The Official Transit Thread

[kurtzfan]

11 more days to go~~~

[kurtzfan]

it is Never too late!!!

Start taking our actions now! (writing letters to local newspapers, forming a facebook group. . . )

We need direct express bus during the peak hours!!!

[nitronuts]

it is Never too late!!!

Start taking our actions now! (writing letters to local newspapers, forming a facebook group. . . )

We need direct express bus during the peak hours!!!

For the financial welfare of Translink, I'm gonna say no.

[YVR Canucks]

I think Employers should let Employees work from home (Cisco VPN)

I think supermarkets / stores should let Customers shop from home (ex: futureshop)

I think fast food places should let Customers order online and eat at home (Pizza Hut, Boston etc..)

In conclusion, you have no excuse to use transit or drive anywhere.

[BuckyHermit]

You mean it served local travellers within the City of Vancouver?

Yes. On some southbound trips, over half the bus empties at 70th Avenue (while passing up most people -- some Richmond-bound -- between Broadway and 70th because it is full).

I've been left behind more than once only to find out from someone else that the bus that passed me by actually unloaded in a major way at 70th. Those people could've taken a B-Line or a #10 but they didn't, while I could only choose between #491 and #496 (the latter would require a 1-km walk) -- both of them cramped with Vancouver-bound passengers and don't come very often.

Edited August 7, 2009 by BuckyHermit

[Common sense]

Well, for starters I sure wouldn't put it smack through the middle of the ALR.

If I have to choose though, option B sounds much better--widen River Rd. Industrial 95% of the way already. Trucks can come up hwy 17, hell you could build a 'truck only' lane to cross hwy 99 so it doesn't muck up the already horrible traffic and there you go. No need for a big, farm destroying highway.

Hmm...widen River Road. But isn't the point of the SFPR to transport goods faster from Deltaport to Hwy1? By adding 2 extra lanes onto surface streets while keeping the speed limit 50 (or 60...w/e it is right now), you're not helping the mandate of this road.

[nitronuts]

I think that of all the projects in the Gateway program, the SFPR is the most needed and the only one that really needs to be built.

[Common sense]

I think that of all the projects in the Gateway program, the SFPR is the most needed and the only one that really needs to be built.

What about infrastructure that helps Surrey, one of the larger and more rapidly growing communities in the GVRD? The PM twinning and widening of Hwy 1 will certainly help with easing congestion, also ensuring trucks using TC1 won't be stuck in traffic.

[Buggernut]

I think that of all the projects in the Gateway program, the SFPR is the most needed and the only one that really needs to be built.

Could they just instead expand River Road to more than just one lane in each direction, instead of building a new freeway cutting through Burns Bog?

[nitronuts]

What about infrastructure that helps Surrey, one of the larger and more rapidly growing communities in the GVRD? The PM twinning and widening of Hwy 1 will certainly help with easing congestion, also ensuring trucks using TC1 won't be stuck in traffic.

Surrey is perhaps the Vancouver region's most notorious municipality for sprawl, and thus being car-oriented. I do fear that the new PM and widening of Hwy 1 will only make things much more worse and set back Surrey's plans to develop a dense, livable, and thriving downtown area very much like Downtown Vancouver. And not just Surrey, but every municipality west of Vancouver for that matter. Car use will also go up with driving made easier.

The new Port Mann Bridge, while a stunning feat of engineering and architecture for this region, and the widening of Hwy 1 will mainly benefit single-occupancy drivers only. It's a very bad idea to increase road capacity for these folks.

There's a reason why Vancouver proper has high transit ridership. There are no highways, it uses a street grid, it's very walkable, and transit is conveniently located. The neighbourhoods also make it easy to serve transit. On top of that, with limited road capacity in the city there's increased congestion - and people do look at alternative methods of transport to get to work to avoid that congestion, that is if that alternative is available and a feasible alternative.

Gateway will simply make expanding transit into Surrey and the Fraser Valley more difficult, and it's going to set us back with being a transit-oriented region. I'm not saying road capacity isn't needed: that's I support the SFPR, the Golden Ears Bridge, and not having one lane on the Burrard Bridge as a bike lane to preserve what limited road capacity Vancouver will have (as it certainly won't be increasing road capacity, ever).

I could understand the Pitt River Bridge replacement, being how the old bridge is a unreliable swing span....but 7-lanes is a massive increase from the old bridge.

If we were to build a new Port Mann, make more of those new lanes HOV lanes and NOT lanes for single-occupancy. Thank god that bridge will be tolled, but unfortuntely the same can't be said for the Pitt River.

The expansions will ease congestion, but for how long? Roads, compared to transit, is terribly inefficient for moving people around and is expensive to build.

Speaking of the Pitt River Bridge, it's opening before the end of the year.

[Vapourstreak]

Surrey is perhaps the Vancouver region's most notorious municipality for sprawl, and thus being car-oriented. I do fear that the new PM and widening of Hwy 1 will only make things much more worse and set back Surrey's plans to develop a dense, livable, and thriving downtown area very much like Downtown Vancouver. And not just Surrey, but every municipality west of Vancouver for that matter. Car use will also go up with driving made easier.

The new Port Mann Bridge, while a stunning feat of engineering and architecture for this region, and the widening of Hwy 1 will mainly benefit single-occupancy drivers only. It's a very bad idea to increase road capacity for these folks.

There's a reason why Vancouver proper has high transit ridership. There are no highways, it uses a street grid, it's very walkable, and transit is conveniently located. The neighbourhoods also make it easy to serve transit. On top of that, with limited road capacity in the city there's increased congestion - and people do look at alternative methods of transport to get to work to avoid that congestion, that is if that alternative is available and a feasible alternative.

Gateway will simply make expanding transit into Surrey and the Fraser Valley more difficult, and it's going to set us back with being a transit-oriented region. I'm not saying road capacity isn't needed: that's I support the SFPR, the Golden Ears Bridge, and not having one lane on the Burrard Bridge as a bike lane to preserve what limited road capacity Vancouver will have (as it certainly won't be increasing road capacity, ever).

I could understand the Pitt River Bridge replacement, being how the old bridge is a unreliable swing span....but 7-lanes is a massive increase from the old bridge.

If we were to build a new Port Mann, make more of those new lanes HOV lanes and NOT lanes for single-occupancy. Thank god that bridge will be tolled, but unfortuntely the same can't be said for the Pitt River.

The expansions will ease congestion, but for how long? Roads, compared to transit, is terribly inefficient for moving people around and is expensive to build.

Speaking of the Pitt River Bridge, it's opening before the end of the year.

Aren't they planning to toll more than one bridge in the lower mainland? Golden Ears, Port Mann, any more?

[BradMayFan]

Aren't they planning to toll more than one bridge in the lower mainland? Golden Ears, Port Mann, any more?

Honestly, I think (and deep down kinda hope) that by 2030 all the inter-municipality bridges will be tolled.

[nitronuts]

Could they just instead expand River Road to more than just one lane in each direction, instead of building a new freeway cutting through Burns Bog?

Another lane in each direction on River Road does more for capacity, not speed. The main purpose of the SFPR is speed for truckers and the ever growing Deltaport; a quick connection to Hwy 1 to be more specific.

The new expressway doesn't cut through Burns Bog, rather it skirts its western and northern borders. If you think the SFPR cuts through the Bog, it'll be like saying the 99 cuts through the Bog too.

[nitronuts]

Aren't they planning to toll more than one bridge in the lower mainland? Golden Ears, Port Mann, any more?

Golden Ears, Port Mann, and the new Pattullo.

If Translink's new revenue generating plans go ahead, then all bridges and the one tunnel in the region will be tolled. I'm all for that.

[Vapourstreak]

Golden Ears, Port Mann, and the new Pattullo.

If Translink's new revenue generating plans go ahead, then all bridges and the one tunnel in the region will be tolled. I'm all for that.

Maybe Translink wouldn't need to have a new revenue generating plan if they fixed the old ones. I've came across buses with broken ticketing machines, giving free rides to everyone, I've been sneaking on the middle or rear door of the 98 without any proof of purchase, and I've been just riding SkyTrains without paying. Imagine how much revenue Translink would generate if they ensured every single rider paid his/her fare.

[Common sense]

Another lane in each direction on River Road does more for capacity, not speed. The main purpose of the SFPR is speed for truckers and the ever growing Deltaport; a quick connection to Hwy 1 to be more specific.

The new expressway doesn't cut through Burns Bog, rather it skirts its western and northern borders. If you think the SFPR cuts through the Bog, it'll be like saying the 99 cuts through the Bog too.

But isn't that the point if SFRP: to increase speed for truckers taking goods from Deltaport and Tilbury over to Hwy 1, without having to face the congestion of local roads? I'm not arguing for or against the SFPR, but it seems like adding one lane, while keeping the speed limit the same won't do anything, nor will it take truckers to where they really need to go.

[Common sense]

Surrey is perhaps the Vancouver region's most notorious municipality for sprawl, and thus being car-oriented. I do fear that the new PM and widening of Hwy 1 will only make things much more worse and set back Surrey's plans to develop a dense, livable, and thriving downtown area very much like Downtown Vancouver. And not just Surrey, but every municipality west of Vancouver for that matter. Car use will also go up with driving made easier.

The new Port Mann Bridge, while a stunning feat of engineering and architecture for this region, and the widening of Hwy 1 will mainly benefit single-occupancy drivers only. It's a very bad idea to increase road capacity for these folks.

There's a reason why Vancouver proper has high transit ridership. There are no highways, it uses a street grid, it's very walkable, and transit is conveniently located. The neighbourhoods also make it easy to serve transit. On top of that, with limited road capacity in the city there's increased congestion - and people do look at alternative methods of transport to get to work to avoid that congestion, that is if that alternative is available and a feasible alternative.

Gateway will simply make expanding transit into Surrey and the Fraser Valley more difficult, and it's going to set us back with being a transit-oriented region. I'm not saying road capacity isn't needed: that's I support the SFPR, the Golden Ears Bridge, and not having one lane on the Burrard Bridge as a bike lane to preserve what limited road capacity Vancouver will have (as it certainly won't be increasing road capacity, ever).

I could understand the Pitt River Bridge replacement, being how the old bridge is a unreliable swing span....but 7-lanes is a massive increase from the old bridge.

If we were to build a new Port Mann, make more of those new lanes HOV lanes and NOT lanes for single-occupancy. Thank god that bridge will be tolled, but unfortuntely the same can't be said for the Pitt River.

The expansions will ease congestion, but for how long? Roads, compared to transit, is terribly inefficient for moving people around and is expensive to build.

While both Vancouver and Surrey use a grid system, the problem in Surrey transit is that everything's too far from each other. It takes a bit of time to get from one town center to the other. The average bus system won't work in Surrey. Skytrain's the backbone of Vancouver and Burnaby; let's try that in Surrey.

Cars will help with people getting around, and that's inevitable. So why not make it so that there's (at the very least), less idling while cars are lining up to get on the PM? Double it, make commuting from Coquitlam to Surrey easier, and then watch the results.

[Vapourstreak]

While both Vancouver and Surrey use a grid system, the problem in Surrey transit is that everything's too far from each other. It takes a bit of time to get from one town center to the other. The average bus system won't work in Surrey. Skytrain's the backbone of Vancouver and Burnaby; let's try that in Surrey.

Cars will help with people getting around, and that's inevitable. So why not make it so that there's (at the very least), less idling while cars are lining up to get on the PM? Double it, make commuting from Coquitlam to Surrey easier, and then watch the results.

I'm kinda thinking of gang related activities, though.

[Buggernut]

While both Vancouver and Surrey use a grid system, the problem in Surrey transit is that everything's too far from each other. It takes a bit of time to get from one town center to the other. The average bus system won't work in Surrey. Skytrain's the backbone of Vancouver and Burnaby; let's try that in Surrey.

I'd like eastward sprawl to be contained, so I hope that they extend the Skytrain not along the Fraser Hwy towards Langley, but south along the KG to Newton. Maybe have one branch like along 104th Ave to Guildford or Hwy 1, to reach out to Valley transfers and park and riders.

Cars will help with people getting around, and that's inevitable. So why not make it so that there's (at the very least), less idling while cars are lining up to get on the PM? Double it, make commuting from Coquitlam to Surrey easier, and then watch the results.

And toll it to deter driving and thin out the traffic, thereby reducing idle time for those who do pay.

[Vapourstreak]

I'd like eastward sprawl to be contained, so I hope that they extend the Skytrain not along the Fraser Hwy towards Langley, but south along the KG to Newton. Maybe have one branch like along 104th Ave to Guildford or Hwy 1, to reach out to Valley transfers and park and riders.

And toll it to deter driving and thin out the traffic, thereby reducing idle time for those who do pay.

Hasn't Translink been asking us to take buses and the SkyTrain for years now? Sometimes buses and SkyTrains don't go to the right place at the right time. Maybe we should implement a functional taxi system?

EDIT: Actually, that would probably cater perfectly to those dipsticks who like beating up bus drivers. Now they can do it in peace to the taxi drivers.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Vapourstreak™