Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by Sheba

According to TransLink the Broadway one will hold "70+ bikes". All I can find for Metrotown is that it's part of Phase 3 (replacing the existing stationhouse - which they've already started despite the other stationhouses not being complete yet ).

Where exactly at the station will it go?

[Spork]

Joyce-Collingwood is getting a bike parkade on the East stationhouse expansion.

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Kisai

The worst place to be would in a tunnel, followed by being at street-level. The safest place would be on the BC Ferries while out at sea.

If you're in a tunnel during a quake, there is absolutely no where to go. If you are below sea level you are as good as dead if liquefaction sends sand into the tunnel and blocks it.

Maybe the Massey Tunnel (which is an immersed tube, not a real tunnel), but rock tunnels are probably the safest places to be. Stress waves mostly concentrate at surface, so tunnels don't get the brunt of it.

Any of the skytrain tunnels would likely be fine. All the cities major water crossings are getting tunnelled because it's the only real durable way to build them for seismics. Critical tunnel infrastructure is built to withstand huge earthquakes.

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

Maybe the Massey Tunnel (which is an immersed tube, not a real tunnel), but rock tunnels are probably the safest places to be. Stress waves mostly concentrate at surface, so tunnels don't get the brunt of it.

Any of the skytrain tunnels would likely be fine. All the cities major water crossings are getting tunnelled because it's the only real durable way to build them for seismics. Critical tunnel infrastructure is built to withstand huge earthquakes.

Hypothetically the Port Mann should do very well, any idea on the Skybridge?

[Alex Mackinnon]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Hypothetically the Port Mann should do very well, any idea on the Skybridge?

No idea, I'm a tunnelling engineer.

[twoNeurons]

The biggest danger after a quake is, in many cases, fire.

Foundation shifts can jam door frames and you can end up trapped in rooms. If not the first shock, the aftershock. Which is why it's always a good idea to keep doors open after the first shake.

[Reecemartin]

My hope is simply that our lines survive mostly intact so that the progress we have made in the past 20 years isn't totally hampered.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by Alex Mackinnon

No idea, I'm a tunnelling engineer.

Assuming that the foundation is deep enough the triangular structure of the bridge should mitigate most swaying. I cannot however say the same for the guideway on either side as they are some of the tallest columns in the entire system and on the Surrey side especially they are built on river till.


Image courtesy of SFU

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by MIPS

Assuming that the foundation is deep enough the triangular structure of the bridge should mitigate most swaying. I cannot however say the same for the guideway on either side as they are some of the tallest columns in the entire system and on the Surrey side especially they are built on river till.


Image courtesy of SFU

Well that's certainly concerning.

[Feathered Friend]

At one of the Arbutus Corridor events, I spoke with someone from the city who is in a position to have good insight in regards to the COV's transit priorities.

I was told that the next three projects will be:
1. The Millennium Line;
2. The Street Car Network; and
3. A Hastings Line (negotiations with Burnaby will determine where it the line goes after/at Boundary

41st will remain a B-line for quite the foreseeable future. There is also serious consideration to having the M-line become elevated as it heads further west of Arbutus.

I should add, I had a few drinks in me after the Big Rock Brewery open house, so blame any slightly incorrect understandings on me.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

At one of the Arbutus Corridor events, I spoke with someone from the city who is in a position to have good insight in regards to the COV's transit priorities.

I was told that the next three projects will be:
1. The Millennium Line;
2. The Street Car Network; and
3. A Hastings Line (negotiations with Burnaby will determine where it the line goes after/at Boundary

41st will remain a B-line for quite the foreseeable future. There is also serious consideration to having the M-line become elevated as it heads further west of Arbutus.

I should add, I had a few drinks in me after the Big Rock Brewery open house, so blame any slightly incorrect understandings on me.

We already know about the Millennium Line, but I really can't see it becoming elevated until it passes Blanca and is on UBC land. The people living between Arbutus and Blanca would have a major conniption about it if it's anything other than tunnelled (they might have a conniption over it even existing in their neighbourhood).

I presume the Hastings Line will be Skytrain - eventually (it was just given a B-Line). Hmmm would it be above ground or would they tunnel it too? My vote after a stop at Kootenay Loop would be to drop it down Willingdon to Metrotown. The problem with continuing it down Hastings is there isn't an obvious end point (the grade is too steep to continue up Burnaby Mountain). Maybe a split line?

The CoV's still talking about streetcars

Anything beyond that is too far into the future to be thinking about at this point.

[cganuelas1995]

Is there any word on reducing distance between bus bays and station entrance at Brighouse station? I don't enjoy walking across town to get on the train.

[Bdawe]

Originally Posted by Feathered Friend

At one of the Arbutus Corridor events, I spoke with someone from the city who is in a position to have good insight in regards to the COV's transit priorities.

I was told that the next three projects will be:
1. The Millennium Line;
2. The Street Car Network; and
3. A Hastings Line (negotiations with Burnaby will determine where it the line goes after/at Boundary

Goddamn trolley-toys come before hastings?

[cganuelas1995]

Any documents related to this streetcar network?

If it's anything about running a streetcar down the Arbutus ROW...

[Pinion]

Originally Posted by Sheba

I presume the Hastings Line will be Skytrain - eventually (it was just given a B-Line). Hmmm would it be above ground or would they tunnel it too? My vote after a stop at Kootenay Loop would be to drop it down Willingdon to Metrotown. The problem with continuing it down Hastings is there isn't an obvious end point (the grade is too steep to continue up Burnaby Mountain). Maybe a split line?

From a selfish perspective, a big bus loop/drop off area somewhere around the PNE would be ideal. Being able to hop on a Skytrain from the other side of the bridge would cause a lot of north shore drivers to stop using their cars to go to work.

Better yet, have the line turn north as part of a new 8 lane Ironworkers bridge, terminating at Phibbs exchange.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I suspect that any Second Narrows Line will end up along Boundary down to the River District.

[Reecemartin]

Honestly streetcars can be a really great way of getting around, especially if the city can implement them at low cost.

I mean the cost to reopen the false creek line would be tiny, the city could do it completely independently of Translink.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Reecemartin

Honestly streetcars can be a really great way of getting around, especially if the city can implement them at low cost.

I mean the cost to reopen the false creek line would be tiny, the city could do it completely independently of Translink.

I guess that depends on your definition of low cost. It would still be over $50M to get everything up and running. That's about 5% of the city's annual budget, coming from where exactly?

Plus it's likely it would require ongoing operational costs, who's going to pay? And who's going to use a system not integrated with Translink and Compass?

[twoNeurons]

A thought I had when reading another thread. Has there ever been a proposal to run a Gondola from Downtown to Kits? It seems that would be a natural connection. The West End isn't that well served by rapid transit... not since we lost Vancouver's monorail.

[Reecemartin]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I guess that depends on your definition of low cost. It would still be over $50M to get everything up and running. That's about 5% of the city's annual budget, coming from where exactly?

Plus it's likely it would require ongoing operational costs, who's going to pay? And who's going to use a system not integrated with Translink and Compass?

In the scheme of transit that's not that much money, and who knows Im sure it could be integrated with Compass.

On another note just has the pleasant experience of being on the TTC as the power died and the subway barely was able to coast into the next station. I sincerely hope we work hard to make sure this kind of basic infrastructure failure is never something that happens. (Unless of course someone just flipped the wrong switch at a tps.... Unlikely.)