Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion II

[xd_1771]

Centre platforms (requiring left side doors) seem to make the most sense where there are space constraints that would make them make sense for a good portion of stations—which exist on Madison in Seattle, but don't really exist here on either KGB or 200 Street.

Instead, the Metrotown-North Shore roadway corridors have space constraints at some locations such that I can see TL opting to use centre platforms and a 5-door bus design on that line running out of BTC (Although I find it more likely that TL would just try to avoid the requirement altogether).

[bardak]

Originally Posted by xd_1771

Centre platforms (requiring left side doors) seem to make the most sense where there are space constraints that would make them make sense for a good portion of stations—which exist on Madison in Seattle, but don't really exist here on either KGB or 200 Street.

Instead, the Metrotown-North Shore roadway corridors have space constraints at some locations such that I can see TL opting to use centre platforms and a 5-door bus design on that line running out of BTC (Although I find it more likely that TL would just try to avoid the requirement altogether).

I feel like TL will do everything to avoid getting 5 door buses, especially for Metrotown-North which is supposed to be replaced by a SkyTrain. I feel like if they are constrainted for space they will just run curbside instead of centre running

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by bardak

I feel like TL will do everything to avoid getting 5 door buses, especially for Metrotown-North which is supposed to be replaced by a SkyTrain. I feel like if they are constrainted for space they will just run curbside instead of centre running

How about "diverging diamond centre platform stations"?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

How about "diverging diamond centre platform stations"?

That's what was proposed for the Hwy 99 bus stations under the Liberal bridge plan.
Here's the plan for the Steveston interchange you posted in 2017!
You can see the criss-cross before and after the bus platform to get the doors to the platform side.
In Los Angeles, the Harbour Transitway express bus line has similar stations.

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Here's a pic of the Harbor Transitway in LA. It can probably be done in a narrower width.

https://www.transit.wiki/Harbor_Freeway_Station

[jollyburger]

Hastings Street Bus Priority changes in Vancouver

Extending bus lane hours between Kaslo St / Renfrew St to Boundary Rd (24 hours per day, 7 days per week)
Parking and high occupancy vehicles (HOV) will no longer be permitted to use the curb lane

https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/hastings-street-transit-improvements.aspx

Bus stop spacing changes are also planned

[officedweller]

Meanwhile, the brand new Finch LRT in Toronto is closed for the second day after a snowstorm.

https://x.com/isaaccallan/status/2012174988053258669/photo/1

[officedweller]

Mark V seating change noted in this IG post:

https://www.instagram.com/reels/DTwodjME5Gp/

[cganuelas1995]

Hot take: the price of the monthly passes should cost no more (and in fact less) than 40 trips through the respective number of zones.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Hot take: the price of the monthly passes should cost no more (and in fact less) than 40 trips through the respective number of zones.

Have you done the math on monthly passes?

[logan5]

I guess doing cut and cover, below grade BRT stations is out of the question, but it would eliminate BRT interaction with general traffic and busy intersections, where you have to deal with cars turning left (or right). So you reduce the amount of accidents, and increase average speed to close to rail transit.

Obviously that would add greatly to the cost, but still be well be below Skytrain. Capacity will increase with technological advances, so BRT can be used for many decades.

[Migrant_Coconut]

The expensive part of SkyTrain is the grade-separation, not the rail. A BRT in a tunnel is the same cost but less capacity.

[logan5]

So with curbside BRT, do drivers have to make a right turn from the second lane, cutting in front of the BRT lane when they turn, or do drivers do as they do now, and go into the bus lane/curb lane so they can make their right turn?

It is a lot more dangerous doing a right turn from the second lane, plus it blocks traffic. If you do your turn from the curb lane, it blocks the BRT buses. That's why it is so much better to have center running BRT, and why I suggested below grade stations.

Translink is quoted as saying BRT costs 20 million per km, but if you add cut and cover below grade stations, that would probly add 100 million per km. That would allow BRT in the centre lanes, and it would bring you much closer to Skytrain level of service and speed, and still saving a huge amount of money with the Broadway Line costing 500 million per km.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Surface BRT in the rightside lane either A) waits for the driver to complete their turn, B) goes before the driver, or C) gets its own light so that it clears the intersection before the driver's even allowed to turn. Surface BRT in the median solves that problem without the need for a tunnel.

The whole point of bus lanes is to provide a cheap, easy-to-deliver stopgap between regular buses and their SkyTrain replacement decades later; spending 1/4th the cost/km on a "permanent" solution with 1/4th the capacity defeats that point, just like the various LRT plans. Last thing Metro Vancouver needs is all the funding being diverted to a Finch West on wheels.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by logan5

So with curbside BRT, do drivers have to make a right turn from the second lane, cutting in front of the BRT lane when they turn, or do drivers do as they do now, and go into the bus lane/curb lane so they can make their right turn?

Translink’s current concept:

Originally Posted by madog222

Images from Translink

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Have you done the math on monthly passes?

I have actually. Let's assume these are used by commuters working a full time job 5 days a week, that they commute through within all zones they bought the pass for, and that they don't have to take transit on days off.

1 zone=$111.60, divided by $2.70 per trip=42 trips to break even

2 zone=$149.25, divided by $4.00 per trip=38 trips to break even

3 zone=$201.55, divided by $5.10 per trip=42 40 trips to break even

Kinda inconsistent here. The 2 zone M-F 9-5 commuters get two free trips while the others have to make 2 trips in order to get their moneys worth.

No idea who came up with that pricing.

[WarrenC12]

That is dumb. Last time I looked they all broke even around 38 trips.

Given we have around 1 stat holiday a month, they should be more like 35 trips if you want people to use them.

[nname]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

That is dumb. Last time I looked they all broke even around 38 trips.

Given we have around 1 stat holiday a month, they should be more like 35 trips if you want people to use them.

$201.55 divide by $5.10 is about 39.5 trips, not 42...

The 1 zone monthly pass was always in the 41-42 trip range. I know because I used to get it when I had to commute to office 5 days per week, so I'll always need to take some trips on the weekends or mid-day to make it worth while.

The 3 zone pass used to be in the 36-38 trip range. I guess the cost of 3 zone ticket did not increase as much as 1 or 2 zone? If 3 zone is priced at $5.30 (similar to the difference between 1 and 2 zones), then you get about 38 trips.

[ilikeredheads]

2 zone or 3 zone pass is only worth if you have a M-F 9-5 job AND take either seabus/skytrain across a zone boundary, otherwise just stick to a 1 zone pass.
If you get off after 630pm, get a 1 zone.
If you take the bus to cross the zone boundary, get a 1 zone.

[aberdeen5698]

With Compass Cards the idea of daily or monthly passes is terrible. If you have a pass loaded into your card it gets used preferentially whether you want it to or not - so you might blow a daily pass you didn't intend to use until later.

IMHO the way it should work is that daily trips max out at the cost of a daily pass and then subsequent trips are free. Similarly, if you make more trips in a calendar month than the cost of a monthly pass then it should simply cap the cost at the monthly pass and the remainder of the rides that month are free.

[nname]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

With Compass Cards the idea of daily or monthly passes is terrible. If you have a pass loaded into your card it gets used preferentially whether you want it to or not - so you might blow a daily pass you didn't intend to use until later.

IMHO the way it should work is that daily trips max out at the cost of a daily pass and then subsequent trips are free. Similarly, if you make more trips in a calendar month than the cost of a monthly pass then it should simply cap the cost at the monthly pass and the remainder of the rides that month are free.

I keep all my day passes on a Canada 150 compass card, so that'll make sure I don't use the wrong one. In fact, I loaded so many back then that I still have about 4 or 5 passes left on that card...