Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[theKB]

That website is absolutely awful, and the images are ancient.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by gkz

Has there ever been any thought into carrying lightweight freight over the Skytrain? Eg. FedEx, instead of trucking various packages between the airport and downtown, could have an automated freight car running between the two on the Canada line.

Nothing says you can't make a car with rolldown shutters on either side and a private platform but with the downtown post office about to relocate to the airport anyways there's no point.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by Meraki

Made with Godaddy's free website builder, hah.

Originally Posted by theKB

That website is absolutely awful, and the images are ancient.

OMG!!!!!! The Globe and Mail actually believes the website was made by the Mayor's Council despite the distinct possibility that this may not be the case!!!

TransLink mayors to province: This debacle is not on us

Scrolling through the translinkmayors.ca website, it appears the mayors’ council is not just setting the record straight – it’s also refusing to take the blame for the debacle that the issue of transit funding has become.

JEEZE! Don't these news agencies do any proper research anymore???? And its the freaking Globe and Mail!

And if the website is indeed legit, I guess one thing we can say about the Mayor's Council....at least they don't spend a bajillion bucks of taxpayer's money on silly propoganda to further their cause unlike some other government entities...

[deasine]

I don't usually take the SkyTrain to Surrey/New West but I heard a new announcement at Columbia reminding passengers to change trains for the Millennium Line (finally after more than a decade in service). Was this recent?

[Meraki]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't usually take the SkyTrain to Surrey/New West but I heard a new announcement at Columbia reminding passengers to change trains for the Millennium Line (finally after more than a decade in service). Was this recent?

'Recent' I'd say within the past 3-6 months or so. When you're coming into Columbia from Sapperton it says 'trains to Surrey switch platforms' or similar.

[tybuilding]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't usually take the SkyTrain to Surrey/New West but I heard a new announcement at Columbia reminding passengers to change trains for the Millennium Line (finally after more than a decade in service). Was this recent?

Its helpful, I have got on the wrong train a few times over the years not paying attention.

[tybuilding]

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/brit...dd-tolls-fees-to-ballot/article17109461/

Stone agrees to add tolls, fees to transit ballot

Road and bridge tolls are back on the table for municipalities trying to figure out a way to raise money for new transit infrastructure, despite Transportation Minister Todd Stone’s insistence this month that they were off limits.

It’s the latest reversal from the B.C. Liberals, who have been variously tough and conciliatory with Metro Vancouver mayors over a promised transit referendum that will offer voters a say in how future transit projects will be funded.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by tybuilding

It’s the latest reversal from the B.C. Liberals, who have been variously tough and conciliatory with Metro Vancouver mayors over a promised transit referendum that will offer voters a say in how future transit projects will be funded.

All I can say is how lucky we are Christy won the leadership race. Imagine if Kevin Falcon had won....oh dear.

[red-paladin]

Originally Posted by deasine

I don't usually take the SkyTrain to Surrey/New West but I heard a new announcement at Columbia reminding passengers to change trains for the Millennium Line (finally after more than a decade in service). Was this recent?

That is new, in the last few weeks. (The announcement on eastbound expo/millenium lines)

[Steveston]

One thing that bothers me about the media reports on this is how Stone's new position is called a "reversal" (I suppose it's better than "flip-flop"). To me, it's a good sign that politicians don't walk around with entrenched, inflexible positions. The fact that Stone is willing to adjust the Province's position based on a series of ongoing discussions with the Mayors is a GOOD THING.

Of course, the best thing would be to cancel the referendum altogether, and come up with a long term governance and funding agreement with the Mayors and then move forward.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by red-paladin

That is new, in the last few weeks. (The announcement on eastbound expo/millenium lines)

I ride on Skytrain everyday and don't remember when they started doing this.

[dleung]

Just a random thought... what's with all the new extradosed bridges (Coast Meridian, Pitt River, North Arm, Golden Ears, etc)? I like the cables stays and all, but rather they go all the way with the cables and reduce the profile of the bridge decks. The Skybridge to Surrey was beautiful... the Canada Line bridge, not so much.

[Millennium2002]

The Canada Line bridge does have that pedestrian/bike path dangling off of the side of it... So maybe that's the purpose of the thicker guideway section? Although... technically they could have just integrated the path into the deck itself.

It could also be an aesthetic or earthquake redundancy thing... that is, the cables are only there to look pretty and hold the bridge deck if the approaches collapse?

An engineer could probably come up with a better answer...

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by dleung

Just a random thought... what's with all the new extradosed bridges (Coast Meridian, Pitt River, North Arm, Golden Ears, etc)? I like the cables stays and all, but rather they go all the way with the cables and reduce the profile of the bridge decks. The Skybridge to Surrey was beautiful... the Canada Line bridge, not so much.

Canada line bridge towers needed to be low height, as the bridge is in the flight path for YVR.

The tower height limit dictated the rest of the design & engineering.

[officedweller]

That's right - height had to be low for YVR flight paths.
Read the article I posted about the Canada Line about a week ago from that railway magazine - there's a section on the bridges.
i.e. form follows function.

Canada Line article:
http://www.bytownrailwaysociety.ca/branchline/files/2009/2009-12.pdf[/QUOTE]

Not sure of the Pitt River Bridge and Golden Ears Bridge need to be low for the Pitt Meadows Airport, but that's also possible.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Not sure of the Pitt River Bridge and Golden Ears Bridge need to be low for the Pitt Meadows Airport, but that's also possible.

Golden Ears Bridge maybe, it has the same extradosed design as the Canada Line Bridge right?

Pitt River Bridge I believe was naturally low by design criteria, the new bridge deck was just slightly higher than the old Pitt River Bridges which very rarely had to open for small crafts that were just a little too tall.

[officedweller]

Apparently Golden Ears is a hydrid extradosed bridge because of the long spans.
This also says that the towers were kept short because of Pitt Meadows Airport:

http://www.canadianconsultingengineer.com/news/golden-ears-bridge/1000377442/?&er=NA

[Vonny]

2014 Translink bus service optimization and bus 49

The Vancouver council seems to want to torpedoe the proposed bus improvment on the 49th avenue

See:
http://voony.wordpress.com/2014/03/04/the-2014-bus-service-optimization-focus-on-the-bus-49/

and the proposed motion here:
http://www.geoffmeggs.ca/2014/03/02/bus-...o-upcoming-transit-investment-decisions/

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Vonny

2014 Translink bus service optimization and bus 49The Vancouver council seems to want to torpedoe the proposed bus improvment on the 49th avenue

I feel that I should point out that proposed "improvement" is not seen as such by those living in the Champlain area since it's going to eliminate their local bus service.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

I feel that I should point out that proposed "improvement" is not seen as such by those living in the Champlain area since it's going to eliminate their local bus service.

They have the 26. Eliminating local bus service means having to walk 1.2 km to a bus stop like I do, then they can complain.