inane Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Nearly 1km long bicycle tunnel in Spain. http://www.copenhagenize.com/2009/08/world...nnel-opens.html If you removed the subway in NYC and replaced it with automobile lanes, bridges and parking lots. http://frumin.net/ation/2009/08/whats_capa..._do_with_m.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 From the Buzzer: The metal poles at some Main Street bus stops will carry real-time bus arrival displays this fall. What are those weird poles at the Main Street bus stops? If you’ve been to Main Street lately, you might have noticed that some bus stops have gained a weird metal pole that juts out horizontally. Well, they aren’t just bizarre metal sculpture art! The poles are for real-time bus arrival displays, which will be installed by the fall. The displays are part of the Main Street Urban Showcase Project, an innovative transportation improvement program launched in 2004 and jointly funded by Transport Canada (through the Urban Transportation Showcase Program), TransLink and the City of Vancouver. (Check out the official Main Street Showcase page for more on the project!) A broad suite of improvements like urban design (like bus and pedestrian bulges), new transit technology (including these displays), and a fleet of larger buses (the new trolleys on the #3 route!) all contribute to more efficient traffic flows and make Main Street more welcoming for pedestrians, drivers, and transit riders, in turn serving the ultimate goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. So the real-time arrival displays are just another feature to improve the transit experience and make your wait a bit less onerous. The displays will be installed at 29 stops: stops with high volumes of riders, and stops with transfers to other routes. Information from the GPS system on the buses is used to estimate the next bus’s arrival time. They’re similar to the displays previously found on the 98 B-Line route—however, a key difference is that we’re using a different supplier with improved technology. As well, in the coming months, we’re working to let on-bus technology ‘talk’ to traffic signals to help keep the buses on time—this is also known as “transit signal priority,” and it’s explained quite well on this page. (I’ll have more on that when the project gets underway!) And by the way, Main Street was chosen for this pilot project because is the busiest local bus route in Metro Vancouver — it carries more riders than many light rail systems in North America! An example of the real-time information displays that will be installed at 29 Main Street stops. (Although the 301 Rotnes is not coming to Main St!) Jhen has said the display above is from Germany....and they can arrange the route number/arrival time/actual time in different ways. They certainly look quite sleek....hopefully they won't be vandalized. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMayFan Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 WARNING: RANT AHEAD I read about the SeaBus thing a few days ago and you know what, it pisses me off. Just so you can relate, this was going to be the North Shores Canada Line. All my friends were excited to finally get a third SeaBus. And it was more than just the service, it was Translink showing that they cared about the North Shore. Do you know how hard it is to sit here and watch as everyone else gets all these fancy new things and we get stuck with the old stuff. Here is what Translink can do to turn it's reputation around on the North Shore: 1) A real 3rd seabus - 15 minutes is a long time. 2) Fix the 239 - I really don't want to be sweating bullets turning onto Londsdale wondering of I will make the seabus. 3) Pad certain schedules more - Some of the local busses are always late (232, 214). 4) Make it so I can go to Burnaby on 1 zone - Phibs Exchange to Gilmore shouldn't be a 2 zone fare. /Rant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahzdeen Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 WARNING: RANT AHEAD I read about the SeaBus thing a few days ago and you know what, it pisses me off. Just so you can relate, this was going to be the North Shores Canada Line. All my friends were excited to finally get a third SeaBus. And it was more than just the service, it was Translink showing that they cared about the North Shore. Do you know how hard it is to sit here and watch as everyone else gets all these fancy new things and we get stuck with the old stuff. Here is what Translink can do to turn it's reputation around on the North Shore: 1) A real 3rd seabus - 15 minutes is a long time. 2) Fix the 239 - I really don't want to be sweating bullets turning onto Londsdale wondering of I will make the seabus. 3) Pad certain schedules more - Some of the local busses are always late (232, 214). 4) Make it so I can go to Burnaby on 1 zone - Phibs Exchange to Gilmore shouldn't be a 2 zone fare. /Rant It's also dumb that Coquitlam and Surrey are in the same fare zone, but you have to pay 2 zones to get there because you have to go through New West to get there. I'm want distance fares now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) WARNING: RANT AHEAD I read about the SeaBus thing a few days ago and you know what, it pisses me off. Just so you can relate, this was going to be the North Shores Canada Line. All my friends were excited to finally get a third SeaBus. And it was more than just the service, it was Translink showing that they cared about the North Shore. Do you know how hard it is to sit here and watch as everyone else gets all these fancy new things and we get stuck with the old stuff. Here is what Translink can do to turn it's reputation around on the North Shore: 1) A real 3rd seabus - 15 minutes is a long time. 2) Fix the 239 - I really don't want to be sweating bullets turning onto Londsdale wondering of I will make the seabus. 3) Pad certain schedules more - Some of the local busses are always late (232, 214). 4) Make it so I can go to Burnaby on 1 zone - Phibs Exchange to Gilmore shouldn't be a 2 zone fare. /Rant Translink cares. I'm pretty sure this is Translink's way of pressuring the North Shore municipality mayors to vote for Translink's $450-million tax hike for its 10-year plan starting 2010. It can't provide a 3-ferry service for SeaBus unless it gets more money for the cost to operate additional service. Of course, this could backfire on them. As for the North Shore's rather crapty bus service, you can blame it on North Vancouver. Four years ago, Translink tried to build a large bus depot in North Vancouver that would have enabled Translink to drastically improve the North Shore's bus service. Currently, most buses that serve North Vancouver come from a bus depot in Burnaby....meaning, they have to cross the Second Narrows Bridge every day and that's quite costly in terms of fuel, driver wages, and reliability considering the traffic on the bridge. However, NIMBY's came together in mob rule and forced North Vancouver's city council to reject the proposal for fears of additional traffic and noise from the buses.....I believe the slated bus depot site is now a Costco or is being used for industry, which is much worse than a bus depot. It's also important to note that North Shore buses and the express buses running from south of Fraser and now ending at the Canada Line's Bridgeport Station are subsidized heavily. I don't know the exact rate for the North Shore, but south of Fraser express buses only recoup about 20% of their operating costs. It's not unreasonable for Translink to end the routes at Bridgeport, when they are also drastically increasing the frequency of these bus routes. And you can bet that these bus routes will be much more reliable with a shorter route, not having to go through the congestion along Granville or the backups in Downtown. To have to pay for running the Canada Line AND continue subsidize these south of Fraser express bus routes is simply not financially feasible. Compare that 20% to the region's 48% in recouping costs through fares and Vancouver proper's 60%. Edited August 10, 2009 by nitronuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bob Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Not sure if this has been posted or not yet... Travel times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Not sure if this has been posted or not yet... Travel times. It's been mentioned numerous times, but I don't think anyone here actually expects those travel times to reflect reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) ^ those travel times will reflect reality. It's part of InTransitBC's contract, and they have fulfilled those maximum travel time requirements. Edited August 10, 2009 by nitronuts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Bob Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 It's been mentioned numerous times, but I don't think anyone here actually expects those travel times to reflect reality. It should be pretty acurate. The only variable is people sticking their arms into open doors to jump on. Traffic won't affect it at all. (Obviously). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 It should be pretty acurate. The only variable is people sticking their arms into open doors to jump on. Traffic won't affect it at all. (Obviously). solution: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 solution: WWJBD? What would Jack Bauer do? "Everyone onto the train, NOW! DAMN IT!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradMayFan Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 (edited) Translink cares. I'm pretty sure this is Translink's way of pressuring the North Shore municipality mayors to vote for Translink's $450-million tax hike for its 10-year plan starting 2010. It can't provide a 3-ferry service for SeaBus unless it gets more money for the cost to operate additional service. Of course, this could backfire on them. As for the North Shore's rather crapty bus service, you can blame it on North Vancouver. Four years ago, Translink tried to build a large bus depot in North Vancouver that would have enabled Translink to drastically improve the North Shore's bus service. Currently, most buses that serve North Vancouver come from a bus depot in Burnaby....meaning, they have to cross the Second Narrows Bridge every day and that's quite costly in terms of fuel, driver wages, and reliability considering the traffic on the bridge. However, NIMBY's came together in mob rule and forced North Vancouver's city council to reject the proposal for fears of additional traffic and noise from the buses.....I believe the slated bus depot site is now a Costco or is being used for industry, which is much worse than a bus depot. It's also important to note that North Shore buses and the express buses running from south of Fraser and now ending at the Canada Line's Bridgeport Station are subsidized heavily. I don't know the exact rate for the North Shore, but south of Fraser express buses only recoup about 20% of their operating costs. It's not unreasonable for Translink to end the routes at Bridgeport, when they are also drastically increasing the frequency of these bus routes. And you can bet that these bus routes will be much more reliable with a shorter route, not having to go through the congestion along Granville or the backups in Downtown. To have to pay for running the Canada Line AND continue subsidize these south of Fraser express bus routes is simply not financially feasible. Compare that 20% to the region's 48% in recouping costs through fares and Vancouver proper's 60%. Ya, I understand most of that. And I know that the North Shore probably has one of the lowest ridership rates. I just needed to get that stuff off my chest. On a lighter note guess what the site of the proposed bus depot is going to be used for: Sewage Treatment Plant, at least thats the last I heard. Edit: I was wondering has Translink ever considered the District for a bus depot? We've been developing a industrial area along Dollarton and there is still some large areas left. It wouldn't be as central as one in the city but it would still be better that Burnaby. Edited August 11, 2009 by BradMayFan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 ^ LOL. Sewage Treatment Plant. Serves them right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cj_coolcat Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I think the first thing I do when I move to Vancouver is go downtown as many different ways as possible and see which one is faster. Then I'm going to go out to the ferry to see whether the skytrain makes that trip any faster. Just for fun. The buses along Granville will be more direct to downtown, but it might be faster to take the bus to Cambie and catch the train. Hmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Opening Day festivities: http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Images/con...ivityMaplg.ashx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Opening Day festivities: http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Images/con...ivityMaplg.ashx Which station will the train pushers be located at? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vancouvercanucksblogger Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 Exciting! Olympics coming soon, then we need to build alot more trains all over the place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck_4_Life Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 I think the train pushers come the Tuesday after Labour Day @ Bridgeport Station, 3 minutes before 6 full suburban buses arrive ready to burst at the seams with people. Then, it's mega sardine time heading downtown. Boy, I'm happy I don't work downtown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Which station will the train pushers be located at? I'll actually be working at YVR Station for a week gearing up for Canada Line opening day customer service starting tomorrow until the end of opening day......and no, i won't be a train pusher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buggernut Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 ^ LOL. Sewage Treatment Plant. Serves them right. Heheheh! I'm surprised they're letting that through. I thought caring for the environment so much as to treat their sewage before dumping it was only for the lowly poor people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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