Millennium Line - Broadway Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

You're assuming someone has kept or recorded samples from all the construction pits along Broadway.

not an "assumption" .. Engineers have to certify soil loading for the foundations and those records are kept almost forever. The engineers are liable if they screw up.

Those records can be accessed. The people doing the soils testing have extensive records, of course and those can be accessed.

I am not sure what the law is on soils, but I know the law on water wells. Every time you drill a water well, the well logs have to be registered with the BC government. Anyone who wants can access those.

Maybe there is something there for soils. but I am sure that records exist.

[Waders]

Soil test drilling work continues at 1400 block of West Broadway Avenue.

[jsbertram]

I was visiting a client at Broadway & Burrard today, and the elevator had a notice from Golder Technical that there will be some geotech work done in the area until Nov 8th.

This is 3 blocks from the Granville core site, so perhaps there will be some cores drilled near Burrard on their way west to Arbutus.

[officedweller]

So the interesting bit would be if the drilling continues significantly past Arbutus (i.e. farther than a tail track).

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by officedweller

So the interesting bit would be if the drilling continues significantly past Arbutus (i.e. farther than a tail track).

If this project is going to Arbutus, it might as well go to Alma, the natural terminus of Broadway's vibrant (but ripe for redevelopment) commercial strip.

[Klazu]

I was reading The Province today and they were listing election promises from all three parties. Seems that everyone is backing up Surrey LRT, so that should be a given to go ahead during next 4 years. NDP and Liberals are also ready to fund Broadway Line, but Conservatives not.

[Ridgerunner]

Originally Posted by officedweller

So the interesting bit would be if the drilling continues significantly past Arbutus (i.e. farther than a tail track).

Great question.

Of course, they could decide to do the geo survey all at once. It does not guarantee that a line to UBC will be built, merely that they will be ready for it when they do decide.

But "keep watching" .. it is the tell, no question.

[SFUVancouver]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I was reading The Province today and they were listing election promises from all three parties. Seems that everyone is backing up Surrey LRT, so that should be a given to go ahead during next 4 years. NDP and Liberals are also ready to fund Broadway Line, but Conservatives not.

Agreed. It will be a big test to see how Translink and the Mayors come up with the local 1/3rd capital contribution in light of the plebiscite failure. I suspect that a discrete property and gas tax increase will be put forward to pay of it, as was the case with the local capital contribution for the Evergreen Line funding package. Perhaps they will even put a sunset clause on it of 7-10 years.

[Kisai]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I was reading The Province today and they were listing election promises from all three parties. Seems that everyone is backing up Surrey LRT, so that should be a given to go ahead during next 4 years. NDP and Liberals are also ready to fund Broadway Line, but Conservatives not.

They're backing "Rapid Transit", none of them have any say in the technology used. It's money they get as long as the business case is positive (or so I hear.) Right now there's not even a real price quote for either project.

With Broadway it's not a question of IF, just when. If you read the documents (I believe it was on the Phase II document) it was always going to go to Arbutus initially if it was RRT as a way to save money. If it was going to be LRT it had to be priced out as going the entire way because there's no place for a OMC except near UBC. At least as far as I interpreted the information.

Surrey, if they go with LRT is certainly going to regret it since it's going to divide Surrey, and drivers who work North of Fraser are going to want to be on the West side of the LRT to avoid being cut off.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by Klazu

I was reading The Province today and they were listing election promises from all three parties. Seems that everyone is backing up Surrey LRT, so that should be a given to go ahead during next 4 years. NDP and Liberals are also ready to fund Broadway Line, but Conservatives not.

Again, all these promises mean nothing (and were already there) without the local 1/3.

Unless a provincial or federal party comes out with a promise that will fund 2/3 of these projects, it is just recycled information with no teeth.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Again, all these promises mean nothing (and were already there) without the local 1/3.

I know it has previously been only 1/3, but didn't Justin promise something like 10 billion for BC transit, so the pie is much larger than previously. In the article NDP's election promise was worded to "quadruple" the current transit funding, which sounds like a bigger pie as well. The 1/3 might become 2/3 or 2/5... Who knows.

Only Conservatives were not promising anything new as the Surrey LRT money has been on the table since forever. They are just trying to make the masses believe it is some new money.

[libtard]

Conservative federal government + transit plebiscite = this project will never get the go-ahead. Which honestly is fine. Vancouver already has the best public transportation network in north America. It's been heavily invested in since the 1970's. Our road network has been neglected for so long it will always be playing catch up with our public transportation network.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

It will be a big test to see how Translink and the Mayors come up with the local 1/3rd capital contribution in light of the plebiscite failure. I suspect that a discrete property and gas tax increase will be put forward to pay of it, as was the case with the local capital contribution for the Evergreen Line funding package. Perhaps they will even put a sunset clause on it of 7-10 years.

Speaking of the City of Vancouver, what about the CACs it extorts from developers? Are they not in the millions? What if the city doubled, tripled and quadrupled the height and density allowed along the Broadway Commercial Corridor, between Kingsway and Alma (something a big, growing city should do anyway, especially along a busy commercial corridor sitting astride a subway line)? There are 40 blocks between Kingsway and Alma. Let's say an average of 5 new developments per block, and an average of 5 million in CACs per development. That's 1 Billion dollars right there. And add to that the much-needed and logical rezoning of West 12th Avenue (to Arbutus at least).

[quobobo]

^I agree, allowing significantly more development along the Broadway corridor would be a decent way to make up any funding shortfall.

Amusingly (okay, depressingly) the Vancouver Greens opposed a Broadway subway last election because they think the city might do exactly that.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by libtard

Vancouver already has the best public transportation network in north America. It's been heavily invested in since the 1970's. Our road network has been neglected for so long it will always be playing catch up with our public transportation network.

The more investment in transit there is, less cars there are on the roads. It's a win-win in that way, but less so the other way around.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

Speaking of the City of Vancouver, what about the CACs it extorts from developers? Are they not in the millions? What if the city doubled, tripled and quadrupled the height and density allowed along the Broadway Commercial Corridor, between Kingsway and Alma (something a big, growing city should do anyway, especially along a busy commercial corridor sitting astride a subway line)? There are 40 blocks between Kingsway and Alma. Let's say an average of 5 new developments per block, and an average of 5 million in CACs per development. That's 1 Billion dollars right there. And add to that the much-needed and logical rezoning of West 12th Avenue (to Arbutus at least).

I think the city would be better off benefiting from Broadway development after construction on the line begins. Maybe try cashing in on an existing underdeveloped Skytrain area. Maybe pump up the density in the viaduct lands in order to raise funds. The suggested FSR 3.5 is absurdly low. Or the industrial land around VCC/Clark.

[Prometheus]

Originally Posted by quobobo

^I agree, allowing significantly more development along the Broadway corridor would be a decent way to make up any funding shortfall.

It would also create an amazing skyline and big-city (San Francisco) vibe looking from the north side of False Creek and downtown peninsula. When viewed from David Lam Park and the surrounding area, the few medium sized office towers that currently sit upon the ridge of the commercial corridor already hint at this San Francisco-like potential.

[jlousa]

I've suggested something similar to the city years ago. It would act like the heritage density bank and used to fund transit expansion. Take the whole corridor along the proposed line, and give Translink the right to say .5FSR bonus Whenever a site is redeveloped along the corridor the developer would approach translink to purchase that additional density which would be sold at say $100psf. Pretty well every development would capitalize on buying the bonus density and translink has a steady income stream to pay the financing of borrowing it's share of the money.
The problem is the city doesn't want to grant bonus density as they rather keep that uplift to themselves. I can understand that, but feel the improved transit the city would get it a better deal then what we currently get via the CACs.

[Metro-One]

Originally Posted by Klazu

The more investment in transit there is, less cars there are on the roads. It's a win-win in that way, but less so the other way around.

I would just ignore his posts concerning transit, especially regarding the Broadway corridor. He made a hilarious post somewhat recently stating that the Broadway corridor doesnt need rail transit...

[osirisboy]

Good idea. And Why stop at just .5 fsr.