Expo Line - Surrey Langley Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[wrenegade]

Can't they start some of these things piecemeal? Hurry up and incorporate a Skytrain station into the design for the new UBC bus terminal and start the cut/cover tunnel along West 10th from Westbrook Mall to Alma (or one block west). There is NO other route it will take in that portion, so let's start now. (and by now I mean March/April 2010). Whatever the decision to run the line down Broadway or West 10th could fairly easily be incorporated.

And for something like the Evergreen line that already been designed and is just waiting for money? The Feds need to step up. If they are willing to give ~$6 billion to 3 auto-dinosaurs, what's $150 million? Now is the time to start issuing tenders and getting the ball rolling. This recession may last longer than the last couple ones, but 2014 is a long long way away.

Oh and that Translink budget deficit? Announce tolling of the Sea-to-Sky highway starting March/April 2010. I live in West Van and go to Whistler every weekend and I still think it should be done. What's another $10 on an $80 ticket? For those living there? If the residents of Surrey/Langley have to pay tolls on bridges, then residents of Whistler/Squamish/Lions Bay don't deserve to get a break. They are getting a safer highway, faster commute, and higher property values, they are winners in this deal no matter what.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by ambaUp

[B][SIZE="4"]

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon says that's the point of the 18-month planning and consultation process that is being funded 50/50 between the province and TransLink. "Most importantly, the $10 million will also include consultations with the public. We want to make sure that the public is involved and has some input into the types of technologies and the routing options that will be available."

this is the lamest news ever. oooohhhh, 10 million dollar study split in half between province and translink for some study that will take until june 2010.

didn't they already do a study?

[mr.x]

Absolutely ridiculous.

[crazyjoeda]

Now that the Canada Line is essentially done the most important new transit line that needs to be built is the M-Line extension to UBC. It has to be underground to go along broadway though. It could be at grade along one of the UBC boulevards though.

[ravman]

Originally Posted by officedweller

I think he means Evergreen Line when he says ELine (not Expo Line). i.e. @ Lougheed.
BTW - the Expo Line Surrey extensions (to Columbia, Scott Road and to King George were built under the Socreds, not the NDP) - it was Rita Johnson's riding - then BC's Minister of Highways and later first woman Premier.

the extension from scott road to King George occured in 94!... if this is a lie... prove to me that this extension occured before NOV 5 1991! The expo line was built by the socreds and they had built it till Scott Road...

AND BTW Rita Johnson was in office
April 2, 1991 – November 5, 1991 and was succeeded by Mike Harcourt, who was a NDP premier....)


btw this announcement is more 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 proof that the Liberals are just wasting time because they have NO PLAN and are just appeasing the public just so they can win the election in MAY...

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by djmk

this is the lamest news ever. oooohhhh, 10 million dollar study split in half between province and translink for some study that will take until june 2010.

didn't they already do a study?

I don't believe a Surrey Skytrain Extension study has ever been done. A UBC extension hasn't really been done under the context of the RAV line.

If they used old studies, the data would, undoubtedly be less compelling. That previous study was more along the lines of "is LRT or Buses or a Subway best?"

It, unfortunately, didn't really apply to current contexts.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by ravman

the extension from scott road to King George occured in 94!... if this is a lie... prove to me that this extension occured before NOV 5 1991! The expo line was built by the socreds and they had built it till Scott Road...

AND BTW Rita Johnson was in office
April 2, 1991 – November 5, 1991 and was succeeded by Mike Harcourt, who was a NDP premier....)


btw this announcement is more 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 proof that the Liberals are just wasting time because they have NO PLAN and are just appeasing the public just so they can win the election in MAY...

Originally Posted by tintinium

I don't believe a Surrey Skytrain Extension study has ever been done. A UBC extension hasn't really been done under the context of the RAV line.

If they used old studies, the data would, undoubtedly be less compelling. That previous study was more along the lines of "is LRT or Buses or a Subway best?"

It, unfortunately, didn't really apply to current contexts.

If I remember correctly, a SkyTrain to Arbutus and rapid bus from Arbutus to UBC would have raked in 125,000-150,000 riders while LRT would have brought in 150,000. And with rapid bus, or a fancier B-Line, less than 100,000.

The numbers for SkyTrain all the way to UBC would be enormously high, as we all already know, with the only previous study only having SkyTrain up to Arbutus, with the introduction of the U-Pass and all other ridership growth since the study was done.

[DKaz]

I assumed that the $10 million was for a study, consultation and preliminary design. The total consultants fees of a construction project is typically around 3% for these types of projects so the $10 million dollar is merely a kick-off drop in the bucket.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by ravman

the extension from scott road to King George occured in 94!... if this is a lie... prove to me that this extension occured before NOV 5 1991! The expo line was built by the socreds and they had built it till Scott Road...

AND BTW Rita Johnson was in office
April 2, 1991 – November 5, 1991 and was succeeded by Mike Harcourt, who was a NDP premier....)

Here's the Socred brochure for Rapid Transit in the 1990s - the Whalley extension was the only part built.
It's the govenment who initiates a project who is credited with it. Otherwise, by your logic, the M-Line would be built by the Liberals, as would the Fast Ferries.

[Metro-One]

Not much of an announcement i must say. As for Ravman i ask him what is the NDP's immediate action plan according to skytrain/LRT expansions? All i have heard is the NDP complain about the Liberal's plans, but they have not shown us their fool proof alternatives. We must remember that first on the chopping block is the Evergreen Line. This study is probably overkill but needed in order to keep these two extensions momentum alive during Evergreens construction. As far as i am concerned the UBC extension must be skytrain, no doubt in my mind. The Surrey extensions i am not so sure, but then i do think to myself that this provinces problem for decades has always been that they build infrastructure 20 to 30 years after it is needed. Maybe if they are to build the Surrey extensions as skytrain this will be better for the long run, since that area is planned to have major population and density increases. If built as skytrain this could be the first time the Province plans decades ahead.

[Distill3d]

Originally Posted by officedweller

the LRT looks like the C-Train in Calgary....

and that 3rd SeaBus looks awesome!

[city-dweller]

My choice of Broadway-West rapid line would:

-use cut and cover along Broadway.
-Take all parking off W12th and divert traffic there.
-Leave one lane on either side of Broadway for buses, taxis, and service vehicles allowing for by pass space at stops.
West Alignment #1:
-at Alma go right under the property next to Grounds for coffee (its for sale anyway - used to be flags pizza) -one house still in the way to get to w10th but they would just buy them out.
-cut and cover may get very deep so possibility of boring may be necessary
station at sasamat would be like granville station downtown on expo line (quite deep)
West Alignment #2
-Continue along W9th until W8th (behind WPGA and Federal base)
-Cross blanca at 'Little Australia'
-Use the original alignment of chancellors blvd.
-reconciling transit hub with chancellors blvd. I am working on

East Alignment 1:
-Third station underneath the bank at SE corner of W.Broadway and Commercial st.
East Alignment 2:
-VCC Clarke extension
-Difficult to bring the line up to W. Broadway alignment so
-Before Cambie either leave line above grade,Using elevated along W2nd (like #3 road in Richmond, but down middle) follow road alignment until bridge
Problem transitioning under may make going below grade near current terminus more feasible (this would still following road alignment to Cambie Bridge.)
-C-line is deep enough that a line should be able cross on top (challenge this if you know for sure it can't)
-after Cambie Bring line out west along (cut and cover) W.4th
-Using second West Alginment

Crazy:
-Have spur before Broadway station to take train below grade from either existing line and under Broadway out west.

The City of Vancouver is also doing a current study of Broadway west line, I can see if they have any news from the project lead.

[mr.x]

^ better yet, do cut and cover on 10th and have the station entrances on Broadway.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

the LRT looks like the C-Train in Calgary....

and that 3rd SeaBus looks awesome!

That photo may be from Salt Lake City...

and the 3rd SeaBus looks like a mini FastCat...

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Distill3d

the LRT looks like the C-Train in Calgary....

and that 3rd SeaBus looks awesome!

I thought that photo was from Salt Lake City at first, they're also using Siemens trains.

and the 3rd SeaBus looks like a mini FastCat...

[deasine]

Originally Posted by DKaz

I thought that photo was from Salt Lake City at first, they're also using Siemens trains.

Portland

[flight_from_kamakura]

damn it ravman, you're making all of us progressive ndp types look bad. there's principled opposition to gateway or whatever, then there's just nonsense. who cares who did the skytrain extension in surrey? it was a damned good idea. in fact, even though it's coming from gordo, it's still a good idea to extend it further. and if gordo is the one who signs off on the ubc extension, great. that said, gordo bungled the rav line and assuming he's re-elected and they proceed with the evergreen line and the extentions, i hope to god that they've learned their lessons in that regard.

[Metro-One]

Now this may sound kind of crazy, but there is one line i would like to put in to better complete the Expo/Millennium line portions of the network, and that is a line (or continuation of the Expo-Line) that travels east from waterfront down Hastings all the way to Willington, where it turns south, creating a hub at Brentwood, and continues further south (a station at the new casino and BCIT of course) and ends at Metrotown (creating a hub). This idea will probably get little fan fare but to me it would make sense (connecting such area as the PNE and BCIT)

[The_Henry_Man]

I totally don't understand why there needs to be a separate UBC line when they can just extend the M-Line from VCC-Clark. What are they thinking? I hope it's an error on the part of the news.

[djmk]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Now this may sound kind of crazy, but there is one line i would like to put in to better complete the Expo/Millennium line portions of the network, and that is a line (or continuation of the Expo-Line) that travels east from waterfront down Hastings all the way to Willington, where it turns south, creating a hub at Brentwood, and continues further south (a station at the new casino and BCIT of course) and ends at Metrotown (creating a hub). This idea will probably get little fan fare but to me it would make sense (connecting such area as the PNE and BCIT)

i was thinking a little more north/south from metrotown to BCIT to Brentwood. If the train goes to hastings (and prehaps to kootney loop and maybe north shore???) , it would have to be underground because there is a fabulous community in North Burnaby that would get wrecked with large cement columns. ( guess where i live )