Downtown Vancouver Updates

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

I agree with the sentiment though I can see why they are doing it this way. Basically, it's the same "boil a frog" strategy: if you drop it in boiling water right away it will jump, but if you gradually turn it up you will cook it. You can see it with the way the city is implementing the bike lanes as well.

And it seems to be working. I was talking with staff and they say the mood around these projects has definitely shifted since the first acts of reducing road space. People now see the benefits and largely want more of it. This approach has been done in other cities like Copenhagen and it has worked.

Ideally I would like to see it right away, but if gradual gets the job done, I'm okay with that too.

you really think a Downtown core without cars is good? wow. i guess all the idling cars adds to being the greenest city because well we all know how idling is less polluting than driving!!! its not like i get ~2x the distance on the same amount of fuel on the freeway...

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Pinion

That's the main road to get to downtown for tens of thousands of people who live north of the viaducts. Put a highway over the rail tracks to highway 1 and you can do that.

A highway over the railway tracks is something I would root for any day. Unfortunately, you cannot do that in Vancouver, because, highways and freeways are "evil."

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Pinion

That's the main road to get to downtown for tens of thousands of people who live north of the viaducts. Put a highway over the rail tracks to highway 1 and you can do that.

Water Street is the main road to get downtown for tens of thousands of people?....

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by Pinion

That's the main road to get to downtown for tens of thousands of people who live north of the viaducts. Put a highway over the rail tracks to highway 1 and you can do that.

I think people who are commuting downtown from East Van/Burnaby by car use Hastings.

How would a highway work where the rail tracks are now? There's no exit for downtown. I`d rather see the rail and industrial sections removed and a park/parkway replacing it.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I'm pretty happy too. You don't need cars running through what should be public space. I think the VoC should also close Water street in Gastown from Cordova to Main, alongside Carrall and Alexander Street when they intersect. A quant square without traffic would fit nicely there.

Robson Square doesn't have a lot of traffic going through it in the first place. I like how bus No. 5 goes through it, connecting more of downtown with the West End. If the section is blocked, the route change isn't very user-friendly.

When the section was closed off in the summers, it was heck of a dirty place. Usually looks a lot cleaner when vehicular traffic goes through it.

[csbvan]

Originally Posted by Vin

Robson Square doesn't have a lot of traffic going through it in the first place. I like how bus No. 5 goes through it, connecting more of downtown with the West End. If the section is blocked, the route change isn't very user-friendly.

When the section was closed off in the summers, it was heck of a dirty place. Usually looks a lot cleaner when vehicular traffic goes through it.

I used to walk through Robson Square daily. When the square was open to traffic it made the sidewalks uncomfortably narrow. Too many people, even in the fall/winter months.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

The compromise would be to close that piece of Robson for pedestrians but let buses go through. I`m not sure if it`d work well, just a thought.

[Graham_Yvr]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

The compromise would be to close that piece of Robson for pedestrians but let buses go through. I`m not sure if it`d work well, just a thought.

I think the plan is to remove the road all together and make one contiguous surface, so no vehicles at all.

On another note, your user name makes me laugh. I love it!

[Vin]

Originally Posted by csbvan

I used to walk through Robson Square daily. When the square was open to traffic it made the sidewalks uncomfortably narrow. Too many people, even in the fall/winter months.

Then by your logic, they should also close off Robson from the Library Square all the way to Denman because the sidewalks are narrow? Trust me, Robson Square's sidewalks are already some of the widest anywhere downtown Vancouver. And I still walk there almost daily and I don't feel the congestions at all.

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

The compromise would be to close that piece of Robson for pedestrians but let buses go through. I`m not sure if it`d work well, just a thought.

That, I can still accept, but like GrahamYVR stated, it's not going to happen. And yeah your user name is a tongue twister.

[Graham_Yvr]

duplicate post, please remove

[Klazu]

All that traffic driving through Water Street is stupid and doesn't make for a nice touristy old town charm. The street surface is also in horrible condition, full of huge potholes, broken cobblestones and patches of pavement. They should rebuild the whole street and add a bike lane (I am serious).

I think traffic from Powell Street should be diverted along Clark Drive and Main Street. The latter should be opened for six lanes of traffic. It is wide enough for that and those lanes would be needed to handle the through-traffic. Just remove all street parking that is there today and add some left-turn lanes.

Robson Street itself should be moving towards a full pedestrian street. In the future I would also love to have a streetcar run down the street (and make a free Downtown loop), moving people along the long street. For that purpose I think closing at least one section permanently is a start. It will slowly begin to change people's driving patterns.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

All that traffic driving through Water Street is stupid and doesn't make for a nice touristy old town charm. The street surface is also in horrible condition, full of huge potholes, broken cobblestones and patches of pavement. They should rebuild the whole street and add a bike lane (I am serious).


Robson Street itself should be moving towards a full pedestrian street. In the future I would also love to have a streetcar run down the street (and make a free Downtown loop), moving people along the long street. For that purpose I think closing at least one section permanently is a start. It will slowly begin to change people's driving patterns.

Would be great if they already have a free streetcar going through Robson or Water street. However, there isn't. Therefore they shouldn't close any of the streets down, especially since the bus routes would be cut off. Improvements are always good, but without any better alternatives, taking away existing infrastructure that already works isn't a good idea.

[Klazu]

There is the plan for streecar line through Gastown and in my opinion that should be built. But what I dream of is a streetcar line looping Downtown, connecting with that line, but mainly traveling along Robson - Yaletown - Davie - Denman. Make it free like Melbourne and Miami have done in their downtown area.

It would be a fantastic piece of infrastructure replacing many bus routes, easing traffic in Downtown. Imagine living in West End and making a daily 10-minute streetcar ride to work in CBD. Or go shopping on Robson Street and utilize the streetcar to move from one end of the street to another (it's a long street!). Or take Canada Line to Yaletown and then take the streetcar to an event on BC Place or to a restaurant on Denman Street.

Such line would be so fantastic and much more convenient than separate bus lines.

[Vin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

There is the plan for streecar line through Gastown and in my opinion that should be built. But what I dream of is a streetcar line looping Downtown, connecting with that line, but mainly traveling along Robson - Yaletown - Davie - Denman. Make it free like Melbourne and Miami have done in their downtown area.

It would be a fantastic piece of infrastructure replacing many bus routes, easing traffic in Downtown. Imagine living in West End and making a daily 10-minute streetcar ride to work in CBD. Or go shopping on Robson Street and utilize the streetcar to move from one end of the street to another (it's a long street!). Or take Canada Line to Yaletown and then take the streetcar to an event on BC Place or to a restaurant on Denman Street.

Such line would be so fantastic and much more convenient than separate bus lines.

You mean "shelved plan"?

Totally agreed! We can even make it better than Melbourne or Toronto because our system will have all the new updated stock of street cars, unlike the mixed bags in those cities. That remains a wet dream for many of us. If only Vision has the same vision as many of us. Unfortunately, they don't, as they love to create congestions instead of coming up with a coherent long term downtown transit plan. Their political will is pushed to all the wrong priorities.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

I wonder if adding a streetcar would be feasible in DT Vancouver with all the traffic. Would it even be worth it?

[Vin]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

I wonder if adding a streetcar would be feasible in DT Vancouver with all the traffic. Would it even be worth it?

The day trams are introduced into city centre is also the day people no longer need cars to come downtown. Parkades at the perimeter can encourage folks to drop off their cars before hopping on the trams into the downtown core. Even though skytrains already have quite a few stations downtown, they don't serve the entire area well. The current buses are not so reliable, often overcrowded or not on time. Dedicated tram lanes would ensure that they can transport people around efficiently, quickly, and by covering a larger area.

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Originally Posted by Vin

The day trams are introduced into city centre is also the day people no longer need cars to come downtown.

Do you think a Skytrain line running down Robson an Hastings would be a better solution, costs set aside.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by Vin

Even though skytrains already have quite a few stations downtown, they don't serve the entire area well.

This is the main issue in my mind. It is highly unlikely that we will be seeing more Skytrain stations in Downtown (Hemlecken Street on Canada Line being the only potential one). Even most of our Transit Fantasy maps don't include more stations in Downtown!

The only rail transportation imaginable would be streetcar, which are getting more and more popular in many city centers. They are fast and convenient enough for people to use them, especially if the fee for a short trip is only nominal (or even free).

I think a loop like I propose would serve as a connection between all Downtown residential areas and existing Skytrain stations. It would also move people between parts of Downtown and help to revitalize shopping streets like Robson, Davie and Denman). It would also help to bridge occasionally crowded places like English Bay, Stanley Park and BC Place with rest of Downtown.

Downtown is very walkable, but it is actually quite large when you start walking from one end to another. Cycling is becoming more and more convenient, but that will never cater to the masses. An efficient mass transit is the only way to move people efficiently enough and I think a streetcar would be perfect.

Of course if it would be made free it would be a novelty and a money-loser, but it should be considering more like a public amenity serving anyone visiting Downtown (not just its residents).

I doubt it will never happen, but one can still dream. And if I ever become a billionaire, I promise to build it as my public contribution.

[Klazu]

Originally Posted by BobLoblawsLawBlog

Do you think a Skytrain line running down Robson an Hastings would be a better solution, costs set aside.

Way too costly (would have to be undreground). Stations would also be way too far from each other to make it practical for inner city transportation. A streetcar with stations 100 meters apart would be perfect. Heck, make it two-storeys like in Hong Kong and you have a new tourist attraction!

[BobLoblawsLawBlog]

Ew no the last thing Vancouver needs is more tourists (thankfully there aren't that many to begin with).