Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[SpongeG]

from that one link you gave...

The area hardest hit by the Canada Line construction hasn’t seen much of an uptick in customer traffic. While Oakridge Centre and locations close to new stations have seen 10-20% increases in foot traffic, Cambie Village has been left out, primarily because the area was not granted its own station. It is really incomprehensible that a Canada Line station was not built at 16th Avenue, since Cambie Village is the only truly complete neighbourhood along whole length of Cambie Street. In January of this year, 40 merchants filed a lawsuit against the builders of the Canada Line for the reduction in revenues caused by the ‘cut and cover’ method of construction used between Olympic Village Station and Marine Drive Station. While this method apparently saved $400 million in construction costs, the ensuing mess at street level caused businesses extreme financial hardship. $600,000 has already been awarded to Susan Heyes, who used to own a maternity clothing shop on Cambie Street. And if the merchants win their suit, expectations are that the payout will be in the range of 20 to 40 million dollars.

I'm sorry but Cambie Village is nothing - nothing worth stopping for - it serves residents in the area well and is cute and quiet and I am not surprised they are not benefitting - its a ridiculous argument that its not near a station - how do you explain robson street? its further from a station and has drawing power

cambie village has some corner stores, hairdressers, pizza shop, shoppers drug mart, starbucks - all of which can be found anywhere in the city and a theatre which despite how cute it is is not superior to a silvercity stadium style seating etc. if i am going to pay that much for a movie i want it in a good venue but thats just me...

putting a station wouldn't make it any better would it? the locals would cry that their local mom and pop is being pushed out by the corporates whine whine whine blah blah blah and there are too many people now etc

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't know about you... but there still are times I can't get on the 49 and I'm busing from Elliott.

TransLink is still clearly testing out the 49's schedule-a lot of the times, the buses don't arrive or that they arrive really late, and you'll see a bunch bunched up together. The other day at the UBC loop, the lineup for the 49 was horrendous: worst than the 99 B-Line and that's no joke. Apparently, people in the beginning of the line waited for 20 minutes for the 49. Then, there were a few back-to-back to relieve the amount of people, but that led to no one being able to get on the 49 along the way.

Today, my 49 from UBC going Eastbound (notice Eastbound NOT Westbound) terminated at Dunbar Loop, requiring all of us to transfer. Why are you running it as 49 then? If I wanted to transfer, I would've taken the 41st or 43rd!

I'm curious based on your observation while riding the #49. Would you say a good majority of the people who get on the bus at UBC get off along 49th ave or do they ride it all the way to Metrotown as they don't even live in Vancouver.

I get the feeling a lot of people on the 49,41,43 bus routes are actually on their because Broadway is over capacity. Putting forth how important a skytrain extension to UBC on Broadway really is. It isn't just for people on Broadway, but to actually take people off of the routes I mentioned above.

[Mac Write]

How long would it take for 4-car Mark II trains at 90s headways, to become norm during rush hour once the UBC extension opens, and even reach capacity?

[CLC]

Originally Posted by cabotp

I get the feeling a lot of people on the 49,41,43 bus routes are actually on their because Broadway is over capacity. Putting forth how important a skytrain extension to UBC on Broadway really is. It isn't just for people on Broadway, but to actually take people off of the routes I mentioned above.

You may be right about 43.

But many people still take the notorious 49 because it is their ideal route (if the bus shows up and they can get on). Majority of customers taking 49 are not necessarily heading to UBC/Metrotown, but goes to destination in-between (Langara, Main, Fraser, Killarney, Champlain Mall, etc.) or transfer to Canada Line.

Honestly I estimate that the number of boardings on #49 may now be third or fourth ranked in Metro Vancouver.

[WarrenC12]

Good news about the meeting with Gordo, Bond, and the Metro Vancouver board. Hopefully something will get worked out.

The timing is great too with the province revealing that corporate tax revenues are up sharply. So there's some money there to be spent...

[djh]

Originally Posted by madmigs

Check this out, got this link from today's buzzer blog - http://www.swisstrains.ch/. A live map of trains in Switzerland. Think how awesome this would be for buses and trains here

That's pretty amazing. Since this link was from The Buzzer, do you think Translink is looking at implementing such systems? The technology is there already - all buses have GPS, and to build a Google mashup should be pretty simple. Maybe the same 2 students who built the bus timetable text message system could take this on as their next project...?

[DKaz]

One of those trains is going 128km/h!

The West Coast Express is fast enough for me: (GPS speedometer, train between Mission and Silverdale):

[Millennium2002]

it'd be nice if that was increased to like 180 km ^^

then again upgrades will probably take a long time to plan and complete especially with the state of finances here.

[Political_R]

Originally Posted by allan_kuan

it'd be nice if that was increased to like 180 km ^^

then again upgrades will probably take a long time to plan and complete especially with the state of finances here.

With an average speed near 60 mph, that is not bad for a commuter rail system

[madmigs]

Originally Posted by Political_R

With an average speed near 60 mph, that is not bad for a commuter rail system

That's just for one small section of track. The total WCE trip from mission to downtown of 68 km takes 73 minutes or in other words an average of 56 kph(35 mph).

[Political_R]

Originally Posted by madmigs

That's just for one small section of track. The total WCE trip from mission to downtown of 68 km takes 73 minutes or in other words an average of 56 kph(35 mph).

Didnt read that 128 meters part

[SpikePhanta]

Originally Posted by cabotp

I'm curious based on your observation while riding the #49. Would you say a good majority of the people who get on the bus at UBC get off along 49th ave or do they ride it all the way to Metrotown as they don't even live in Vancouver.

I get the feeling a lot of people on the 49,41,43 bus routes are actually on their because Broadway is over capacity. Putting forth how important a skytrain extension to UBC on Broadway really is. It isn't just for people on Broadway, but to actually take people off of the routes I mentioned above.

I get on the bus at Oak st. and going Eastbound I would say that not everyone is going to metrotown, the bus is between half and 3/4 full before burnaby and thats the long articulated buses.
But I decided this morning to take it 10 mins after i normally would, and at Nanaimo the bus was all ready jam packed, with lots of people getting off at Langara and Cambie, but when i got off at Oak, it was still pretty full.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by madmigs

That's just for one small section of track. The total WCE trip from mission to downtown of 68 km takes 73 minutes or in other words an average of 56 kph(35 mph).

I average 30km/h driving to work, so 56km/h is much better. Actually with walks from station to station and transfer, about 43km/h.

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by SpikePhanta

I get on the bus at Oak st. and going Eastbound I would say that not everyone is going to metrotown, the bus is between half and 3/4 full before burnaby and thats the long articulated buses.
But I decided this morning to take it 10 mins after i normally would, and at Nanaimo the bus was all ready jam packed, with lots of people getting off at Langara and Cambie, but when i got off at Oak, it was still pretty full.

So basically most don't travel the entire length of 49th ave. I've noticed the same thing along 41st, although I don't travel along it on a regular basis. One thing I have noticed is how the 1/2 - 3/4 of the bus will empty and then reload at Cambie. It doesn't seem to matter what direction the bus is coming from either.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by cabotp

I'm curious based on your observation while riding the #49. Would you say a good majority of the people who get on the bus at UBC get off along 49th ave or do they ride it all the way to Metrotown as they don't even live in Vancouver.

For the 49th now, there is rarely a time (during rush hours), where the bus leaves the loop fully full. This means passengers can't get on from Agronomy and Thunderbird. There are a few people that get off along the way between Crown and Arbutus, but nothing significant. Once past Arbutus, Granville, and Oak, a few more get off, but then a few more also get on. At the Canada Line, about 1/5 of the bus unloads, but again, passengers get on and fil the bus. The bus remains full generally passing passengers at Main St, and offloading and onloading passengers at Fraser. It's not until Victoria that the bus becomes "comfortably" full, where the bus is fully seated with few standees.

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by deasine

For the 49th now, there is rarely a time (during rush hours), where the bus [doesn't] leave the loop fully full.

Think you forgot a word...

[CLC]

Originally Posted by deasine

For the 49th now, there is rarely a time (during rush hours), where the bus leaves the loop fully full.

Do 49 tends to keep schedule at UBC loop?

In late 90s to early 2000s, when #49 had 10 minutes or worse frequency, #49 seemed to be much more punctual than nowadays.

[deasine]

^ It depends. Nothing's really settled now, but so far, the 49 hasn't been exactly consistent. Generally, it leaves on time, but I think this depends on whether or not the bus arrived at the loop on time or not. Afterall, drivers need their coffee breaks.

The other day, my friend texted me that her 49 from UBC only went to Langara. That didn't really make sense to me either since the peak demand isn't between UBC-Langara, but Langara-Champlain.

As frustrating the 49 is, I do feel for the drivers who drive on the route. I can't imagine the amount of stress they endure and the amount of angry passengers that yell at them.

Originally Posted by officedweller

Think you forgot a word...

Thank you. =)

[worldwide]

trying to drive on 49th is a disaster

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by worldwide

trying to drive on 49th is a disaster

Ha Ha tell me about it.

Having lived all my life in the area that I live. While 41st is what I live closer to. I do know 49th very much and have seen all the problems that can happen on it. The only thing that has saved me is knowing the neighbourhood that I live in and being to cut through the side streets.

Of course I know longer drive and now just cycle and take transit.