmond’s left out of all the Translink improvements.
Now I know why.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by idunno

Wow Richmond really pulling a West Van on this one

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/richmond-brt-rapidbus-rejection-translink

From the article:

When Day emphatically asked whether TransLink is “serious” about removing one general vehicle lane in each direction on the Knight Street Bridge, City staff clarified that the current expectation is the region’s bridges will not be touched for TransLink’s BRT strategy.

I wonder how this expectation will affect the Park Royal - Metrotown BRT across the Second Narrows?

[mcj]

Originally Posted by chowhou

I wonder how this expectation will affect the Park Royal - Metrotown BRT across the Second Narrows?

Queue jump to the bridge, general traffic on the bridge, then back in a bus lane on the other side? Traffic usually flows once it's on the bridge, it's the approaches that cause most of the delay.

[GenWhy?]

With cities actively making it clear they don't want major transit projects that are in the 10-year plan it'll make it easier to focus and get off the ground for cities that do what them. Silver lining.

EDIT: Silver lining winners:

"So far, the municipal governments of Burnaby, Delta, Maple Ridge, New Westminster, and Surrey have expressed clear formal public support for the BRT proposals that serve their jurisdiction."

[GenWhy?]

Also still not enjoying "traffic impact concerns" only meaning "cars drive slower". Instead of all traffic (current / future people in buses).

[FarmerHaight]

Today I learned that Richmond's councilors:

• either did not read or cannot comprehend background info (When Day emphatically asked whether TransLink is “serious” about removing one general vehicle lane in each direction on the Knight Street Bridge, City staff clarified that the current expectation is the region’s bridges will not be touched for TransLink’s BRT strategy.),
• have obviously never ridden a bus through Richmond (During the deliberations, it was also suggested that a BRT or RapidBus service with a frequency of about every 10 minutes does not warrant its own dedicated bus lanes.),
• does not really understand how a regional transit provider works (“At this table, we should be discussing projects that benefit the majority of our residents and users, not half with another municipality that isn’t even endorsing this. I think it’s definitely out of order the way things are being handled here,” continued Wolfe.), and
• has no capacity for making forward-thinking decisions (City councillors also made comments suggesting the process is being rushed, but City staff explained that TransLink wants to receive some measure of support from the region’s various municipal governments before performing any further design and planning work.).

[GenWhy?]

However this is funny:

"During the deliberations, it was also suggested that a BRT or RapidBus service with a frequency of about every 10 minutes does not warrant its own dedicated bus lanes."

I don't know more details but would be curious if they would be for bus-only lanes if it was 7 minutes etc

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Today I learned that Richmond's councilors:

• either did not read or cannot comprehend background info (When Day emphatically asked whether TransLink is “serious” about removing one general vehicle lane in each direction on the Knight Street Bridge, City staff clarified that the current expectation is the region’s bridges will not be touched for TransLink’s BRT strategy.),
• have obviously never ridden a bus through Richmond (During the deliberations, it was also suggested that a BRT or RapidBus service with a frequency of about every 10 minutes does not warrant its own dedicated bus lanes.),
• does not really understand how a regional transit provider works (“At this table, we should be discussing projects that benefit the majority of our residents and users, not half with another municipality that isn’t even endorsing this. I think it’s definitely out of order the way things are being handled here,” continued Wolfe.), and
• has no capacity for making forward-thinking decisions (City councillors also made comments suggesting the process is being rushed, but City staff explained that TransLink wants to receive some measure of support from the region’s various municipal governments before performing any further design and planning work.).

This must be your first time hearing about Richmond!

[GenWhy?]

I don't know where these councillors got their armchair degrees, but it definitely wasn't the same armchair degree diploma mill we all went to. At least our college made us do our homework.

[officedweller]

They also defeated a towering bridge in favour of a more expensive but hidden tunnel.

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by chowhou

This must be your first time hearing about Richmond!

For the longest time I thought "Richmond" meant an airport and a dense core with great food.

Only recently did I go on a bike ride to Steveston and find out that most of Richmond is actually a bland suburb with an office park and an Ikea. Now the city councilors make a lot more sense.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Now, now, there's a couple of large strip malls and a Cineplex as well...

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Today I learned that Richmond's councilors:

• either did not read or cannot comprehend background info...
• have obviously never ridden a bus through Richmond...
• does not really understand how a regional transit provider works...
• has no capacity for making forward-thinking decisions...

Their reaction to the Canada Line in '04 (yes, they've been in office for that long) should've made that obvious.

[Vin]

Richmond removed lanes on No.3 Road when the skytrain line was installed. Now they are regretting it as they cannot afford to dedicate more lanes to BRT. This is precisely what Vancouver is doing, and that is why congestions are getting worse.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Now, now, there's a couple of large strip malls and a Cineplex as well...

The Riverport complex (Cineplex, etc.) was highly controversial at the time because it violated the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
Maybe moreso because of the housing built there.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

Only recently did I go on a bike ride to Steveston and find out that most of Richmond is actually a bland suburb with an office park and an Ikea. Now the city councilors make a lot more sense.

I hope your route was along River Road and the dyke, God help you if you try to bike through Richmond.

Regardless, hopefully this just means that North Shore/Burnaby rapid transit gets a little bit more expedited!

[Migrant_Coconut]

There's plenty of space for bus lanes, even in Vancouver. Richmond's councillors are just cowardly fossils.

Originally Posted by officedweller

The Riverport complex (Cineplex, etc.) was highly controversial at the time because it violated the Livable Region Strategic Plan.
Maybe moreso because of the housing built there.

TIL the bad planning started long before Brodie & Friends took office. That's just depressing.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

TIL the bad planning started long before Brodie & Friends took office. That's just depressing.

It's just Vancouver suburbs doing Vancouver suburb things, not much is new.

[ilikeredheads]

Richmond has always made awful, short sighted decisions in regards to city planning. They are essentially new west 2.0, still living in the ancient past.

- biggest reason why it is single tracked between Brighouse and Lansdowne.
- originally wanted a tram down Minoru
- took more than a decade to build the bus mall at Brighouse
- strongly opposed to the bridge replacing Massey tunnel even though it would benefit them the most.
- thought it was a good idea to build a bike lane down No 3 road. Botched the execution anyways.
- loves to spam traffic lights everywhere.