SkyTrain Station Renovations

[urbancanadian]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Why was he at Metrotown Station - there's the shuttle from Patterson (also the 125 BCIT bus travels to Patterson).

Sometimes you have to laugh at the length the media goes to create controversy. The elevator has been closed for months and there has never been a down escalator at this station. So logically the fact that he got down on one foot is irrelevant to the story... he would have had to do so regardless.

(Not saying there aren't legitimate issues with the closure.)

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by urbancanadian

Sometimes you have to laugh at the length the media goes to create controversy. The elevator has been closed for months and there has never been a down escalator at this station. So logically the fact that he got down on one foot is irrelevant to the story... he would have had to do so regardless.

(Not saying there aren't legitimate issues with the closure.)

Sometimes I have to ignore the news or my eyes would roll so much they'd pop out of my head and roll away down the street

The elevator has been closed for about a year and a half, and when it (supposedly) finally opens this spring it will be a year late. Why that didn't make it into the article...

Most of the stations outside of downtown Van don't have down escalators. In fact King George, Columbia, Patterson, Royal Oak and Nanaimo are also missing up escalators (which gets higher priority than a down escalator to me).

[Sheba]

So I went back to Metrotown Station today. Indeed the previous time didn't have the validators installed.

Outside of rush hour it's not too bad. Walking down the stairs was fine, mostly because you're in a crowd that mostly takes over the stairs. Walking back up the stairs meant shuffling in single file and at times people in that crowd almost walking into you. If that second temporary emergency exit is open (there seemed some debate about that) then they're really not directing people to it.

I ran into one of my neighbours who mentioned tv news showed the temporary stairs as having movement (and so not being a good idea for anyone not stable on their feet and / or have one of those rolling carts with them) and it likely scared a lot of people into (finally) using the shuttle.

[Klazu]

I visited Metrotown Chipotle and it seemed as busy as normally. There were surprisingly many people still walking on the upper level, most coming up with the bus loop escalators and people heading towards Station Square (and Metropolis).

I am still sure that Chipotle's business will be hurting a lot until a new bridge is built.

[Skygazer]

I was at Metrotown Station at rush hour this evening for the first time since they closed the old stationhouse, and the new stairs were an absolute mess, just a giant mob of people trying to go down. It'll sure be nice once all the construction is done! In the meantime I'm glad it's a station I rarely ever need to use, looks like I'll be avoiding it until the work wraps up.

[Sheba]

The mall itself seems to be doing fine. Of course we'll have to wait more than a few days to see the effects.

The temporary emergency exit is open at Metrotown Station - it just isn't labelled at all. No surprise not many people are using it, although that might also have to do with the fact that it felt like a much longer staircase than the center stationhouse one. If you're using the crosswalk by the center stationhouse, just turn right instead of left and it's a short walk to the closed door. There's a validator on the first landing.

[Express691]

Originally Posted by Sheba

The mall itself seems to be doing fine. Of course we'll have to wait more than a few days to see the effects.

The temporary emergency exit is open at Metrotown Station - it just isn't labelled at all. No surprise not many people are using it, although that might also have to do with the fact that it felt like a much longer staircase than the center stationhouse one. If you're using the crosswalk by the center stationhouse, just turn right instead of left and it's a short walk to the closed door. There's a validator on the first landing.

There is an attendant on the station PA telling people that there are more stairs on the "left" side of the station. Around 2 people per train actually went to where the now closed exit is and ended up with a big lol

They have also added crossing guards on the bus loop crosswalk this time around - better late than never.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Express691

There is an attendant on the station PA telling people that there are more stairs on the "left" side of the station. Around 2 people per train actually went to where the now closed exit is and ended up with a big lol

There were no announcements when I was there - maybe it's a rush hour thing. I had to ask the attendant outside the stationhouse where the temporary emergency exit is.

[red-paladin]

I checked out Metrotown station last night when I visited a friend.
I agree with much of the comments, the stairs are low capacity and unnerving to use.

[dpogue]

I feel bad for the poor STA who has to be on the Metrotown platform, getting angry passengers complaining to them all day as if they have any control over the situation
Also, with the station ceiling being torn up and all the construction hoarding, it's a minor miracle the platform announcements can be heard at all.

In other station renovation news, there was an official "construction complete" event at New Westminster station today with the TransLink and BCRTC CEOs and Peter Fassbender. The new glass mural along the outbound stairs looks pretty nice.

[WBC]

One you take the center station stairs down you end up on the concrete platform (before the second set of stairs). It is my understanding that this is where the new passerelle will be connecting to from the Station Square. It seem to roughly line up with the height of Station Square - Metropolis overpass.

[Mac Write]

Now that New West is complete what station is next for "Major" renovation?

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Now that New West is complete what station is next for "Major" renovation?

They're working on Metrotown, Joyce and Broadway now. Next up would be Surrey Central - hopefully not until at least one of those three are finished!

[Mac Write]

Broadway and Joyce seem minor as there aren't really any interuptions to traffic flow.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Sheba

They're working on Metrotown, Joyce and Broadway now. Next up would be Surrey Central - hopefully not until at least one of those three are finished!

Surrey Central needs more than just that glass box on the north side that they are currently proposing.

[Spork]

Joyce has the east station house closed which is a minor inconvenience as the station is very busy and barely has capacity with the stairs and escalator in the west station house. Definitely interrupts traffic flow, but not as much as Metrotown.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by Express691

They have also added crossing guards on the bus loop crosswalk this time around - better late than never.

Police was also standing at the Station Square/skytrain station crosswalk Saturday night around 7pm. They issued ticket to quite a few pedestrians who jaywalked while the traffic walking light was red.

[Klazu]

Those officers will have no problems meeting their ticket quota this Christmas.

[Waders]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Those officers will have no problems meeting their ticket quota this Christmas.

Ya. I think the number of tickets issued will greatly exceed the quote.
I was at the same crosswalk Sunday night at 6:30pm and police issued more ticket.
This time 2 teens were caught crossing the street after the traffic walking light turned to flashing red. They argued in vain with the police.

[MIPS]

Someone mount a timelapse camera over the intersection. I want to see how daily traffic adjusts over the winter.