Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by invisibleairwaves

Why would Translink want to make a Mission/Vancouver commute more attractive?

Vancouver is getting pretty expensive to live in and people are being pushed out further east, even as Surrey gets expensive too. It will basically make the two regions more connected and livable.

[ilikeredheads]

bi-directional WCE is very unlikely to happen due to following reasons:
- translink doesn't own the tracks
- freight trains have priority, which impacts service reliability and limits service frequency
- second platform is required at all intermediate stations, however this will be difficult due to lack of space, track layout limitations, or both.
- potentially low demand to justify service.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by ilikeredheads

bi-directional WCE is very unlikely to happen due to following reasons:
- translink doesn't own the tracks
- freight trains have priority, which impacts service reliability and limits service frequency
- second platform is required at all intermediate stations, however this will be difficult due to lack of space, track layout limitations, or both.
- potentially low demand to justify service.

I'm pretty sure the second platform won't be required depending on frequency and passing loops.

And the bidirectional service could create demand. If you build it, they will come.

[AMTDGT]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

I'm pretty sure the second platform won't be required depending on frequency and passing loops.

And the bidirectional service could create demand. If you build it, they will come.

I wonder what it would cost to run another track in that right of way. My recollection is the Vancouver - PoCo leg may involve a bunch of cliff trimming and inlet back filling but other than that and the odd bridge it shouldn't be that expensive especially if CPR could use it when the WCE wasn't.

In some countries in Europe and Asia I have noticed the freights often run at night and the passenger trains during the day, which should work here.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by AMTDGT

In some countries in Europe and Asia I have noticed the freights often run at night and the passenger trains during the day, which should work here.

I don't think it will work because of NIMBYs.

[invisibleairwaves]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Vancouver is getting pretty expensive to live in and people are being pushed out further east, even as Surrey gets expensive too. It will basically make the two regions more connected and livable.

Unfortunately it isn't cost-effective or practical to have Translink deliver frequent, bi-directional transit to every far-flung town in the Valley. Combine that with the various societal impacts of longer commutes and there's plenty of reasons Translink shouldn't be in the business of encouraging people to live in the FVRD and work downtown (or vice versa). Housing affordability is a serious issue and something the various levels of government need to tackle immediately but providing more incentives for urban sprawl isn't really a solution.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Vancouver is getting pretty expensive to live in and people are being pushed out further east, even as Surrey gets expensive too. It will basically make the two regions more connected and livable.

That's a bit of a myth. If you factor in the additional transportation costs of living further out, it often becomes less affordable to live in far-flung areas.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

That's a bit of a myth. If you factor in the additional transportation costs of living further out, it often becomes less affordable to live in far-flung areas.

That doesn't seem to stop people from doing it...

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

That doesn't seem to stop people from doing it...

People also spend 60-90 mins longer commuting instead of spending a few dollars on a bridge toll. They aren't all rational.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

People also spend 60-90 mins longer commuting instead of spending a few dollars on a bridge toll. They aren't all rational.

I agree, although some of those people may well have more time they can afford to spend than money.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

I agree, although some of those people may well have more time they can afford to spend than money.

Ok and let's also consider the additional gas and wear & tear.

[dpogue]

Also worth considering that Mission is outside of the MetroVancouver area and doesn't contribute taxes to TransLink. City of Mission is currently paying the cost for their 701 runs.

[Bdawe]

Originally Posted by dpogue

Also worth considering that Mission is outside of the MetroVancouver area and doesn't contribute taxes to TransLink. City of Mission is currently paying the cost for their 701 runs.

It's unfortunate that there isn't more coordination with fraser valley transit. I wonder if it would be feasible, for instance, to do 66-555 runthroughs or integrated ticketing.

Since compass, they killed WCE-through ticketing

[DKaz]

There's already some bi directional service with the 701 buses. Here's to hoping it can be extended plus weekend service reinstated. There were quiet a number of riders on the weekend Trainbuses boarding or alighting at Mission City.

Why is the station called Mission City? Mission is a District.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Why is the station called Mission City? Mission is a District.

Probably because it's in the downtownish area of the district.

[Trainguy]

Urban sprawl has an underlying element.. greed! People want it all and in exchange double or triple their commute time in each direction. What happened to living and working in your community?

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

What happened to living and working in your community?

lack of real paying jobs in CoV and lack of affordable housing. due to government inaction on both encouraging business growth and discouraging foreign investment.

[Caliplanner1]

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

lack of real paying jobs in CoV and lack of affordable housing. due to government inaction on both encouraging business growth and discouraging foreign investment.

...and (silly me) to think that the local economy was "booming" via BUSINESS GROWTH (even in terms of optics) as a partial function of foreign investment (weather from American tech firms here or the economic multiplier effect when foreign real estate spending positively impacts the local construction/housing materiel or input supply chain industries etc.)?

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Caliplanner1

...and (silly me) to think that the local economy was "booming" via BUSINESS GROWTH (even in terms of optics) as a partial function of foreign investment (weather from American tech firms here or the economic multiplier effect when foreign real estate spending positively impacts the local construction/housing materiel or input supply chain industries etc.)?

foreign real-estate investment from China hasn't done anything except drive prices up, increase the vacancy rate, and decease the urban canopy ~3% in ~20 years.

yes, sure, construction is great. but no one can afford to buy those places with either acquiring lots of debt, moving from a place they bought many years ago, or rich Chinese people.

tech firms is new and has nothing to do with local politicians. but with the cost of rents going up so much firms are moving to other places and local "mom and pop" shops are closing down. Robsonstrasse is really no more.

so we get a lot of cheaply made, over priced glass boxes, and not enough of them because of government policies. and the demand for them keeps going up due to government lack of policies.

now interest rates are going up at a time when house hold debt is so high due to the housing market being over inflated. that isn't a good recipe for people.

[Dave2]

Originally Posted by DKaz

Why is the station called Mission City? Mission is a District.

That was the name bestowed on the station by the CPR many many years ago.