Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[MIPS]

“The Surrey Board of Trade does not want transportation investments to be delayed yet again in Surrey – and that is what will happen with this new direction,”

That's great, dear. Unfortunately you are not in city hall, so get rammed. SkyTrain isn't just for you. It's also for Langley and the valley to feel like you aren't screwing them out of future development.

Perl also characterizes the linear-induction propulsion system used in SkyTrain as “a dead-end technology” monopolized by one supplier – Bombardier Inc. (TSX:BBD.B).

“If you buy a SkyTrain, there’s only one supplier and you can only get it at the price they give to you,” Perl said. “There’s no price competition.”

I mean, we tried Rotem when the Canada Line was done and that did turn out great***, however even if you went LRT you would still be segmenting the transit network in ways that make expansion difficult 20 or 30 years down the line. Again, it's nice to leave the horizon open for future expansion, especially when most of the critics will be dead at that point anyways.

[GlassCity]

Such a weird argument anyway. Sure it provides little transportation improvement at a huge cost, but at least we might get it a couple years faster!!!!

Also, the whole premise is flawed. "The fastest-growing cities in the Lower Mainland – Surrey and Langley – desperately need some form of rapid transit." No, they don't. Broadway, with buses coming every 2 minutes packed to the brim, does. I'm all for improving transit around the region, but let's be honest as to why this is done. It's about connecting regional centres, uniting our metro. It has nothing to do with ravenous demand, which does not exist.

[Metro-One]

Also love the fear the SBOT tries to spread about Surrey’s project being “bumped” when the options layer out by Translink for the mayors to vote on tomorrow clearly state that that is not the case (as long as they vote for option 1 or 2, which immediately proceeds with implementing Skytrain and retains the 1.65 billion dollars for Surrey).

The ship has sailed but they will still kick and scream and try their best to spread lies.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by Metro-One

Also love the fear the SBOT tries to spread about Surrey’s project being “bumped” when the options layer out by Translink for the mayors to vote on tomorrow clearly state that that is not the case (as long as they vote for option 1 or 2, which immediately proceeds with implementing Skytrain and retains the 1.65 billion dollars for Surrey).

The ship has sailed but they will still kick and scream and try their best to spread lies.

Great point.

I wonder how far that $1.65 billion can take them. I also wonder if they'd be able to come up with the funds on such a short notice to keep the line going all the way to Langley.

Fraser SkyTrain + L-Line BRT = Fraser + L-Line LRT, no? Hopefully once they conduct the larger review of SoF rapid transit as they mention in that same report it shows that the SkyTrain + BRT strategy is feasible.

[Kisai]

Originally Posted by GlassCity

Great point.

I wonder how far that $1.65 billion can take them. I also wonder if they'd be able to come up with the funds on such a short notice to keep the line going all the way to Langley.

Fraser SkyTrain + L-Line BRT = Fraser + L-Line LRT, no? Hopefully once they conduct the larger review of SoF rapid transit as they mention in that same report it shows that the SkyTrain + BRT strategy is feasible.

Nobody said they have to construct the Skytrain extension as "two phases" at different periods of time, they can do both phases at the same time if they have the funding. What constrains the construction is materials and labor availability. If you're really building 4 extensions (two phases of Surrey and two phases of Broadway) at the same time, then the guideway construction equipment might not be available if they overlap.

[waves]

Originally Posted by Kisai

Nobody said they have to construct the Skytrain extension as "two phases" at different periods of time, they can do both phases at the same time if they have the funding. What constrains the construction is materials and labor availability. If you're really building 4 extensions (two phases of Surrey and two phases of Broadway) at the same time, then the guideway construction equipment might not be available if they overlap.

But isn't Broadway mostly underground and Surrey mostly above ground? Should be different equipment for both no?

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by waves

But isn't Broadway mostly underground and Surrey mostly above ground? Should be different equipment for both no?

There is still an above ground portion of the Broadway extension.

[waves]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

There is still an above ground portion of the Broadway extension.

It's pretty minuscule though. Like at most 1km.

[MIPS]

Originally Posted by waves

It's pretty minuscule though. Like at most 1km.

We should be able to reuse the guideway construction gantry. Do we still have the unit from the Evergreen Line in storage or has it been scrapped?

Originally Posted by Metro-One

I wonder if you could always ask for one when they are replacing them?

My contact at TransLink seems to of moved out of province. Unless someone else knows how to butter up Asset Control and Disposal (or just slips me a note under the table) I'm SOL.

[jollyburger]

It looks like they are starting to do work on the Phibbs Exchange upgrades.

[interrobang]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

It looks like they are starting to do work on the Phibbs Exchange upgrades.

According to BCBid, the tender for the work closed Nov. 1, 2018. It's not clear if they awarded the contract already, or if this is a portion of pre-work previously awarded. It only lists the MOT Unverified Bid Results

[Migrant_Coconut]

They're closing the Park and Ride, and filling in the SW corner. Not sure how useful either of those would be.

[nname]

TransLink just had the biggest month for ridership ever

Surpassed the record held in February 2010 during the Olympics.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

They're closing the Park and Ride, and filling in the SW corner. Not sure how useful either of those would be.

They are building a new highway exit over those areas then they'll start the exterior part of the exchange improvements then eventually build the new island. The new highway exit will connect with a new on-ramp onto the bridge for buses headed across to Burnaby/Vancouver.

And there's supposed to be funding for a massive (for the North Shore) park and ride in the other cloverleaf.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They are building a new highway exit over those areas then they'll start the exterior part of the exchange improvements then eventually build the new island. The new highway exit will connect with a new on-ramp onto the bridge for buses headed across to Burnaby/Vancouver.

And there's supposed to be funding for a massive (for the North Shore) park and ride in the other cloverleaf.

Thanks. Found the plans, too.

[Dengler Avenue]

Since Second Narrows Bridge is most of the time a choke point, out of curiosity, I checked on google map how long it takes to walk from Phobos Exchange to Kootnay Loop.

It takes 43 minutes...

[Firebrand]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

Since Second Narrows Bridge is most of the time a choke point, out of curiosity, I checked on google map how long it takes to walk from Phobos Exchange to Kootnay Loop.

It takes 43 minutes...

No wonder why it takes forever to get to Kootenay Loop, because it'll take you 4000 years to get there.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by nname

TransLink just had the biggest month for ridership ever

Surpassed the record held in February 2010 during the Olympics.

Wow, that's a huge year-over-year increase. See what happens when you fund the transit system?

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by Firebrand

No wonder why it takes forever to get to Kootenay Loop, because it'll take you 4000 years to get there.

I’m so sorry I meant to type Phibbs.

[SpongeG]

Tracey Young isn't very happy

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/2018/11/22/skytrain-dystopian-nightmare-vancouver/