Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[SpongeG]

the DLR line in london is driverless

The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) is an automated light metro system opened in 1987 to serve the redeveloped Docklands area of London. It reaches north to Stratford, south to Lewisham, west to Tower Gateway and Bank in the City of London financial district, and east to Beckton, London City Airport and Woolwich Arsenal.

Docklands Light Railway - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway

• Video Link

[Aroundtheworld]

I heard from somebody who has good connections with the BC Liberals that we should be hearing an announcement about the Phase 2 funding in the next 6 weeks. If it's true, it will be the end of a long journey.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

the DLR line in london is driverless...

Although London operates each train with a member of staff to control doors (think Vancouver's SkyTrain when it first opened).

[ilikeredheads]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Articulateds do come occasionally, but they're rare. I'd say 4/5 are 40 footers and 1/5 are articulated. I take it every day. I wrote a comment on this in the Phase 1 survey. I assume this has to do with redistribution of resources, but it has let to tremendous pass-ups on the 480. I just hope that they purchase more articulated buses as part of this plan, because the 480 definitely misses them, and as such I'm sure many other routes do too.

A lot of the articulated buses got transferred out of the Richmond depot when the Vancouver depot took over operation of 49, since it's now served by articulated buses everyday. I think whatever remaining 60' buses Richmond has left are used on 620.

[Express691]

Mark 3 sightings today:

401-404: Renfrew Outbound
405-408: Not yet
409-412: Testing Main outbound
413-416: Waterfroun Outbound (KG)
417-420: OMC
421-424: Not today
425-428: OMC

All 7 trains assembled and last 2 undergoing testing

[Pinion]

Phibbs Exchange render

District of North Vancouver council delves into transportation plan

The District of North Vancouver is preparing to embark on a major review of its transportation master plan.

District council members met as an informal committee Tuesday afternoon to discuss what should be emphasized in the review, which is to begin in 2017.

Staff’s suggestions included a protected bicycle network, updating the district’s parking policies, a focus on the Main/Marine transit corridor, better co-ordination of traffic signals and whether the district ought to become a vision zero community – a growing movement among cities vowing to design their streets in such a way that there are zero traffic-related deaths or injuries.

But the informal session quickly turned to an airing of grievances as the morning commute of many councillors had been particularly exasperating with near-simultaneous crashes on the Cut, Stanley Park causeway and Westview overpass.

Coun. Jim Hanson said he faces the prospect of losing staff at his North Vancouver law firm, as their commute from across Burrard Inlet saps their quality of life. Hanson said the plan ought to come with some immediate steps that will alleviate congestion.

“I don’t sense the level of urgency in the plan that I sense in the public,” he said. “I’m just really frustrated with being a public official witnessing this failure – this systemic failure – of transportation infrastructure, which after all, is a core function of government.”

And, he added, it’s not just the district but also the province and the North Shore’s other municipalities that need to get on board.

“We need to integrate our efforts with the other civic governments of the North Shore, who are contributing to density without in any way contributing to infrastructure, which is overtaxed,” he said.

Coun. Mathew Bond, who is a transportation systems engineer, said his morning commute to Coquitlam took twice as long as it normally would have with a lineup of stop-and-go traffic on Highway 1 stretching 20 kilometres past the Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Crossing.

While creating major new infrastructure takes years and billions of dollars, governments can help influence people’s decisions and improve traffic flow, he said, referring to things like incentivizing carpooling or charging drivers for using the roads at peak times.

“People can change their behaviour today if they so choose,” he said. “Doing some small, incremental things over time over the next two, three or five years, will buy us some time to make those major infrastructure investments and do those plans that are going to provide long-term relief.”

But Coun. Lisa Muri questioned whether residents could be persuaded to leave the car at home, especially when their work, errands or family commitments may require them to travel to several neighbourhoods, numerous times in the day.

“I don’t know how to change my behaviour to get from Lonsdale to Seymour without changing my whole family’s life,” she said. “It’s awesome to think that if you build it, people will get out of their cars and onto a bus or another mode of transportation but is it going to happen? . . . People have cars. They want convenience. They want to be able to get to their destinations quickly.”

Instead, Muri suggested it may be time to pull up the drawbridge on the North Shore. “I envision there’s room for 100 people at the party and there’s 500 in the lineup out the front door and they all want to come into the party. I just want to say to the 400, ‘You know what? We’re full now. You’re just going to have to wait your turn.’ But we’re not doing that,” she said.

Coun. Robin Hicks rubbished the notion that trying to stop population growth would solve any problems, noting that banishing the North Shore’s service workers to the farther-flung suburbs would only add more cars onto local roads.

“We can’t put up barriers or walls like Trump might try to do. People are just going to come here from everywhere,” he said. “We’ve got to learn to live with the population.”

The district has, in partnership with senior levels of government, a number of transportation projects under way, including the new five-lane Keith Road bridge, which should open this fall, separated bike lanes on Lynn Valley Road scheduled to start this month, Spirit Trail connections, upgrades to Phibbs Exchange and $150 million in rebuilds of the Lower Lynn interchanges.

Coun. Roger Bassam and Mayor Richard Walton were absent from the meeting.

http://www.nsnews.com/news/district-of-n...elves-into-transportation-plan-1.2370177

lol @ Muri literally going for "— off we're full" strategy.

[MIPS]

he faces the prospect of losing staff at his North Vancouver law firm, as their commute from across Burrard Inlet saps their quality of life.

That has to be one of the most first world — problems I've ever heard.

[WBC]

Originally Posted by MIPS

That has to be one of the most first world — problems I've ever heard.

As Arnold once said: "Get to the chopper!!!"

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by MIPS

That has to be one of the most first world — problems I've ever heard.

Spoken like someone who hasn't had to cross the Burrard inlet regularly in the last 10 years. It's the worst traffic in the city now, especially if you don't live on the north shore.

[MIPS]

My assumption was taking the SeaBus. Road wise yes, it's extremely bad both inside and outside of rush hour.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by MIPS

That has to be one of the most first world — problems I've ever heard.

well considering we live in the first world... wouldn't it make sense we have "first world problems?"

that is one of the stupidest sayings ever. just because our quality of life is better, so our problems may not seem as bad, it doesn't mean we should ignore them and focus on everyone else's — 3rd world problems. no reason why we should support decreasing our quality of life just because someone else's isn't as developed.

that is like saying, "lets not try to cure cancer, because everyone needs clean drinking water and food first!" considering cancer isn't a 3rd world problem, malnutrition is, we must ignore it, right?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Whatever you think of this, it's probably safe to guess that "SkyTrain for North Van" will become a major issue in the near future.

[retro_orange]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Whatever you think of this, it's probably safe to guess that "SkyTrain for North Van" will become a major issue in the near future.

I'd love to see that all the way to Whistler. Even if it was at grade along most of the highway to save cost.

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by MIPS

My assumption was taking the SeaBus. Road wise yes, it's extremely bad both inside and outside of rush hour.

His law firm is in central Lonsdale and sadly a bus over Lions Gate is faster than the seabus if you're that far up. Which means you're in the traffic.

The reason people are looking to improve north shore transit is because it's so bad that it's not worth using unless you're too poor to do anything else. With the possible exception of the few who live in Lower Lonsdale and work downtown between 6am and 6pm Mon-Fri. Make transit more appealing to 15% more people and suddenly the bridges are tolerable again.

[Stingray2004]

Update just in on West Van blue buses:

NEWS 1130
‏
Blue Buses will not be operating Monday. Drivers have decided to go on strike indefinitely.

[Sheba]

West Vancouver transit workers to strike Monday

The union representing bus drivers and transit workers in West Vancouver says its 149 members will go on strike indefinitely starting Monday.

"We made no progress today in the talks, so more pressure has to be put on the employer and unfortunately that means a full strike," said Bill Tieleman, speaking for the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 134.

The union's 149 members — drivers and mechanics — operate 52 buses that make 18,000 trips per day, according to Tieleman.

...

The union has been in a legal strike position since Sunday. Tieleman says the strike will go on indefinitely as no new negotiations are planned with a mediator.

...

The union's contract with the District of West Vancouver expired March 31, 2016 and negotiations began in May.

[Mac Write]

— no 257 service to/from Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal (BC Ferries is really going to feel that pain). Everyone will have to use Duke Point > Tawassen > 620 > Bridgeport.

[Mac Write]

Is the Burrard Otter still in the fleet or was it scrapped? With this strike, 3 SeaBuses won't be enough. If we had/have the Burrard Otter, then 4 sea buses would allow for 6-7 minute service.

Let the games begin.

[chuckh]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

well considering we live in the first world... wouldn't it make sense we have "first world problems?"

that is one of the stupidest sayings ever. just because our quality of life is better, so our problems may not seem as bad, it doesn't mean we should ignore them and focus on everyone else's — 3rd world problems. no reason why we should support decreasing our quality of life just because someone else's isn't as developed.

that is like saying, "lets not try to cure cancer, because everyone needs clean drinking water and food first!" considering cancer isn't a 3rd world problem, malnutrition is, we must ignore it, right?

"First world problem" isn't actually calling people out to completely ignore their problems if they live in a developed part of the world, it's asking people to be willing to compromise on their lifestyle (measured by carbon footprint, sustainability, "what if everyone did this?", etc.) in order to reach a more ideal solution for everyone.

Consider the lifestyle decision to drive a car:

- If I drive a car, can I achieve my goal?
- If I pick up other people on my way and carpool, can I achieve my goal?
- If I use public transit, can I achieve my goal?
- If I go by bike, can I achieve my goal?

To be a First-World-Problem person, start at the top and go down until you reach a yes.
To be conscientious, start at the bottom and go up until you reach a yes.

Apply this to the rest of your lifestyle decisions that may be unnecessary or create waste, and we're getting somewhere.

[Spr0ckets]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

well considering we live in the first world... wouldn't it make sense we have "first world problems?"

that is one of the stupidest sayings ever. just because our quality of life is better, so our problems may not seem as bad, it doesn't mean we should ignore them and focus on everyone else's — 3rd world problems. no reason why we should support decreasing our quality of life just because someone else's isn't as developed.

that is like saying, "lets not try to cure cancer, because everyone needs clean drinking water and food first!" considering cancer isn't a 3rd world problem, malnutrition is, we must ignore it, right?

With all due respect, that's a horrible, and frankly speaking, horribly stupid analogy.

You're assuming that it's an either/or, zero-sum game where we can't seek to cure cancer (which isn't going to happen tomorrow) while also trying to help people in the third world get clean drinking water and food, at the same time.
We're capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time.

Saying that something is a "First world problem" is a mere acknowledgment that in other parts of the world (particularly in the third world) they not only deal with your first world problems but they also deal with other more severe problems that you don't deal with.
What's wrong with that?

Third world denizens have to deal with all those other problems in addition to cancer which STILL affects them in far more severe ways than First worlders have to deal with.

Secondly, and to the larger overall point, regarding our quality of life - while not advocating decreasing it relative to other people's quality of life, it is nonetheless worth noting that the standard First world level quality of life (2-3 cars, white picket fence, supermarket accessibility, disposable luxuries etc).....is effectively unsustainable for the vast majority of the human race living on this planet even if we were ever able to raise the quality of life of people elsewhere to a comparable level.
As it stands, it's not even sustainable for just the First World living it as is, and as is evident with what's happening with climate change for example and the diminishing resources that the First World disproportionately consumes (and wastes).

The question of what to do with this information is more political than social as to whether there is or ever will be a will to do anything about it, but to sit there and act like stuff you do as a First Worlder or problems you deal with or more pointedly don't deal with, don't affect people in the Third world and the rest of the planet, is delusional or oblivious at best and odiously obnoxious at worst.