Burnaby Updates

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Hastings, the TCH, Parker, Canada Way, Imperial and literally two SkyTrains: am I a joke to you?

Also, Boundary, Gilmore and Willingdon are all right next to each other, so there's wiggle room for traffic-calming there as well. In fairness, Kingsway could use a few more lights too.

I think it's an more of an issue more east-west, than north south, but within Vancouver, you have much closer proximity for alternate routes. The TCH doesn't work for local arterial traffic because of the distance between exits.

In Vancouver West 6th is 3 blocks from Broadway, 3 blocks from West 12th, 4 blocks from West 16, 9 blocks from West King Edward.

The spacing in Burnaby is a lot wider (excluding the TCH because its not local).

All you have to do is look at the Google traffic map to see the difference in traffic patterns (on high volume routes people actually use)
and available routes east and west of Boundary:


https://www.google.com/maps/search/lough..._ep=EgoyMDI1MDIyNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

[jollyburger]

A lot of the backups also happen at all the busy cross streets for the arterials with traffic trying to get onto the highway etc.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

I think my argument is still... cars traveling through those designated urban centres aren't benefiting the people living there. So who should be prioritized? The people living there or people treating those areas as drive-thru?

That's just a consequence of geography.
North Vancouver could do the same thing and say don't cross here for Squamish or the BC Ferries.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by officedweller

All you have to do is look at the Google traffic map to see the difference in traffic patterns (on high volume routes people actually use)
and available routes east and west of Boundary:

Yet I'm seeing the exact same traffic volume as Vancouver; if anything, Vancouver has more overall traffic due to more arterial roadspace (to say nothing of the logjam on Georgia).

I'm also seeing that most of Burnaby's traffic parallels current or future SkyTrain lines, and the rest is smooth sailing. Makes me think that once Broadway/UBC, Gold and Purple are all finished, there's no need for six lanes at all.

[NetMapel]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's just a consequence of geography.
North Vancouver could do the same thing and say don't cross here for Squamish or the BC Ferries.

Roads are not geography. Roads are artificial choices made by humans. Having 6 or 7 lanes on Lougheed/Willingdon are human choices. The choice to prioritize cars at the expense of people living there.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by NetMapel

Roads are not geography. Roads are artificial choices made by humans. Having 6 or 7 lanes on Lougheed/Willingdon are human choices. The choice to prioritize cars at the expense of people living there.

Sorry to break it to you but any urban development is as bad as any 6-7 lane road.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Yet I'm seeing the exact same traffic volume as Vancouver; if anything, Vancouver has more overall traffic due to more arterial roadspace (to say nothing of the logjam on Georgia).

That's sort of my point - there's more road space in Vancouver which distributes the traffic.
And as you've mentioned, Vancouver has more traffic because it builds up (from 3 directions) the closer you get to the downtown (local Vancouver traffic plus suburban traffic coming in), like how SkyTrain ridership maps show higher volume closer to downtown.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by officedweller

That's sort of my point - there's more road space in Vancouver which distributes the traffic.
And as you've mentioned, Vancouver has more traffic because it builds up (from 3 directions) the closer you get to the downtown (local Vancouver traffic plus suburban traffic coming in), like how SkyTrain ridership maps show higher volume closer to downtown.

Were that the case, we’d see Lougheed pulling triple duty for 1st, Broadway and Grandview combined… but it’s not. Seems like the M-Line’s doing it instead.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Were that the case, we’d see Lougheed pulling triple duty for 1st, Broadway and Grandview combined… but it’s not. Seems like the M-Line’s doing it instead.

Plus long haul traffic is diverted to Hwy 1.
But with all the development at the Burnaby Town Centres, I think Lougheed (within Burnaby and towards Vancouver) is going to get busier.

They aren't 6-laning Dawson or Canada Way, and they are closing off Douglas.
So Lougheed is one Granville St or Broadway equivalent in lane width.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Good thing we’ve got a Broadway and a Willingdon SkyTrain in the pipeline.

Either way, Burnaby will have to decide whether it wants Brentwood/Gilmore to be an urban village and town centre or a bedroom community in the middle of a highway junction. It can’t be both.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by officedweller

So Lougheed is one Granville St or Broadway equivalent in lane width.

thats not even true, though.

most of Lougheed is only 2+2 lanes wide. only in some small sections is it 3+3.

Lougheed should be what its name is, a highway. it should be 3+3 the entire way, and use the natural geography to put some of it underground at key spots. Willingdon, Bainbridge. (the 2 off the top of my head). then they can narrow the at-grade portion, and have traffic away from pedestrians, bikes, etc. and doing a compressed interchange, like the one found in Washington State at, SR 543 & D St

Lougheed & Gaglardi is a mess, and should be an interchange, as was the original plan... just like there should be the Stormont Connector to get traffic away from residential streets. you know, traffic calming.

so many small little road improvements in our region would dramatically improve quality of life for so many. but we always just do nothing instead. either because "cars bad" or just a lack of vision/will.

[Migrant_Coconut]

The Holdom overpass is under construction as we speak, while the SFU Gondola can’t even get off the ground and the Willingdon BRT is possibly being forced off Hastings in order to save a few dozen parking spaces. Cars are anything but “bad” in Burnaby.

[Lexus]

2025, Mar 2

6366 Cassie Avenue & 6433 McKay Avenue
https://vancouvermarket.ca/tag/belford-properties/
Site cleared:

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

Maywood Park expansion

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

Greenhouse 5895 Barker Ave:

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

[Spr0ckets]

It's specifically this one :
M Residences and Spa

(Belford have about 5 projects in that Maywood area in the planning or pre-construction stages. This is the one that's actually in construction (...or.... excavation) currently)

[jollyburger]

Bosa Properties Buys 2.7-Acre Best Western, Continuing Investment In Burnaby

In a statement provided to STOREYS, Bosa Properties confirmed the acquisition of 5367-5411 Kingsway and also provided some details about its plan for the Best Western, which is now being managed by Atlific Hotels.

"Our mid-term plan for the site is to continue to operate the Best Western Plus Burnaby Hotel with a significant renovation — anticipated to be completed by summer 2025 — to modernize the existing 137 hotel rooms and amenities, adding to our growing hotel pipeline. We are also considering the long-term redevelopment potential of the site, in alignment with the City of Burnaby's development of a new community plan for the Royal Oak neighbourhood."

https://storeys.com/bosa-properties-burnaby-kingsway-best-western/

[jollyburger]

New SFU student housing webcam



https://www.sfu.ca/information-systems/services/webcam/live-burnaby-campus-webcams.html

[Lexus]

2025, Mar 25

Work is well underway for HWY 1 Cyclist bridge overpass

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burnaby-...-cyclist-bridge-overpass-option-selected

South side of HWY 1

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

North Side of HWY 1

Untitled by Lexus LX, on Flickr

[jollyburger]

It's supposed to be open by the end of the year.

[jollyburger]

Burnaby Approves Royal Oak Community Plan, Ushering In New Era

The Village Centre district is home to one of the two mixed-use nodes: the intersection of Royal Oak Avenue and Kingsway, where up to 30 storeys will be allowed at the northeast corner of the intersection. That allowance is specific to what is currently just a handful of parcels that are owned by a grand total of two owners.

The most prominent site is 5235 Kingsway, located at the corner of Kingsway and Royal Oak Avenue. This parcel and the 6440 Royal Oak Avenue to the north are currently vacant after the Safeway that previously occupied the site was demolished several years ago. The two parcels, along with the adjacent 5280 Irving Street parcel, are beneficially owned by Toronto-based Origin Merchant Partners under Origin Royal Oak Nominee Inc.

The other parcel where up to 30 storeys is being allowed is the parcel to the east, 5335 Kingsway, a 2.8-acre single parcel that is currently occupied by a Wholesale Club, the Costco-like chain owned by Loblaws. The property is owned by Arbutus Properties Ltd.

https://storeys.com/burnaby-royal-oak-community-plan-approved/





https://yourvoice.burnaby.ca/royal-oak-urban-village-community-plan

[Spr0ckets]

A no-brainer update to the plan to bring it in alignment with the Provincial TOD legislations.

The only thing I would have like would have been for the Royal Oak station node and station area to allow for storey heights greater than 20 storeys.

They already broke the mold in the old plan when they permitted the BCGEU Palm ave. mixed use residential (rental) project right next to the station.

The Royal Oak station area compared not to Metrotown station next door (The 2nd busiest station in the entire network) but rather to Patterson on the other side, is almost criminally under-densified more than it really ought to be.

It almost reaches 29Ave./Nanaimo stations level of under-densified station area criminality.

Someone in a different thread noted how the first things you see when you exit the station are a whole row of SFH homes (with the 4 story residential to the SW being the only higher density housing in site for several blocks).

Hopefully when some of those old retail and commercial properties between Beresford, Imperial and Grimmer to the north get redeveloped down the line, the developers will take advantage of this update and really go big.
Likewise, I hope it spurs something really signifcant for the old Safeway site that's been sitting vacant for several years now - since they can go for 30 or more storeys.