Highway One Improvements: North Vancouver / Ironworkers Memorial Approach | Completed

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Jimbo604

DriveBC

So two lanes coming onto bridge from Main Street.

No that's a worker's car parked doing work on the multi use lane

[Mininari]

Not really the fault of this project, but it is total gridlock on the North Shore right now due to some emergency pothole work on the bridge deck.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.31299.../data=!5m1!1e1

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Mininari

Not really the fault of this project, but it is total gridlock on the North Shore right now due to some emergency pothole work on the bridge deck.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@49.31299.../data=!5m1!1e1

They just cleared it so it'll be fun to see how quickly everything goes back to "normal"

[cleowin]

I would love to see some real progress made to increasing the capacity of our bridge link to the North Shore. 9 lanes of vehicle traffic isn't cutting it anymore. I know rapidtransit is coming to the North Shore, but I think it's time we consider replacing the IWMB with a 10 lane + rapid transit bridge to replace the aging IWMB.

I would prefer if they also converted the Cassiar Tunnel exit lane going WB into a through lane, and have the hastings on-ramp serve as a through lane rather than a merge in a 10 lane bridge crossing.

On the EB route, i would give Dollarton on-ramp a through lane and i'd add a third lane each direction from Taylor Way all the way down the cut.

The Capilano bridge would need to be replaced with a modern 6 lane bridge with expansion to 8-10 lanes for future growth. Why isnt this being proposed?

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by cleowin

I would love to see some real progress made to increasing the capacity of our bridge link to the North Shore. 9 lanes of vehicle traffic isn't cutting it anymore. I know rapidtransit is coming to the North Shore, but I think it's time we consider replacing the IWMB with a 10 lane + rapid transit bridge to replace the aging IWMB.

I would prefer if they also converted the Cassiar Tunnel exit lane going WB into a through lane, and have the hastings on-ramp serve as a through lane rather than a merge in a 10 lane bridge crossing.

On the EB route, i would give Dollarton on-ramp a through lane and i'd add a third lane each direction from Taylor Way all the way down the cut.

The Capilano bridge would need to be replaced with a modern 6 lane bridge with expansion to 8-10 lanes for future growth. Why isnt this being proposed?

Whether or not this comes to fruition in our lifetimes, it would be interesting to see what alignment they use. The location of the current IWM is offset to the east, compared to the rest of the freeway, so a new structure west of it could help to correct the somewhat dangerous curves in the roads on either side of the bridge.

[cleowin]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Whether or not this comes to fruition in our lifetimes, it would be interesting to see what alignment they use. The location of the current IWM is offset to the east, compared to the rest of the freeway, so a new structure west of it could help to correct the somewhat dangerous curves in the roads on either side of the bridge.

Looking at google maps, a new span could easily be moved like 500 metres west. would reduce the curve significantly.

[esup21]

Originally Posted by cleowin

Looking at google maps, a new span could easily be moved like 500 metres west. would reduce the curve significantly.

We have to be realistic, as there are too many properties to the west which may make this location very expensive. Alternatively, if I were to design a bridge, I'll put it exactly on top of the old span (between the two red circles, and create much shallower curves on the approaches. This location will likely require the least property interruption and is much safer than the existing location.

https://ibb.co/9m0hNZY

[jollyburger]

I think your best hope for a new bridge is a ship smacking into one of the piers.

[esup21]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

I think your best hope for a new bridge is a ship smacking into one of the piers.

That's what happened to the old span...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second...rows_crash.jpg

[cleowin]

Originally Posted by esup21

We have to be realistic, as there are too many properties to the west which may make this location very expensive. Alternatively, if I were to design a bridge, I'll put it exactly on top of the old span (between the two red circles, and create much shallower curves on the approaches. This location will likely require the least property interruption and is much safer than the existing location.

https://ibb.co/9m0hNZY

This is fantastic. i love the idea of curved bridges and it's definitely a safe option.

If only we had the land , i would prefer to get rid of the tight 360 degree loop from Fern to enter the highway, so why don't we do something like this?



Another dangerous stretch, is the capilano river overpass. There is mostly parkland north of the bridge. We could build a new overpass with capability of 8 lanes (4+4) and be able to build a proper merge lane for the dangerous on-ramp that currently exists.



I dont know, just some ideas!

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by cleowin

This is fantastic. i love the idea of curved bridges and it's definitely a safe option.

If only we had the land , i would prefer to get rid of the tight 360 degree loop from Fern to enter the highway, so why don't we do something like this?

I'd also like to see that access improved, but unfortunately your idea removes the Highway 1 eastbound access ramp for vehicles from the Seymour area and replaces it with another access road for drivers coming from Keith Road. I really wish that the new overpass had been more of a straight line from Keith to the intersection with Lillooet, and that they had refurbished or rebuilt the Fern Street overpass to keep access to the IWM for Seymour drivers.

Originally Posted by cleowin

Another dangerous stretch, is the capilano river overpass. There is mostly parkland north of the bridge. We could build a new overpass with capability of 8 lanes (4+4) and be able to build a proper merge lane for the dangerous on-ramp that currently exists.

Yes, this interchange is terrible, especially for new drivers who don't have the experience to make quick merges westbound onto the highway. Almost anything would be an improvement here. If they can't replace the highway bridge, perhaps a westbound onramp that rises up on the north side of the bridge connecting to the west side of Capilano Road? (Southbound traffic would turn right off of Capilano and northbound traffic would turn left to access this ramp.)

[jollyburger]

https://twitter.com/housers_ca/statu...776263/photo/1

It happened back in 2019 and I think in March this year as well. Google Maps shows the same spot looks like it's been patched in the past so I guess it'll be a regular occurrence. Since 2009 all the patches have started to grown in size.

Video: https://twitter.com/housers_ca/statu...776263/photo/1

They said the bridge has 45 years before it needs to be replaced. The old Port Mann and Second Narrows both opened in the 1960s.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by cleowin

Another dangerous stretch, is the capilano river overpass. There is mostly parkland north of the bridge. We could build a new overpass with capability of 8 lanes (4+4) and be able to build a proper merge lane for the dangerous on-ramp that currently exists.

That would help eliminate that tight curve west of the river too.

[Dave2]

If only they had built the bridge with two decks, like Seattle’s I-5 Ship Canal Bridge, built around the same time.

[NicholasHui]

Replacing the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge in the future should have 6 lanes + 2 dedicated Bus Lanes. If the Lions Gate Bridge was ever replaced with a bigger bridge, it should have 4 lanes + 2 dedicated Bus Lanes in the future. The Ironworkers Memorial Bridge would have 2 through lanes, one auxiliary lane, and one bus lane each way. The Bus lane each way would also be treated as an auxiliary lane for buses as well if the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge be replaced with an 8 lane bridge

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by Dave2

If only they had built the bridge with two decks, like Seattle’s I-5 Ship Canal Bridge, built around the same time.

That would have been convenient. However, if they had, there probably would have been a tremendous outcry over the cost to build such a large bridge to the North Shore. By 1960, when the Second Narrows Bridge opened, the original four-lane Port Mann Bridge was still four years away.

Originally Posted by NicholasHui

...If the Lions Gate Bridge was ever replaced with a bigger bridge, it should have 4 lanes + 2 dedicated Bus Lanes in the future...

I'd be quite surprised to see the Lions Gate Bridge replaced with anything substantially larger. Aside from the esthetics - the suspension bridge has become part of the "face" of Vancouver - there's the issue of where the traffic goes once it gets downtown. IMHO we'd be more likely to see perhaps a four-lane bridge (with two being dedicated to transit) with a significant de-emphasis on personal vehicles, or else a separate tunnel for general traffic with the bridge being used for bus/SkyTrain only.

[Jimbo604]

Hmm chance of new bridge is zero, please take new bridge talk to infrastructure fantasy thread.

We need to discuss important things here like sidewalk width 3m vs 3.5m.

[Klazu]

Huh. I have driven Interstate 5 many times but never realized that this bridge has a lower deck. Is that for local traffic? I agree that a second 3+3 lane local traffic deck would be perfect. Second Narrows needs to be overbuilt when it gets to replacing it, as there is never going to be another crossing and people from the city will continue to flock to the mountains.

That's also a great point about the Capilano onramp being basically what Dollarton onramp was. There should be a third westbound merge lane across the bridge. A super dangerous design as it is.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Huh. I have driven Interstate 5 many times but never realized that this bridge has a lower deck. Is that for local traffic? I agree that a second 3+3 lane local traffic deck would be perfect. Second Narrows needs to be overbuilt when it gets to replacing it, as there is never going to be another crossing and people from the city will continue to flock to the mountains.

That's also a great point about the Capilano onramp being basically what Dollarton onramp was. There should be a third westbound merge lane across the bridge. A super dangerous design as it is.

It's a counterflow section that changes in the morning/afternoon.

[cleowin]

Originally Posted by Klazu

Huh. I have driven Interstate 5 many times but never realized that this bridge has a lower deck. Is that for local traffic? I agree that a second 3+3 lane local traffic deck would be perfect. Second Narrows needs to be overbuilt when it gets to replacing it, as there is never going to be another crossing and people from the city will continue to flock to the mountains.

That's also a great point about the Capilano onramp being basically what Dollarton onramp was. There should be a third westbound merge lane across the bridge. A super dangerous design as it is.

That would require an entirely new capilano bridge. As i showed in a photo earlier, a bridge that has a smaller angle and placed further north would alleviate some of the concern there and you could build a proper merge lane onto the new bridge.

Is a short term solution to introduce conterflow onto the IWMB? 4/2 in peak hours?