Expo Line - Surrey Langley Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[Trainguy]

Once this vanity project gets built, it will be a novelty item for a while but the true cost will be felt by drivers who are forced to use other roads because 104th will be a nightmare. 104th is a major artery so the already busy 108th and 100th will have to pick up the extra diversion traffic. Not at all looking forward to this traffic boondoggle.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Trainguy

Once this vanity project gets built, it will be a novelty item for a while but the true cost will be felt by drivers who are forced to use other roads because 104th will be a nightmare. 104th is a major artery so the already busy 108th and 100th will have to pick up the extra diversion traffic. Not at all looking forward to this traffic boondoggle.

Yeah. I fricking hate this LRT project with every inch of my soul.

One thing that I find a lot of us do on here, is forget the importance of drivers. Yeah it's going to be a pain in the ass to go down 100th and 108th but is it a major trucking route as well?

I know that this reply is all over the place but my real fears are going to be of traffic on KGB when this project gets put into place because there is no alternative to KGB whereas with 104th there are a few alternatives to use.

[Metro-One]

I can live with phase one (though again, the section between King George and Surrey Central should be tunneled) but at grade LRT down Fraser Highway instead of extending the perfectly orientated Expo Line, no!

It seems that LRT down Fraser Highway for phase 2 is now officially the preferred choice

This really really needs to be brought to light and challenged now!

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I can live with phase one (though again, the section between King George and Surrey Central should be tunneled) but at grade LRT down Fraser Highway instead of extending the perfectly orientated Expo Line, no!

It seems that LRT down Fraser Highway for phase 2 is now officially the preferred choice

This really really needs to be brought to light and challenged now!

I've heard that if it is light rail that the section in Langley will be elevated anyways. I'm curious where the savings are going to come over Skytrain if this is the case.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

I've heard that if it is light rail that the section in Langley will be elevated anyways. I'm curious where the savings are going to come over Skytrain if this is the case.

Can you link your source?

[GlassCity]

I can't find a map now but the only part that was shown as elevated was an overpass over the Langley Bypass. The rest is to be at grade, so there would still be a fairly significant cost difference from SkyTrain.

[Trainguy]

This is what happens when you mix LRT with pedestrians... get ready Surrey..

16 May 2018
Pedestrian Struck and Killed by C-Train

Calgary Alberta - A woman was struck and killed by a C-Train shortly before 09:00 Wednesday morning at the intersection of 36 Street and 39 Avenue Northeast in Calgary.

Calgary Transit has shut down service between the Whitehorn and McKnight stations because of the incident.

Roads are currently closed in the area.

Calgary police say they have not yet determined when they will be re-opened.

EMS spokesperson Adam Loria said the victim was declared deceased by paramedics on scene.

David Blackwell.

[nname]

More consultation:

https://surreylightrail.ca/Community

https://surreylightrail.ca/Documents/engagement_display_boards.pdf

[Migrant_Coconut]

TransLink's survey results came in. Guess what the results are?

Broadway Subway is a top transit priority for Metro Vancouver residents: survey

...However, the Surrey Newton-Guildford light rail transit (LRT) was by far rated as the least important project in TransLink’s Phase Two plan: 11% deemed it as “slightly important” and 30% said “not at all important.”

As for those who said LRT is important, 22% said the project is “extremely important” and 18% said it is “very important,” which are amongst the lowest importance ratings of any project in the survey.

Reasons provided by respondents for why LRT is not important include:

“Surrey needs SkyTrain not LRT”
“The LRT is not cost-effective as SkyTrain”
“The 96 B-Line it will be replacing isn’t running at the capacity nor the frequency of the 99 B-Line”
“Increase the capacity on roads”
“Will create traffic problem in community”
“A SkyTrain out to Langley from Surrey would be better”
“BRT would serve Surrey as well as LRT, be less costly, and be operating sooner”

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

TransLink's survey results came in. Guess what the results are?

Also from that article:

TransLink says the results are based on 2,738 public surveys completed between April 30 and May 11, with 796 of the respondents residing in Vancouver and UBC, 668 in Surrey, 231 in Burnaby, 199 in the Tri-Cities, and 141 in Langley.

It'll be hard to claim an anti-Surrey bias with those numbers. I would have thought more people would fill in the online survey...

[Sheba]

From the TransLink pdf, pg 66

• Among those residents rating building the Surrey-Newton-Guildford LRT as not at all important, the most prominent reason is the preference for SkyTrain over LRT for the rapid transit expansion in the area (25%).

• Other reasons for rating this improvement as not at all important include the improvement not being a benefit for other communities (17%), as well as concerns around traffic congestion or safety issues that may be caused by LRT (14%).

• Thirteen percent rate this improvement as not at all important because they believe that the cost is too high.

[flipper316]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4saz4VSuW3I

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

TransLink's survey results came in. Guess what the results are?

Wow, I can't believe it turned out that well - I'm so glad I responded. These are the kinds of things that are needed to build the political capital that can drive a better solution for Surrey.

[bardak]

Originally Posted by flipper316

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4saz4VSuW3I

So according to that they are they are making the newton station at the current bus exchange? So they are not even going to make it simple and easy to extend to South Surrey/White Rock. They seem to be doing there best to make a poor decision in to a plain moronic one.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by bardak

So according to that they are they are making the newton station at the current bus exchange? So they are not even going to make it simple and easy to extend to South Surrey/White Rock. They seem to be doing there best to make a poor decision in to a plain moronic one.

Actually the video says "east on 71 Ave". The current Newton Exchange is on 72nd at approx 137th (so a block over from King George) while the new one has been planned for King George at approx 71st Ave.

Moronic is how they show the stop at King George Station / The Hub as on the side of King George while all the other stops are shown down the middle of the road. Oh sure lets needlessly have 3 corners (that could be reduced to 1) and then right after this have the line cross all of the traffic lanes.

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by flipper316

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4saz4VSuW3I

Gotta love how they included a commuter getting frustrated at the Compass machine.

[Colin4567]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

Gotta love how they included a commuter getting frustrated at the Compass machine.

It's ironic because it's the passing of the torch - the most botched project will be the LRT and Compass will stop getting so much heat.

[Firebrand]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Moronic is how they show the stop at King George Station / The Hub as on the side of King George while all the other stops are shown down the middle of the road. Oh sure lets needlessly have 3 corners (that could be reduced to 1) and then right after this have the line cross all of the traffic lanes.

There was one guy on a SkyTrain for Surrey Facebook post said this, and I was thinking about your statement:

Can't wait to see the LRT built, should change these areas of the city to lively entertainment and culture hang outs. With funkie cafes, restaurants, brew pubs, wine shops and boutique stores. Out with the old kooks, and in with some new life

Yes, there are people who are making excuses above to keep the clusterf**k intersection. I made a comment to his statement and he said this:

europe cities are 100s of years old, built long before lrt systems! Surrey has a chances to build a modern vibrant community base city from its beginnings. Skytrain is cold, its only function is to move commuters.

Seriously, that sounds like something Patrick Condon would've thought up.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

Seriously, that sounds like something Patrick Condon would've thought up.

Those Euro cities were also built before cars (and probably had rail before cars too). Of course some people can't let pesky facts get in the way of their fantasies.

[Firebrand]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Those Euro cities were also built before cars (and probably had rail before cars too). Of course some people can't let pesky facts get in the way of their fantasies.

To further add the stupidity of the "SkyTrain being cold", he said this:

with driveless cars just around the corner there is no need for Skytrain for separation, it will be done automatically, you are already out of date.

How is a self-driving car more "modern and efficient" when we have a grade-separated, automated train that has been running well for the Metro Van region since 1986?