Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[Langdon0630]

Originally Posted by bardak

I know this map is not 100% accurate yet, but it is definitely interesting.

1. A rapid transit on No.1 Road in Richmond? It is not even an FTN route now. I don't know why Railway (410 route) is selected, or just No.3 Road on which Canada Line can just extend southward straightly.

2. 388 on 88 Ave in Surrey is a very important route for sure, and in the future Translink want it to be part of FTN. But right now, it is still a community shuttle service at peak hours only, and Translink is not even promoting 388 service! I really hope on radio ads they mention 388, too, not just Golden Ears Bridge. Do what your own Primer tells!

3. There isn't even a service on 72 Ave in East Surrey/Langley and Translink want it part of FTN, too.

4. In Coquitlam, Como Lake Ave is FTN when Austin Ave is not. There isn't even one through service on Como Lake Ave, besides weekday-only 143.

[nname]

Those ARE the plan that TransLink had been working on for at least the past 7-8 years. If you take a closer look, many of the suburban FTN/Rapid Bus are all new routes introduced at around 2005-2008, when they had the money to do so. This includes the 301, 364, 375, 388, 430, 531, 595, and 791. But now since now they no longer have the resource to keep running those routes without having enough ridership support, most of these routes had been scaled back so they'll loose less money. In fact, I think they are also thinking of turning the 531 into shuttle too since there's just not enough riders.

The original Evergreen LRT integration plan in 2007 was to make the 143 run all day, 7 days a week, after the LRT begin running in 2011. Eventually it'll become FTN by around 2021. But now with the budget concern, that sure what the new plan will be.

And regarding to 72nd Avenue - there will be service there - in about 2 months.

[xd_1771]

^ I don't think the second map is actually a correct representation of all this. For one, the styling does not match the definitely TransLink-created first map. Secondly, as you have stated, many routes are incorrectly drawn. Richmond routes are incorrectly drawn, and the 337 is still on its old routing, among other examples.

[nname]

Its based off the map here

As for the current 337 routing, I thought its just temporary for the Highway 1 construction?

[Vonny]

Originally Posted by bardak

[...]
The second one is a map of identified goals for rapid transit corridors, b-line like routes, and frequent transit corridors.
[...][/LIST]

The second map effectively needs to be cleaned a bit:

• Rapid bus to Coquitlam: One needs to start from Guilford (because other options uisng the skytrain will require no less than 2 transfer), if not fleetwood.
• If one rapid bus to Coquitlam starts from Langley (or Carvolth), it should be the 555 extended to Coquitlam, via Mission-Pitt Meadows
• A Rapid bus on Richmond Road number 1 is hard to justify

You will notice a big hole in the East-west connection south of 41st:
the 301 (Richmond-Newton) lay the ground for it, and the 410 does for a Richmond 22nd station express.

so to have something looking like it:

source Voony (it misses the route East of Surrey, but it is the general idea as far as Richmond is concerned)

At the end the map is conflating the both concept; rapid bus and bline; in one: it is probably a good to differentiate them :

-a rapid bus is a service emphasing the quality of the ride (using coach), and speed. it is preferrably deployed on Highway. targetting regional market, where frequency of 30mn can be considered good
-a b line is a service emphasing more the frequency and speed but more on local street, since its aim is also to serve the local market.

[GlassCity]

I can guarantee that the entire population of Ladner would fight tooth and nail before rapid transit got built here. Plus at the moment it's really not necessary.

[Millennium2002]

If Ladner chose to put up a fight about the ills of rapid transit, there is a workaround. I mean, given that most of the route is on the freeway already, one technically does not have to brand the upgraded service as a rapid bus. Instead, a simple boost of the existing Highway Coach service to FTN will mostly accomplish the same result, without causing any sort of image problems for Ladner.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

I can guarantee that the entire population of Ladner would fight tooth and nail before rapid transit got built here. Plus at the moment it's really not necessary.

There's obviously something about Ladner that I'm not aware of... Why wouldn't they welcome a rapid transit line? Are they the "gulf islands" of the lower mainland, enjoying some sort of barrier to keep the riff-raff out?

[Tfreder]

I don't think ladner would have a problem with rapid transit that's simply frequent bus routes. Especially since Louis Jackson has been complaining about their inadequate transit for awhile now. However, if any other type of transit were to be proposed, (sky train, lrt, etc) there's no way that would fly there. Think of south delta as the Dunbar of the south of Fraser region.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Tfreder

Think of south delta as the Dunbar of the south of Fraser region.

Ah, OK - I get it now. Thanks!

[xd_1771]

Originally Posted by nname

Its based off the map here

As for the current 337 routing, I thought its just temporary for the Highway 1 construction?

The 152 St connection is permanently closed, so the 156 St routing is permanent.

[GlassCity]

Tfreder has it spot on-a frequent bus like a B-Line would be alright, but anything more "rapid" than that would not even be up for debate. People are happy with the "village atmosphere" here and we all know the development that Skytrain brings with it.

For this same reason I'm doubtful that a Skytrain line to Steveston would be approved either.

[Toddlertoddy]

Originally Posted by Langdon0630

1. A rapid transit on No.1 Road in Richmond? It is not even an FTN route now. I don't know why Railway (410 route) is selected, or just No.3 Road on which Canada Line can just extend southward straightly.

Canada Line isn't exactly the best thing to expand because of the single track at the terminus and the general surrounding buildings acting as obstacles

[xd_1771]

I don't think ladner would have a problem with rapid transit that's simply frequent bus routes. Especially since Louis Jackson has been complaining about their inadequate transit for awhile now. However, if any other type of transit were to be proposed, (sky train, lrt, etc) there's no way that would fly there. Think of south delta as the Dunbar of the south of Fraser region.

Tfreder has it spot on-a frequent bus like a B-Line would be alright, but anything more "rapid" than that would not even be up for debate. People are happy with the "village atmosphere" here and we all know the development that Skytrain brings with it.

I disagree with both of you, simply because you are misinterpreting the correlation between SkyTrain and new development.

Anything that changes with rapid transit is up to the communities and their "official community plans" or whatever is laid out to manage land use: Communities only change with rapid transit investment if zoning changes and development proposals are actually approved. For this reason, for example, we have seen little activity at 29th Ave SkyTrain Station while the City of Vancouver has focused on building Joyce-Collingwood.

I would welcome a rail extension into Ladner and elsewhere on the condition that it: is an appropriate investment with good cost-benefits, contributes to the regional modal shift goal, and does not offset other regional priorities.

Not that I think it will be possible to meet all three with rail transit to Ladner, but I see a lot of opportunity for compromises that significantly improve transit to the area at much less investment: i.e. dedicated bus lane investment on Highway 17, a redesign of Ladner bus routes (and exchange, so that there's no turning and redirecting to lengthen commutes), and a more streamlined service pattern pending financial availability.

And, honestly, when the majority of TransLink's articulated buses are airconditioned XDE60s (or equivalents) and there are more dedicated bus facilities providing competitive rapid service (especially on the highways), people from Ladner and Tsawassen will come to transit in droves - might as well consider it the same potential as rail transit.

[Spork]

Caught this tweet today:

"Hi! The Compass Beta recruitment phase will be announced very soon! Check back here for updates: http://ow.ly/mBBBo ^rw"

https://twitter.com/TransLink/status/352209021031284737

[Mac Write]

How long do you think it will take for the 5,000 slots to be filled? minutes, Hours?

[nname]

All of the buses I took this week in Coquitlam already have the system up and running.

[deasine]

Here's a picture I took of the upcoming Aberdeen Square Station Entrance: 2 fare gates on the overhead connecting bridge with 1 Compass TVM.

[Mac Write]

Originally Posted by nname

All of the buses I took this week in Coquitlam already have the system up and running.

What does the compass reader look like when it's active? all the ones I've seen are blank with the blue dots at the top.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by deasine

Here's a picture I took of the upcoming Aberdeen Square Station Entrance: 2 fare gates on the overhead connecting bridge with 1 Compass TVM.

I would have added a third gate. Have two small gates, each dedicated in one direction and one bi-directional wide gat.