Millennium Line - Broadway Extension: Planning & Pre-Construction

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by fredinno

Where?

All the plans so far involve buying out the Rogers/Fido stores on the corner (and the Christmas tree lot behind it), then building the station & loop there. I have my doubts, because I know the area, and it's pretty cramped and crowded as-is.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Yes, because if you just shrink road space and don’t build proper higher capacity non conflicting alternatives, then you may reduce use but you are also reducing accessibility and economic activity.

That's the key - provide alternative means of transportation, and make it more attractive. Grade separation is what you need to make transit more attractive, because it's speed and frequency (due to the automation made possible by grade separation) is exactly why it's attractive.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by officedweller

Likewise, Cambie used to be 6 lanes in most places pre-Canada Line and now maxes out at 4 through-lanes. Some of that was allowing parked cars all the time in the curb lanes, others by the creation of a bike lane (which I think is dangerous on a main arterial).

The Cambie bike lane is silly IMO. Cyclists should be directed to Ontario or Heather. They are much better experiences. I speak as somebody who commuted from downtown to Richmond for a number of years on a bike. When I changed to Ontario it was a world of difference for the better.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

The Cambie bike lane is silly IMO. Cyclists should be directed to Ontario or Heather. They are much better experiences. I speak as somebody who commuted from downtown to Richmond for a number of years on a bike. When I changed to Ontario it was a world of difference for the better.

It depends. For travelling long distance those routes make sense. However, if you're accessing local businesses on a major street, it's good to have bike lanes on those streets.

I personally think when it comes to cycling we need to shift our mentality from a cycle superhighway commuting mentality to a local access mentality. We expect sidewalks on every street, why shouldn't cycling be safe on every street. That doesn't mean bike lanes on every street; some streets right now are fine with just traffic calming. However, or major streets there should be separated bike lanes.

Some of you may think this is taking things too far and is not a priority. My question to you then is why isn't promoting more use of the most energy efficient form of transportation ever devised not a priority? Also, would you accept a sidewalk network that only go you within 200m of your destination and you had to walk the rest of the way on the side of the road?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

I personally think when it comes to cycling we need to shift our mentality from a cycle superhighway commuting mentality to a local access mentality. We expect sidewalks on every street, why shouldn't cycling be safe on every street. That doesn't mean bike lanes on every street; some streets right now are fine with just traffic calming. However, or major streets there should be separated bike lanes.

Foot infrastructure is as necessary for any First World city as running water or copper wiring... bike infrastructure, not so much. If it's fifteen blocks or less, I can walk; any further, I'll just find relevant transit and take that instead - the bus comes every seven minutes at peak hour.

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

Some of you may think this is taking things too far and is not a priority. My question to you then is why isn't promoting more use of the most energy efficient form of transportation ever devised not a priority? Also, would you accept a sidewalk network that only go you within 200m of your destination and you had to walk the rest of the way on the side of the road?

Actually, buses are the most energy efficient - they're more space efficient, too. I'm not upset about not having a bus lane on every street.

[Aroundtheworld]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Actually, buses are the most energy efficient - they're more space efficient, too. I'm not upset about not having a bus lane on every street.

Not according to Wikipedia, though the technology may have advanced considerably since these last figures were posted. It says here cyclists are at around 879 mpg, whereas a full bus is at around 330 passenger-mpg.

If you factor in the energy costs to produce the equipment, I imagine that might favour the bicycle as well.

[WarrenC12]

Energy efficiency is a silly way to compare those modes. Bicycles provide individual freedoms the way cars do, and are much cheaper.

Public transit is great but requires economies of scale to be viable.

[misher]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

Not according to Wikipedia, though the technology may have advanced considerably since these last figures were posted. It says here cyclists are at around 879 mpg, whereas a full bus is at around 330 passenger-mpg.

If you factor in the energy costs to produce the equipment, I imagine that might favour the bicycle as well.

In 5-10 years won't we all be using hoverboards, powered shoes with wheels in them, and segways anyway? Perhaps hovershoes from the jetsons or the anti gravity belt from Venture Bros. We should forget bike lanes and expand sidewalks a bit to handle this traffic.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

Not according to Wikipedia, though the technology may have advanced considerably since these last figures were posted. It says here cyclists are at around 879 mpg, whereas a full bus is at around 330 passenger-mpg.

If you factor in the energy costs to produce the equipment, I imagine that might favour the bicycle as well.

It cites a bus with sitting passengers only, and with an engine from 1995 - half of Vancouver's riders are standing. But fair point, I was thinking of capacity.

Why the fuss over efficiency though? Pedal power may yield more energy, but that energy is coming from us. E-bikes are more popular because they're less efficient.

Likewise, you don't have to pedal a bus or yourself. That's probably why transit is 16% of all Vancouver trips, and walking 25%; cycling is 7%, despite the bike network being the same size as the bus network.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

All the plans so far involve buying out the Rogers/Fido stores on the corner (and the Christmas tree lot behind it), then building the station & loop there. I have my doubts, because I know the area, and it's pretty cramped and crowded as-is.

the paint store to the east along broadway (east of the old CPR ROW) is closing, so when the news broke there was speculation that the site would be bought to gain space to build a larger arbutus station head houses and bus loop

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

All the plans so far involve buying out the Rogers/Fido stores on the corner (and the Christmas tree lot behind it), then building the station & loop there. I have my doubts, because I know the area, and it's pretty cramped and crowded as-is.

They already own those lots. Go to the city GIS and they're listed as city owned properties.

2145-2165 W Broadway is for sale as well

http://www.collierscanada.com/en/25700#.W90bnZNKjIU

[misher]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They already own those lots. Go to the city GIS and they're listed as city owned properties.

2145-2165 W Broadway is for sale as well

http://www.collierscanada.com/en/25700#.W90bnZNKjIU

Any idea what this is selling for? My friend has some offices nearby and is asking me. Last I checked office in this area was going for $800/sqft.

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by misher

Any idea what this is selling for? My friend has some offices nearby and is asking me. Last I checked office in this area was going for $800/sqft.

Is that how it works? I assumed they were soliciting bids. There is no price.

[misher]

Originally Posted by Changing City

Is that how it works? I assumed they were soliciting bids. There is no price.

There is one usually. If you sign the confidential forms you get it. I believe half the reason colliers doesn’t like listing the price is because they want you contacting the agent and that way only serious people bother to do so.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

the paint store to the east along broadway (east of the old CPR ROW) is closing, so when the news broke there was speculation that the site would be bought to gain space to build a larger arbutus station head house

I know, I'm the one who started it! Nah, I mean the intersection itself; traffic can be nasty enough without forty buses turning in and out every hour right beside it.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They already own those lots. Go to the city GIS and they're listed as city owned properties.

2145-2165 W Broadway is for sale as well

http://www.collierscanada.com/en/25700#.W90bnZNKjIU

isn't that west of the shell stn?

that might be too far west from the CPR ROW to be useful as a station location, but could be OK for commuters to live or work there

[misher]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

isn't that west of the shell stn?

that might be too far west from the CPR ROW to be useful as a station location, but could be OK for commuters to live or work there

Anyone notice that there’s been a ton of new listings listed for much higher than normal along Broadway by Colliers since the election? Think there’s an inside link to city hall that’s told developers something is in the works?

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by misher

Anyone notice that there’s been a ton of new listings listed for much higher than normal along Broadway by Colliers since the election? Think there’s an inside link to city hall that’s told developers something is in the works?

there are some rumours of a new subway line under broadway that might be completed in a few years ...

[misher]

Originally Posted by jsbertram

there are some rumours of a new subway line under broadway that might be completed in a few years ...

Yes but that announcement was years ago and a bunch were sold at the time. Then listings petered out after the interim plan. These listings just appeared recently ^^

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by misher

Anyone notice that there’s been a ton of new listings listed for much higher than normal along Broadway by Colliers since the election? Think there’s an inside link to city hall that’s told developers something is in the works?

Sept 17th was when the listing went up for the West Broadway property..