stal̕əw̓asəm (Riverview) Bridge (Pattullo Bridge Replacement) | U/C

[makr3trkr]

http://www.news1130.com/2014/04/12/still...ng-pattullo-as-surrey-new-west-disagree/

"Surrey Councillor Tom Gill says New Westminster understands there is pressure from a regional position, but New West still won’t agree to a six-lane replacement crossing – even if one lane remains closed - until infrastructure upgrades catch up.

“The context of a six lane bridge was simply that until infrastructure materializes on the New Westminster side in terms of possibly a tunnel or other infrastructure improvements, that third lane not open. Again, New Westminster was not open to that dialogue.”

==============

New Westminster is clearly not worried about an underused bridge if they are demanding a tunnel to go with it.

6 lanes is not only about capacity, it's about safety (not having slower trucks merging at the bridgehead) and not having police incidents paralyze the region for 4-8 hours.

The extra lane on the Surrey side would serve the same purpose as the climbing lane on the "cut" in North Vancouver.

New West should be stating explicitly what form and alignment they would want for their tunnel. It might be one thing they and Surrey could agree on.

[makr3trkr]

http://www.royalcityrecord.com/news/new-westminster-neighbour-supports-six-lane-pattullo-1.974829

"If Coquitlam and Surrey want a six-lane replacement for the Pattullo Bridge, they can have it, says New Westminster Mayor Wayne Wright.

Wright was disappointed to learn of Coquitlam’s position about the Pattullo Bridge. “I think it’s a lot better that we connect them with Surrey – they both want six-lane bridge. That’s probably what they should do,” he told The Record. “They should go from Surrey to Coquitlam. They both want six lanes.”

[The City of Coquitlam’s staff report] stated that the six-lane option in the existing corridor (tolled or otherwise) yields the least impact on traffic volumes on streets in southwest Coquitlam. "I don't know that anybody will agree with the idea that we're going to take a four-lane bridge that's been there for decades - and has needed replacement for a couple of decades - and replace (it) with four lanes and toll it," Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart said.

Some members of Coquitlam city council felt building a six-lane bridge in today's dollars makes more sense than having to retrofit or improve the bridge in the future. The replacement bridge is being built to accommodate an 80-to 100-year lifespan.

"To build it to 2045 standards really limits your investment in the dollars spent if you go to a four-lane bridge," said Coquitlam councillor Brent Asmundson. "It doesn't make economic sense."

The City of Coquitlam’s staff report states that the Surrey to Coquitlam alternative has advantages such as improving access to employment areas in southwest Coquitlam and north Surrey, reducing traffic on the Pattullo Bridge by 20 to 35 per cent (compared to the current four-lane bridge), but has disadvantage including being costlier, having environmental impacts on the Fraser River and significantly increasing traffic on streets in southwest Coquitlam including King Edward Street, the Brunette interchange and on the Brunette-Lougheed and Braid-United corridors. The report noted it would also reduce daily traffic on the Prot Mann Bridge by about 10 per cent, which would reduce toll revenues to the province by about $10 million to $15 million."

[DKaz]

What about the option of a bridge in line with Blue Mountain with a ramp between Surrey to/from New West? They could just 2 lane that for all we care. Or not build the ramp at all. Treo might be a bit worried because it makes bypassing the Port Mann Bridge that much easier.

On a separate note, when they completed the north Queensborough Bridge interchange so that there was no direct access from Marine into New West, a vegetable shop on 6th Ave by the library told me they noticed a drop in business. Before, drivers would head up 6th Avenue on their way to the east end then stop by on the way to grab some groceries. With the reconfiguration, drivers were forced onto 10th Ave or Royal Ave instead.

[Zassk]

It would be just crazy to build two bridges so close to each other within a few years of each other. Blue Mountain is so close to the Port Mann.

If we really don't need a bridge along the entire stretch of river between Queensborough and Blue Mountain, then maybe we don't need a new bridge at all?

[makr3trkr]

http://globalnews.ca/news/1317151/crashes-on-pattullo-bridge-up-32-per-cent-in-2013/

Crashes on Pattullo Bridge up 32 per cent in 2013



ICBC statistics show the number of serious crashes on the Pattullo Bridge were up 32 per cent last year.

In 2012, there were 47 serious crashes on the bridge. But last year, there were 62 serious crashes — the highest number in the past five years. ICBC defines serious crashes as involving an injury or fatality.

The Pattullo saw increased traffic last year with the opening of the new Port Mann Bridge and the introduction of tolls on that route, pushing many drivers to the free Pattullo.

Not all bridges saw an increased number of accidents last year.

The number of serious crashes dropped significantly on the Knight Street Bridge, from 262 in 2012 to 197 last year, however, it still remains the most dangerous bridge in terms of accidents in the Lower Mainland.

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by makr3trkr

http://globalnews.ca/news/1317151/crashes-on-pattullo-bridge-up-32-per-cent-in-2013/

Crashes on Pattullo Bridge up 32 per cent in 2013



ICBC statistics show the number of serious crashes on the Pattullo Bridge were up 32 per cent last year.

In 2012, there were 47 serious crashes on the bridge. But last year, there were 62 serious crashes — the highest number in the past five years. ICBC defines serious crashes as involving an injury or fatality.

The Pattullo saw increased traffic last year with the opening of the new Port Mann Bridge and the introduction of tolls on that route, pushing many drivers to the free Pattullo.

Not all bridges saw an increased number of accidents last year.

The number of serious crashes dropped significantly on the Knight Street Bridge, from 262 in 2012 to 197 last year, however, it still remains the most dangerous bridge in terms of accidents in the Lower Mainland.

Yet I find the patullo to be far more scary and infact refuse to drive over it compared to the knight street bridge. Which I drive over all the time to and from work.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by cabotp

Yet I find the patullo to be far more scary and infact refuse to drive over it compared to the knight street bridge. Which I drive over all the time to and from work.

The types of crashes are far different I'm sure. The Knight street is king of the rear enders.

[memememe76]

The bridge was closed again Sunday morning. Unbelievable.

[SFUVancouver]

The people who are diverting from the new Port Mann to save a few bucks are literally putting their lives at risk. It's not a trade-off I would make. Build a replacement and toll it at the same price as the new Port Mann to take away the moral hazard.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by memememe76

The bridge was closed again Sunday morning. Unbelievable.

For a "police incident".

[Zassk]

These people are obviously not factoring in the cost of their gas or time.

[gary92]

Originally Posted by Zassk

These people are obviously not factoring in the cost of their gas or time.

yep. most people just don't want to see another bill every month

[cabotp]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

The types of crashes are far different I'm sure. The Knight street is king of the rear enders.

All because of a piss poor design with the Marine Drive and Mitchell island on and off ramps that create a ton of weaving.

The problem with the Patullo is that it is simply too narrow. Of course this causes people to slow down and actually reduces the number of severe crashes.

Where as the knight street bridge in its design causes people to get a good speed from either direction and then have to come to sudden stop near the Marine Drive and Mitchell island ramps.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by cabotp

The problem with the Patullo is that it is simply too narrow. Of course this causes people to slow down and actually reduces the number of severe crashes.

That and the rather sharp turn that's part of the bridge.

[makr3trkr]

http://www.royalcityrecord.com/news/new-...uck-traffic-on-pattullo-bridge-1.1059359

New West sees decrease in truck traffic on Pattullo Bridge

"Tolls on the Port Mann Bridge haven’t caused more trucks to divert to the free Pattullo Bridge crossing, says the province’s transportation minister.

B.C. Transportation Minister Todd Stone said recent statistics dispute claims that truck traffic has increased on the Pattullo Bridge since tolls were introduced on the Port Mann Bridge. He said the statistics compared January to April 2014 to January to April 2013.

“Truck traffic is actually down on the Pattullo Bridge by about five per cent, and it is actually up by one-half per cent on the Port Mann Bridge. The continuous claims from some in New Westminster that there has been this massive increase in truck traffic on the Pattullo Bridge, as I have been saying all along, it’s not true. That has not materialized,” Stone told The Record. “The numbers are the numbers. They tell the story.”

Jim Lowrie, the city’s director of engineering, said preliminary data shows that traffic on Royal Avenue (between Second and Third streets) dropped 9.21 per cent to 26,336 vehicles in April 2014, compared to 29,008 in April 2013. During that same time period, tractor/semi trailer traffic dropped by 23.97 per cent and total trucks dropped by 18.3 per cent.

Coun. Jonathan Cote said truck traffic was down on Royal Avenue in April, likely due to the opening of South Fraser Perimeter Road. He pointed out that the number of heavy trucks on Royal Avenue is still 10 to 20 per cent higher than in mid-2012, which was before tolls were introduced on the Port Mann Bridge."

[The_Henry_Man]

Originally Posted by cabotp

All because of a piss poor design with the Marine Drive and Mitchell island on and off ramps that create a ton of weaving.

The problem with the Patullo is that it is simply too narrow. Of course this causes people to slow down and actually reduces the number of severe crashes.

Where as the knight street bridge in its design causes people to get a good speed from either direction and then have to come to sudden stop near the Marine Drive and Mitchell island ramps.

And a massive bottleneck going northbound through the Bridgeport interchange. In fact, ideally, the KSB should've been 7 lanes today, 4 northbound (2 for through lanes from Westminster, 1 for coming from on ramp from eastbound Bridgeport and 1 for coming from on ramp from westbound Bridgeport), and 3 southbound.

[Infrequent Poster]

Originally Posted by The_Henry_Man

And a massive bottleneck going northbound through the Bridgeport interchange. In fact, ideally, the KSB should've been 7 lanes today, 4 northbound (2 for through lanes from Westminster, 1 for coming from on ramp from eastbound Bridgeport and 1 for coming from on ramp from westbound Bridgeport), and 3 southbound.

Exactly what I was thinking...the only design problem (imo) is the bridge is way underbuilt.

[ssiguy]

Of course, the number of trucks is down on the Patulla.........construction finally ended on the Port Mann and HWY #1. Traffic is still way up in the last few years, talk about a politician trying to manipulate statistics.

It's easy for people in Vancouver to say build something new and toll it but they of course don't pay the tolls. With the Patulla tool and the soon new tolls on a new Massey Tunnel/bridge, the only way to get from this side of the Fraser to the other without getting gouged will be the terminally backed-up Alex Fraser, which isn't even a freeway on this side of the river.

If these bridges are truly regionally important as Victoria says and Translink is a regional transportation authority as Vancouver says, then the costs should be split regionally.

I don't have a problem with tolls for NEW infrastructure such as the Golden Ears but I do for existing infrastructure like Port Mann/Patulla/Massey. These are sampling improvements to existing roadways that people have been taking for decades and the people SoF shouldn't have to pay thru the nose because Victoria let them rot for decades.

If the touchy feely policy wonks and precious green Vancouverites really want to reduce CO2 and pollution, then let them put their money where their industrial size mouths are and help pay for.

[jlenko]

Originally Posted by cabotp

The problem with the Patullo is that it is simply too narrow. Of course this causes people to slow down and actually reduces the number of severe crashes.

Really? I have to disagree with you there. No one goes the posted speed limit on the Patullo (50 km/h) except for trucks that can't accelerate fast enough. Most traffic when I drive it, goes around 80 km/h (when I 'go with the flow').

Even with those cones down the middle, there have been some horrific head-on collisions.

[DKaz]

Really? Most people go 60 when I'm on there. Just stick to the right lane. Going to Surrey, I'll stick with 50 to the arc of the bridge then throw the car into 6th gear until I hit 60 then downshift to 5th gear and usually it holds at 60 down the rest of the curb. There's that prime cop hideout spot by the electronic billboard anyway.

From Surrey, I'll stick with 60 the entire way.