Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion II

[Mac Write]

Is there any update on when the Compass system will allow transit passes to be added to Google Pay and Apple Pay?

[RedArbutus]

No news that I know of. A quick google search shows that an article from August 2022 () quoting Translink as saying that it will happen eventually but that it's "several years" away.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by madog222

I noticed that aswell, presumably that was the original intention but wasn't viable for one reason or another. I'm guessing because it would have required closing both tracks.

New Stainer video is out on OMC4 with a possible answer to this question. His claim (not sure if it's his own speculation or from an outside source) is that the new MK5 trains would be too long to fit in the pocket track if they were to build out a full 6 switch solution.

• Video Link

[MIPS]

Hey kids, you ever wanted to see something TransLink has only spoken of but never shown?

We all know that the Beatty Street West tunnel was closed in 1992 and the stairwell was filled in. there was a report made in 1996 regarding the viability of reopening the tunnel (you can read that at https://council.vancouver.ca/960725/vtc2.htm ) that went nowhere and it's always been more or a less a mystery as to what's down there since the tunnel entrance is now blocked by a wall with a single locked door. TransLink has stated it's mostly overflow space for the Lost and Found.

Well, here you go. This is what's behind that door.


The photographer wishes to remain anonymous

It's....mostly still there. Other than some lighting upgrades and the handrail on the East end of the tunnel being removed for bike storage it's all more or less untouched after 30 years. It's blocked off at the far end where you would exit the tunnel and go up the filled-in stairs to street level.

[dpogue]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Is there any update on when the Compass system will allow transit passes to be added to Google Pay and Apple Pay?

That won't happen until the whole Compass system is upgraded to newer software. The current Compass system writes data back to the card when it is tapped to keep track of trips, rather than having all of that state managed on a central server, and the NFC apps for Apple/Google don't support writing data back to the phone.

This is also what's holding them up from implementing distanced-based fares, because the fare table is currently stored on the card as well, and a distance-based fare table would exceed the card's rather limited storage capacity.

[Mac Write]

Originally Posted by dpogue

That won't happen until the whole Compass system is upgraded to newer software. The current Compass system writes data back to the card when it is tapped to keep track of trips, rather than having all of that state managed on a central server, and the NFC apps for Apple/Google don't support writing data back to the phone.

This is also what's holding them up from implementing distanced-based fares, because the fare table is currently stored on the card as well, and a distance-based fare table would exceed the card's rather limited storage capacity.

I know we are waiting for the software update. Any updates on that? someone said last year they were testing with the cubic app. so we must be in full software upgrade mode my now?

[RedArbutus]

Originally Posted by MIPS

-snip-

Neat!

[WarrenC12]

Interesting note on the Beatty St. tunnel. It's the kind of thing we talk about building now (say at Cambie and Broadway for example) but when we actually have them we don't even use them. I will say that Cambie and Broadway would have gotten a ton of use.

On a similar note my family and I tried to make it from Pacific Centre to Granville station underground recently. No dice. The Bay is an absolute circus with blocked off areas and esclators not only broken but blocked off so you can't use them as stairs.

[BaddieB]

A Beatty tunnel is pointless because Beatty is easily jaywalkable. Very little car traffic on that street, unlike Broadway or Cambie, where you have to wait for a while.

[idunno]

I'm glad we're already getting more Broadway Subway entrances with adjacent new development. We already have 3 so far in the works I think?

- Arbutus (south side)
- Granville (south side)
- Broadway-City Hall (east side/new City Hall)

Not to mention the new underground entrance and reno'd existing station house U/C at Oakridge-City Hall.

[officedweller]

The coachlines bus terminal was still at Larwill Park until 1993, so maybe the thinking in 1985 was to eventually provide a connection to the bus terminal.

The deathknell for the Beatty tunnel came when the 111 Dunsmuir building did not connect to it.
There's a possibility that a connection to the office towers on the Larwill Park site may resurrect it.

Beatty St. traffic also dropped when Concord cut off access from Pacific Blvd for its Waterworks project and each of Cambie and Beatty changed from one-way couplets to 2-way streets.

[Sheba]

Artist studios among 11 proposals submitted to TransLink to repurpose old SkyTrain cars

Upon inquiry last week, TransLink told Daily Hive Urbanized that they received 11 proposals in the initial proposal intake in Fall 2024 for the Mark I fleet retirement.

The public transit authority is currently reviewing the proposals, and they will have more details to share in the coming months.

To date, only one proposal has been publicly shared by its proponents.

Last week, The Narrow Group, in partnership with Apartment Sage, announced that it submitted a proposal to repurpose some Mark I cars into temporary mobile artist studios.

Such mobile artist studios could potentially be moved to “underserved locations” across British Columbia.

“When I heard about the opportunity to repurpose the original SkyTrain cars, I knew that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Sage Brocklebank of Apartment Sage in a statement.

David Duprey of The Narrow Group added, “Expo 86 was a huge moment for British Columbia and turning these cars into pop-up artist spaces would keep the spirit of 86 alive across the province while inspiring generations to come.”

TransLink is retiring all 150 Mark I cars that operate on the Expo Line and Millennium Line. These cars were built in the 1980s and early 1990s.

...

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Artist studios among 11 proposals submitted to TransLink to repurpose old SkyTrain cars

I think it's a little silly to compare an outdoor installation in Hong Kong versus one here. Those leaky MK1s were barely kept warm in winter with their heaters and a decent number of passengers. Not a lot of insulation in those things.

[RedArbutus]

The moment that I saw they were offering these up, my first thought was "I would kill for some restauranteur to create an homage to Easey's in Melbourne". A truly pie in the sky dream.

[Sheba]

Take the survey on proposed Bus Rapid Transit features

We’re launching public engagement and announcing station locations for two future Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes serving customers travelling in Surrey, Maple Ridge, and the Township of Langley.

This is the next step towards implementing our incoming bus-based rapid transit system that will provide fast, frequent, and reliable service through dedicated bus lanes, signal priority at intersections, and weather-protected stations.

We’re asking you to rank which features will be most important, which will help us advance BRT planning.

Planned locations for the route’s stations are also being released as part of the engagement.

...

You can learn more and take the survey until Feb. 9 at translinklistens.ca. You can also attend an in-person open house between Jan. 25 and Feb. 4.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Take the survey on proposed Bus Rapid Transit features

Along with this map of the planned stations:



Something tells me the North Shore BRT isn't going as well as these two...

Interesting exceptions in these plans:

Guildford connection from R1 (will Rapidbus service continue along 104 Ave to Guildford?)

No stop at 91A Ave in Langley at the Colossus, guess this would be an infill station should that large property get redeveloped at some point.

No stop at Maple Meadows station but a stop at 203 St and 207 St nearby seems odd, perhaps another potential infill? 203 St is probably too close though.

[GenWhy?]

"will provide fast, frequent, and reliable service through dedicated bus lanes, signal priority at intersections, and weather-protected stations."

I think they didn't have the 2nd Narrows BRT line in this phase of discussions due to not meeting most of these items, at this time, IMO.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by GenWhy?

"will provide fast, frequent, and reliable service through dedicated bus lanes, signal priority at intersections, and weather-protected stations."

I think they didn't have the 2nd Narrows BRT line in this phase of discussions due to not meeting most of these items, at this time, IMO.

You're probably right that the goal posts will be different for the "Metrotown - North Shore BRT" (as they're referring to it in the video linked below).

In this video, they show that consultation for that will start in Summer 2025 and that "BRT Corridor Design Engagement" will start in Fall 2025.

Linked Video edit, Youtube linking tool isn't working.

[GenWhy?]

Oh... lol I thought it was starting in Feb... oh well !

[madog222]

Main questions for this public engagement are detailed preferences on weather protection and digital displays.
Here's a new concept render:


Image from Translink https://translinklistens.ca/bus-rapid-transit-program?tool=survey_tool#tool_tab