Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[GlassCity]

I'm surprised as well. Surrey actually has a grid system so it shouldn't have to deal with the issues of winding streets that suburban Calgary does for example.

[CBeats]

Check out this article from the Vancouver Sun. Some good stuff!

Metro mayors get what they want from Victoria, and then some

...“A lot of good work has already gone into determining options in the region for expansion,” said Stone, voicing optimism that the mayors can pull it off. “TransLink has been working really hard on a number of expansion scenarios. They’re working hard on tightening the costs. All of that information will be made available very, very expeditiously to the mayors’ council so that they have the information and have the ability in this interim period to make the tough decisions around putting a plan together with costs and priorities and phasing.”

And if it doesn’t all come together?

“If a vision is not ready by June 30, 2014, the next date the provincial government is willing to consider a referendum is in conjunction with the subsequent local government election.” Meaning in November 2017, after that year’s provincial election.

“This later date would require the mayors’ council to use existing funding sources if it wishes to expand transit in the interim period.”...

link: http://www.vancouversun.com/opinion/colu...mayors+what+they+want/9478825/story.html

[WarrenC12]

Be careful what you wish for. With Derek Corrigan having a voice, we'll never see rail transit expansion.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Be careful what you wish for. With Derek Corrigan having a voice, we'll never see rail transit expansion.

I think you are over estimating the influence of Derek Corrigan. He is a loud mouth and I do find him condescending, but at the end of the day, he is only one vote. Even the Canada Line roadblock was actually self inflicted, with Vancouver itself actually voting against it two out of three times despite being the primary beneficiary of the project.

I do agree with some of the editorials that Surrey has more to loose in this arrangement. I just cannot imagine them being thrown a bone here by the majority of mayors, who happen to be North of Fraser types. Frankly, I think its better for South of Fraser to go it alone if they are serious about expanding transit in their area. Too much selfishness going on here...

[WarrenC12]

Do Mayors get a vote representative of the population in their cities? What is required for a resolution to pass? 51%?

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Do Mayors get a vote representative of the population in their cities? What is required for a resolution to pass? 51%?

For Metro Vancouver, municipalities' representation is based on their population. The last time I checked Vancouver gets three representatives (the Mayor and two Councillors), Surrey and presumably Burnaby each get two, and then I think the rest get one apiece. I'm not sure how the Mayor's Council works, but I would expect that there would be some weighting by population so that a small municipality with unique geographic and demographic needs, like White Rock, doesn't carry the same weight as exponentially larger and more complicated municipalities like Surrey, Burnaby, or the City of Vancouver.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

For Metro Vancouver, municipalities' representation is based on their population. The last time I checked Vancouver gets three representatives (the Mayor and two Councillors), Surrey and presumably Burnaby each get two, and then I think the rest get one apiece. I'm not sure how the Mayor's Council works, but I would expect that there would be some weighting by population so that a small municipality with unique geographic and demographic needs, like White Rock, doesn't carry the same weight as exponentially larger and more complicated municipalities like Surrey, Burnaby, or the City of Vancouver.

If its based on how it was before, Burnaby only got one but Surrey did have two.

[Steveston]

I'm hoping that the mayors will learn from the past and at least make an attempt to put their parochial ways behind them. But with clowns like Corrigan on board, I'm not optimistic.

Perhaps the Mayors' Council needs to do what they did in Toronto, and appoint a Blue Ribbon Panel of apolitical big-thinkers, and come up with a priority list of projects and a fair funding formula. This report could be submitted to both the Mayors' Council and Min. Stone for approval. If everyone's in agreement, maybe we could do without this crazy referendum altogether.

[usog]

Random question, are they repainting all the Mk.I skytrain cars? I'm seeing more and more of them around, I was under the impression that the ones that were done so far were a test pilot but not the final refurbishment design.

[madog222]

Originally Posted by usog

Random question, are they repainting all the Mk.I skytrain cars? I'm seeing more and more of them around, I was under the impression that the ones that were done so far were a test pilot but not the final refurbishment design.

The 114 MkIs acquired in the 80s (with the front facing doors) are all being refurbished, the 36 Mk1s acquired in the 90s (without the front facing doors) are not.

[WarrenC12]

I rode one of the "refurbished" Mk1s. I'm not sure what the difference is beside paint. Pretty underwhelming.

[rsxstock]

i wish they would just remove all the forward/backward facing seats and use the inward facing ones. only 1 seat is lost (6 to 5) but it creates double or even triple the standing space

[WBC]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I rode one of the "refurbished" Mk1s. I'm not sure what the difference is beside paint. Pretty underwhelming.

They removed seats creating extra standing space...

Inside painting 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵...They painted over panel door hinges and locks...Looks like amateurish apartment rental paint job...

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

Hence why many in Surrey opt to drive....

I don't mind walking if it's not raining. I'll drive to Skytrain otherwise.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I rode one of the "refurbished" Mk1s. I'm not sure what the difference is beside paint. Pretty underwhelming.

Supposedly they have upgraded wiring, possibly replaced the older VOBC components. Otherwise I didn't see a whole heck of a lot in the way of change.
Wait for a good rainfall and you'll probably still get water coming in around the front and back doors.

[TransitFreak]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Supposedly they have upgraded wiring, possibly replaced the older VOBC components. Otherwise I didn't see a whole heck of a lot in the way of change.
Wait for a good rainfall and you'll probably still get water coming in around the front and back doors.

I can confirm that it water still comes in there...sat at the front, and thought someone had pee'd there, but took a chance that because it was raining, that it was rainwater leaking in...

On another note, I believe xd_1771 mentioned it before, but I'll say it again, I wish the refurb's get the LED treatment of cars 11 and 12. Cars 63, 64, 67, and 68 all have that yellow tint to them still, and I'm hoping that they are not finished with those cars yet.

One last note, and sorry, don't have pics, but rode a 6-car refurb configuration last week or two ago AM rush hour...man was that a 🞵🞵🞵🞵 looking train, all 6 cars in the new colour scheme...

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by TransitFreak

I can confirm that it water still comes in there...sat at the front, and thought someone had pee'd there, but took a chance that because it was raining, that it was rainwater leaking in...

The way to deal with this is to take one of the ubiquitous free newspapers that are lying all over the floor and the unused seats and put it on the seat before you sit on it.

Why people don't have the simple decency to take those things with them when they leave and then dump them in the many recycling bins provided in all the stations is beyond me.

[logicbomb]

Originally Posted by WBC

They removed seats creating extra standing space...

Inside painting 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵...They painted over panel door hinges and locks...Looks like amateurish apartment rental paint job...

Yeah, and the paint is already starting to chip off.

[red-paladin]

I am very not impressed by the 'refurbishment' project so far.

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

The way to deal with this is to take one of the ubiquitous free newspapers that are lying all over the floor and the unused seats and put it on the seat before you sit on it.

Why people don't have the simple decency to take those things with them when they leave and then dump them in the many recycling bins provided in all the stations is beyond me.

laziness, pure and simple laziness. They think their life is so important that putting something where it belongs isn't something that they feel is important enough.