Edmonton Public Transit - Page 472

feepa · #**9421** Posted **Jan 21, 2020, 11:08 PM**

I think I may have found it? Is this it?

http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=2647&doctype=agenda&itemid=74004

Coldrsx · #**9422** Posted **Jan 21, 2020, 11:21 PM**

http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=74004

Harrison · #**9423** Posted **Jan 21, 2020, 11:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by feepa

I think I may have found it? Is this it?

http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=2647&doctype=agenda&itemid=74004

You got it.

Slide · #**9424** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 1:58 AM**

I figured this project could be quite interesting. However after going through the document, I'm confused on why someone would build this.

Travel times are 2 minutes faster than the bus, but with an unknown ticket price at this time (certainly more than a bus); so I'm not certain this is something commuters would use.

I'm not convinced by its appeal as a tourist attraction, 12 minutes seems short for that, some nice valley views I guess? Afterall, a funicular is also a tourist attraction in some cities (such as Quebec City) and I don't know how much of a tourist attraction ours is. On top of that is seems like a variation of a very similarly routed attraction: the high level street car.

"End of Steel Park Station" and "Rossdale North Station" seem unnecessary and take away from the Gondola appeal of being suspended in the sky. The drawings show the gondola going up from Whyte Avenue then almost immediately descending again for End of Steel park.
The journey would be far more appealing to be suspended 35 meters in the sky at the top of the valley embankment at arguably the most attractive view of the ride instead of descended at a station.

All in all I give the project a 'meh'

Hardhatdan · #**9425** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 4:04 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slide

I figured this project could be quite interesting. However after going through the document, I'm confused on why someone would build this.

Travel times are 2 minutes faster than the bus, but with an unknown ticket price at this time (certainly more than a bus); so I'm not certain this is something commuters would use.

I'm not convinced by its appeal as a tourist attraction, 12 minutes seems short for that, some nice valley views I guess? Afterall, a funicular is also a tourist attraction in some cities (such as Quebec City) and I don't know how much of a tourist attraction ours is. On top of that is seems like a variation of a very similarly routed attraction: the high level street car.

"End of Steel Park Station" and "Rossdale North Station" seem unnecessary and take away from the Gondola appeal of being suspended in the sky. The drawings show the gondola going up from Whyte Avenue then almost immediately descending again for End of Steel park.
The journey would be far more appealing to be suspended 35 meters in the sky at the top of the valley embankment at arguably the most attractive view of the ride instead of descended at a station.

All in all I give the project a 'meh'

You want 35+m towers and to skip interconnecting the rossdale flats with top of bank on with side?
We could not be less on the same page for the usefulness of this.

Slide · #**9426** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

You want 35+m towers and to skip interconnecting the rossdale flats with top of bank on with side?
We could not be less on the same page for the usefulness of this.

It's not that "I want 35+m towers"; the towers shown in the drawings on page 38 after Whyte Ave are 30m tall, in fact the towers between Rossdale and Downtown are shown at 76m.

And I specifically said the North Rossdale station, not the Rossdale Flats (shown as power plant).

I don't mind that you disagree with me, but you are disagreeing about two things I never said. Please look at the document and read what I said again.

B.ike · #**9427** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/agdocs.aspx?doctype=agenda&itemid=74004

Very similar to the line I slapped on a map 4 years ago:

Time savings from Whyte to downtown isn't much...but it would be more reliable and consistent. I've made the mistake of trying to get to downtown once from Whyte via bus...30 minute odyssey.

What's also key is the connection to Rossdale - currently from Whyte or downtown, it involves a lengthy walk to get to rossdale. If the plans and development come to fruition for that area, this would be a great connector imo.

Coldrsx · #**9428** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 6:05 PM**

This is all about the bigger picture folks.

canucklehead2 · #**9429** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 6:22 PM**

I'm personally still not sold. I'd much rather spend that kind of dough upgrading the High Level Streetcar to a full time service, even if it had to use weight restrictions to cross the bridge in the meantime, although this would link key tourist areas with an all-in-one service.

s4.audios · #**9430** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 7:03 PM**

Yes bigger picture, it is evident they are thinking long term usefulness on this. Trying to hit daily commuter and tourist attraction in one go. I don't care for the two added stops but might as well get it right from the start.

That North Rossdale stop though really is awkward. If not axed, it needs a better location.

Hardhatdan · #**9431** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 7:12 PM**

I like it.
I always felt like Edmonton's river valley was the crown jewel, but also a major obstacle.

I think the funicular is way more successful than I anticipated, and that makes me think about this a lot more.
Having more of these forms of transport across the valley, ones that eases getting from top of bank to top of bank, would be great if someone thinks they can do it privately.

More street car, more funiculars (they don't have to be even so fancy), a gondola would really help tie the two urban centers of the city together IMO.

Hopefully one day some of these forms could even spread out further from the core. The hills in and out can be fun, but they are challenging, you are working to get up and down.

Coldrsx · #**9432** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 7:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by canucklehead2

I'm personally still not sold. I'd much rather spend that kind of dough upgrading the High Level Streetcar to a full time service, even if it had to use weight restrictions to cross the bridge in the meantime, although this would link key tourist areas with an all-in-one service.

Pair this with an upgraded High Level and High Level Line with a historic car, a new siding, a bridge to link 2 year-round cars to MacEwan/112st WLRT and call it a day.

Airboy · #**9433** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 7:54 PM**

Running west along the valley to Hareluk, the zoo and Fort Edmonton. May also get commuters on it.

TimB09 · #**9434** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 8:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

Pair this with an upgraded High Level and High Level Line with a historic car, a new siding, a bridge to link 2 year-round cars to MacEwan/112st WLRT and call it a day.

High Level is due for an upgrade/refurb, no?

Coldrsx · #**9435** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 10:15 PM**

^indeed and soon... but replacement or refurb or?

TimB09 · #**9436** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 10:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

^indeed and soon... but replacement or refurb or?

Hopefully city admin and city council are preparing in the backrooms of city hall for this project.

Airboy · #**9437** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 10:24 PM**

It will be refurbished not replaced.

Who knows they made get federal money for it. Its now a historic feature. definitely nothing from the GOA

_Citizen_Dane_ · #**9438** Posted **Jan 22, 2020, 11:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TimB09

High Level is due for an upgrade/refurb, no?

In 2023 according to this Journal article;
https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/how-does-edmonton-decide-which-bridges-need-upgrades

Quote:

Originally Posted by Airboy

It will be refurbished not replaced.

Who knows they made get federal money for it. Its now a historic feature. definitely nothing from the GOA

And thats the big thing. The High Level was designated a Municipal Historic Resource in September 1995. Now, I'm not privy to the exact conditions of its designation, but every time a building is designated a MHR, its quite literally written into bylaw that it can't be demolished. Now obviously there are different structural and safety requirements for bridges than there are for buildings and there will probably have to be changes made to keep it safe — and who knows, that may very-well might have been a stipulation written into its designation — but that protection's something that has to be taken into consideration.

If the City were to replace it completely they'd have to void the MHR status to do so. It's worth noting, that's only ever been done once, and it with the Gem Theatre. If the City were to do that it basically nullifies the whole program and the legal protection that's enshrined within it for historic sites, opening the floodgates for any private landowners to do the same.

adam-machiavelli · #**9439** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 8:58 AM**

Another pro for this gondola is it provides a direct downtown connection to a future intercity rail station hypothetically located in Old Strathcona, without the need to build a new rail line across the river valley.

feepa · #**9440** Posted **Jan 23, 2020, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by B.ike

Very similar to the line I slapped on a map 4 years ago:

Time savings from Whyte to downtown isn't much...but it would be more reliable and consistent. I've made the mistake of trying to get to downtown once from Whyte via bus...30 minute odyssey.

What's also key is the connection to Rossdale - currently from Whyte or downtown, it involves a lengthy walk to get to rossdale. If the plans and development come to fruition for that area, this would be a great connector imo.

more reliable except when its windy... Gondolas generally are shut down in moderate to strong winds.