Port of Vancouver Discussion

[spm2013]

I'm just hoping for Carmageddon in September...

[jlousa]

It's on Ports land for thankfully the city has no control.

[Metro-One]

Awesome pics, thanks for posting! I love seeing a new elevated road being built in this city It is amazing that many of the best initiatives done in this city are through provincial or federal entities. (the ports supplying real jobs / industry, the BC place make over and what was suppose to be a real entertainment district with the new casino / hotels, too bad the city stuck their fingers into that one, the convention centers, and of course skytrain.

[AverageJoe]

You're very welcome!

I wish this little two-lane elevated road had been made into a proper four-lane viaduct (maybe over the rails) along the entire south shore with overpasses to each of the major terminals. The amount of trains crossing the local road below is enough to cause huge traffic jams as container trains in particular can push back and forth for over half an hour. There's some 15 at-grade crossings along the port road and the elevated road being built crosses over 10.

There are future plans on the south shore to have Pacific Elevators become the highest throughput grain terminal at the port, while the big container terminals are fighting for more space for traffic and storage. Columbia Containers is getting quite busy and have added significantly more tracks.

I just get the feeling that this road just isn't going to be enough in the long run.

[red-paladin]

The road is meant for port traffic, not to be a bypass.

[Pinion]

I no longer work on the south shore (promotion yay) but I agree with Average Joe. I used to drive on public roads despite having access to that road because it's way too skinny and there are way too many places where trains can block you for 20+ minutes. Especially at Vanterm, which is where that overpass is.

It seems crazy to put all this work into SFPR and Hwy 1 and then have a one lane road servicing the two biggest container ports in Vancouver proper.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

It is amazing that many of the best initiatives done in this city are through provincial or federal entities. (the ports supplying real jobs / industry, the BC place make over and what was suppose to be a real entertainment district with the new casino / hotels, too bad the city stuck their fingers into that one, the convention centers, and of course skytrain.

All of the best initiatives in this city have been initiated by either Provincial or Federal government entities. (or in some cases a partnership between the 2). The city itself is useless and has in more recent times turned to becoming destructive when it comes to infrastructure let alone adding to it. The city of Vancouver is that guy in in your school who is a total failure at everyhting they try, but because he has rich parents, they are always bailed out.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

All of the best initiatives in this city have been initiated by either Provincial or Federal government entities. (or in some cases a partnership between the 2). The city itself is useless and has in more recent times turned to becoming destructive when it comes to infrastructure let alone adding to it. The city of Vancouver is that guy in in your school who is a total failure at everyhting they try, but because he has rich parents, they are always bailed out.

That's a bit harsh. I'll play devil's advocate... cities are the true economic engines of this country, and yet they receive next to nothing in tax revenue. Vancouver generates billions of dollars every month that flow to Victoria and Ottawa that get wasted on stupid projects to buy votes in some remote area.

Vancouver generates enough tax revenue to build a UBC skytrain line every month, they focus city planning around it, and they get jack in return.

[s211]

Originally Posted by jlousa

It's on Ports land for thankfully the city has no control.

I'm sure the city registered a protest against the viaduct construction, with just as much vigour as it protested "no nukes" in its borders.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

That's a bit harsh. I'll play devil's advocate... cities are the true economic engines of this country, and yet they receive next to nothing in tax revenue. Vancouver generates billions of dollars every month that flow to Victoria and Ottawa that get wasted on stupid projects to buy votes in some remote area.

Vancouver generates enough tax revenue to build a UBC skytrain line every month, they focus city planning around it, and they get jack in return.

The vast amount amount of wealth created in BC happens outside of Vancouver proper. In the next few years, that gap will only widen. Besides as I pointed out some of the billions of dollars still generated within the city limits is brought in by our ports which are federal legislation. If they were under the city's control, the ports would have long ago been deemed an eyesore, "visual pollution", or a "barrier to the waterfront". "obsolete", or any of the other cliches spewed by the likes of Gordon Price, Geoff Meggs & Mayor Moonbeam. The city has been hostile to expansion of port industrial activities (including recent hostility towards tankers and coal terminals), and has eroded our industrial land base to almost zero. Other actions have moved offices to the suburbs or even worse into different jurisdictions altogether.

As far as Vancouver not getting its fair share of transit, puh-lease. If anything they get way too much of the funding. While yes, they do still have the largest share of economic activity by a healthy margin in the region, most of that was started decades ago, and a city like Surrey is gaining on Vancouver by the hour yet are constantly getting screwed over when it comes time for infrastructure investment in favor of Vancouver. Not to mention a city like Surrey has about 5 km of Skytrain while Vancouver has like 25km (& still want more!!) Vancouver is not that much larger (population wise) or have THAT much more economic activity as compared to Surrey. Like I said, much like a trust fund baby, Vancouver rests on its laurels from decades ago and does nothing to build upon that legacy choosing instead to focus its time and energy on frivolous stupidity (chicken coops, Iraqi war policy etc) just like trust fund babies do in real life

[jlousa]

*l* Wow I agree with EastVanMark.

To bring this back onto topic, the theory that Vancouver doesn't get it's fair share back from the Feds is pure garbage. It's like the people from Toronto that point to GDP stats about how much better off Toronto would be if it seperated from Canada. They fail to realize that GDP is there because of Canada and if it were seperated it would no longer be the National HQ for all those Canadian companies and it's GDP would drop like a stone.
The Ports belong to the country and the city benefits from it, Vancouver also benefits from being the largest city in BC as it contains the offices of companys that are operating in BC because of our resources. There wouldn't be a Vancouver as we know it w/o the Feds nor the rest of the province.
I am gratefully that the Ports are under Federal control and are mandated to benefit the national economy and not regional desires.

[s211]

Originally Posted by EastVanMark

much like a trust fund baby, Vancouver rests on its laurels from decades ago and does nothing to build upon that legacy choosing instead to focus its time and energy on frivolous stupidity (chicken coops, Iraqi war policy etc) just like trust fund babies do in real life

Please run for mayor. I'd vote for you in a New York minute.

[VanCvl]

I'm surprised that its designed with steel girders. Unless there is a curve I thought the economics have concrete NU girders cheaper. Maybe its a federal procurement thing. Anyone know?

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by spm2013

I'm just hoping for Carmageddon in September...

Carmaggedon, like the Apocalypse, is oft predicted but never seems to actually appear.

[makr3trkr]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

Carmaggedon, like the Apocalypse, is oft predicted but never seems to actually appear.

By that logic, just because traffic was re-routed after the I-5 bridge collapse, there isn't any reason to replace it (no economic side effects, no environmental effects, no quality of life side effects, nothing).

In spite of the fact that there is a parallel local bridge, "[Governor Jay] Inslee declared an economic state of emergency for three surrounding counties (Skagit County, Snohomish County, Whatcom County) in order to cope with disruption to traffic and the local economy."

The I-405 in LA was closed for over a year, and people managed, but only because Caltrans prepared for over a year for that in a media blitz.

Just because traffic moves somewhere else or some people don't drive doesn't mean it's the end of the story.

[Zassk]

Originally Posted by VanCvl

I'm surprised that its designed with steel girders. Unless there is a curve I thought the economics have concrete NU girders cheaper. Maybe its a federal procurement thing. Anyone know?

I know nothing about this project, but the pictures show quite clearly that there are at least two curves in the path of the pillars.

[logan5]

Wrong thread?

[jlousa]

You obviously don't drive, have you seen what's happened to Hastings since Powell closed down?
If that's what they want to use as an example then good on them
*post removed that the above reply was directed at*

Now back onto the topic of this thread. Really impressed with all the expansion the Ports are undertaking. They really seem intent on not only keeping the US Ports from stealing business but are now stealing business from them.

[EastVanMark]

Originally Posted by s211

Please run for mayor. I'd vote for you in a New York minute.

Thanks, but I fear I have too many skeletons in the closet from the past.

[amor de cosmos]

Port Metro Vancouver announces $106-million expansion
Terminal’s expansion to include new facilities for inspection of offshore cargo arriving at two Vancouver-area ports.
CP
September 4, 2013

DELTA, B.C. — Canada’s largest container terminal will be part of a multimillion-dollar expansion to include new facilities for inspection of offshore cargo arriving at two Vancouver-area ports.

Besides the Roberts Bank coal terminal at the Deltaport causeway on First Nations land in Delta, B.C., Port Metro Vancouver will also build a new inspection facility at its Burrard Inlet terminal in Vancouver.

The $106-million project announced Wednesday will include nearly $50 million from the federal government.

International Trade Minister Ed Fast said the marine container examination facilities will improve security and help to increase exports to new markets by reducing processing times.

He said the joint Canada-U.S. cargo security strategy will facilitate the movement of shipments between Canada and its neighbour to the south, the country’s biggest trading partner.

http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Por...ces+million+expansion/8869346/story.html