Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[scryer]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Having gone to SFU, albeit several decades ago, I don't know if the Gondola would render the Hastings - SFU route superfluous. Metro Vancouver sprawls.
The Gondola, presumably stationed at Lougheed Mall, would, I imagine, take a lot of SFU traffic from the south and east, and the Hastings rrt / bus from the West and North.
I may be wrong, but that's how it strikes me at the moment.

I thought that the Gondola would connect at Production Way - University station?

And the Hastings line is going to be completely dependent upon the RRT connection to the North Shore.

[Bdawe]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I'm glad they made this happen before the end of the lengthy "trial" period.

If we are truly in a "Climate Emergency", no transit agency should be buying carbon emitting vehicles when alternatives exist.

Ugh, all indications so far that battery-electric busses are simply not ready for prime time outside of maybe subtropical areas. There is promising in-motion charging trolleys however, that are increasingly mature and build off of existing infrastructure and know-how

If we're serious here, far more gain comes from getting people out of their cars and on to the buses then comes from making somewhat cleaner buses.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

In the RRT future lines plans were does the Hasting > SFU line fall? I ask because of the Gondola. Would having both running (15yrs from now) make sense?

Not going to happen - SkyTrain can't make it over the hill, and going into Burnaby Mountain is too logistically difficult. Best you can hope for is a terminus at Kensington and another gondola.

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by Bdawe

Ugh, all indications so far that battery-electric busses are simply not ready for prime time outside of maybe subtropical areas.

Do you have any information about how Translink's battery electric bus trial is going?

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by scryer

I thought that the Gondola would connect at Production Way - University station?

And the Hastings line is going to be completely dependent upon the RRT connection to the North Shore.

Correct and I agree on the 2nd point too

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by scryer

I thought that the Gondola would connect at Production Way - University station?

And the Hastings line is going to be completely dependent upon the RRT connection to the North Shore.

Excuse me, and thank you. I stand corrected.

[Mac Write]

How far out has the RRT Map been thought of? I agree about the Burnaby Mountain steepness (though. super deep station could be the answer).

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

How far out has the RRT Map been thought of? I agree about the Burnaby Mountain steepness (though. super deep station could be the answer).

Although this is the wrong thread to say this, I hope the moderators will permit me. I'd love to imagine super a deep station in Burnaby Mountain, and equally, a deep station at UBC.

[Mac Write]

I am not talking fantasy I am talking "What RRT lines are on the table after UBC and Langely, they surely have plans going further out.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

I am not talking fantasy I am talking "What RRT lines are on the table after UBC and Langely, they surely have plans going further out.

Seems like most future rail talk is centred around King George (former LRT, current vapourware) and the eternal North Shore question (in study phase). Translink's mandate ends at Langley, so the remaining underserved areas would in my opinion be the North Shore, Surrey-Newton, South Richmond-Delta, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge, and South Surrey-White Rock; Possibly in that order of need.

[Migrant_Coconut]

IIRC an underground station for SFU would take five minutes to get to ground level, to say nothing of the $$$ involved.

[scryer]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

I am not talking fantasy I am talking "What RRT lines are on the table after UBC and Langely, they surely have plans going further out.

Originally Posted by chowhou

Seems like most future rail talk is centred around King George (former LRT, current vapourware) and the eternal North Shore question (in study phase). Translink's mandate ends at Langley, so the remaining underserved areas would in my opinion be the North Shore, Surrey-Newton, South Richmond-Delta, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge, and South Surrey-White Rock; Possibly in that order of need.

There's also the suspiciously convenient POCO spur off the Millennium line as well but you probably had that in the back of your mind when writing about Pitt Meadows .

After Translink gets the Skytrain to UBC and Langley, I think that they should be getting serious about considering doing some RRT stuff in the North Shore. IMO, a lot of projects will depend upon how a RRT solution connects to the North Shore such as any rapid transit to SFU and a Hastings line.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

this seems all like fantasy talk. the line to UBC and Langley will take probably, at the earliest, 2035 for both to be fully built baring some weird thing happening.

though if they wanted a station at SFU they could always just do spiral tunnels.

[logan5]

If they are serious about RRT to North Van, then why not consider LRT technology? Skytrain is overkill for North Vancouver, and that full capacity of a Skytrain extension from Waterfront would be needed eventually for a downtown relief line, possibly going up Main Street.

A North Van to Waterfront LRT line could tie into LRT running along Arbutus so that you have a complete north/south line going from North Van to Marpole, and when the C Line needs relief, as far south as Richmond.

[Reecemartin]

[Deleted]

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by logan5

If they are serious about RRT to North Van, then why not consider LRT technology? Skytrain is overkill for North Vancouver, and that full capacity of a Skytrain extension from Waterfront would be needed eventually for a downtown relief line, possibly going up Main Street.

A North Van to Waterfront LRT line could tie into LRT running along Arbutus so that you have a complete north/south line going from North Van to Marpole, and when the C Line needs relief, as far south as Richmond.

You do have a point with respect to capacity; population growth on the North Shore is not expected to be comparable to that in the other parts of the Metro region over the next few decades. That being said, the route compromises the technology you've suggested. If you're talking about going from the Quay to Waterfront, the cost involved in tunneling would arguably dwarf the difference in price between LRT and SkyTrain, so why not just build SkyTrain even if it's underused? If you're suggesting it take the "long way round", the slower speed works against it.

[nname]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

If you're talking about going from the Quay to Waterfront, the cost involved in tunneling would arguably dwarf the difference in price between LRT and SkyTrain, so why not just build SkyTrain even if it's underused? If you're suggesting it take the "long way round", the slower speed works against it.

The SkyTrain tunnel might actually come out cheaper due to the smaller diameter needed.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

That being said, the route compromises the technology you've suggested. If you're talking about going from the Quay to Waterfront, the cost involved in tunneling would arguably dwarf the difference in price between LRT and SkyTrain, so why not just build SkyTrain even if it's underused? If you're suggesting it take the "long way round", the slower speed works against it.

Pretty sure that the route in question is a surface route across Georgia and the Lions Gate... which is impractical for much different reasons.

[casper]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Seems like most future rail talk is centred around King George (former LRT, current vapourware) and the eternal North Shore question (in study phase). Translink's mandate ends at Langley, so the remaining underserved areas would in my opinion be the North Shore, Surrey-Newton, South Richmond-Delta, Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge, and South Surrey-White Rock; Possibly in that order of need.

I believe Translink authority extends well into the Fraser Valley, that is the reason they can operate WestCoast express out to Mission. It is just they are not active beyond Langley. I think the original vision was for Translink to operate rail service into Valley if/when appropriate but not to overlap with the existing transit server there.

[Colin4567]

Originally Posted by casper

I believe Translink authority extends well into the Fraser Valley, that is the reason they can operate WestCoast express out to Mission. It is just they are not active beyond Langley. I think the original vision was for Translink to operate rail service into Valley if/when appropriate but not to overlap with the existing transit server there.

I remember reading that Mission pays TransLink some sum of money to run the WCE out there. Basically, if city doesn't have the ~18 cent TransLink gas tax, they're not in the TL service area.