Common sense Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Newest music from Miley Cyrus? I prefer Hannah Montana, thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trevforever Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 I prefer Hannah Montana, thank you very much. with a little bit of Jonas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 with a little bit of Jonas No. Absolutely no Jonas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted January 19, 2009 Author Share Posted January 19, 2009 METRO VANCOUVER — Commuters crossing the Fraser River can expect longer line-ups and further delays after a suspicious fire Sunday shut down the Pattullo Bridge for at least a month, diverting its 80,000 daily users to other routes and onto public transit. TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie urged commuters to leave earlier or later for work and consider carpooling and telecommuting, predicting overcrowded conditions on the Port Mann and Alex Fraser bridges and George Massey Tunnel, as well as long waits for buses and SkyTrains. The bridge, which connects Surrey and New Westminster, serves about 20 per cent of the traffic capacity south of the Fraser. It will also be closed to pedestrians and cyclists. The average traffic volume on the Port Mann Bridge is 127,000 cars a day, while the Alex Fraser Bridge sees 98,000 vehicles daily, said Dave Crebo, spokesman for the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. “It’s going to cause significant headaches for a lot of commuters,” Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon said Sunday. “This is going to be a big challenge. We need people to double up and share rides and do their bit to help out while TransLink deals with this situation.” TransLink plans to start SkyTrain at 4:30 a.m. and put on four more trains between Scott Road and Waterfront stations to ease the pressure during rush hour. Bicycle access to SkyTrain is suspended due to the increased traffic. Police are also warning they will step up enforcement on HOV lanes. Surrey firefighters were called to the Pattullo Bridge at about 3 a.m. Sunday after motorists reported seeing smoke and flames billowing up from an 18-metre span of wooden trestles supporting the south end of the crossing. For most of Sunday, firefighters tended to the hot spots on the trestles, which were still emitting smoke eight hours after the fire was reported. Surrey RCMP Staff Sgt. Bruce Anderson said arson is suspected but hasn’t been confirmed. Hardie said investigators will look into the possibility that homeless people, who often take shelter against the cold under the bridge, may have lit candles to warm themselves, leading to the fire. TransLink had previously fenced off the area under the trestles, which are covered in creosote to protect the wood from rotting. “One of the suspicions is that somebody started a fire to keep warm, and the flame engaged the creosote pilings,” Hardie said. The span will be demolished in the next few days and replaced, but the work could take four to six weeks, Hardie said. The wooden section that caught fire was expected to be replaced shortly by TransLink in order to keep the bridge maintained for the next 10 years while a new six-lane crossing is built to take its place. The project, which is in the design stages, is 85-per-cent complete. TransLink CEO Tom Prendergast said TransLink will work around the clock to get the job done and will use money out of the contingency fund to pay for it. He estimated the cost of the repairs will be “millions of dollars,” but said the cost to commuters is much higher. Transit police are supporting Surrey RCMP in the investigation of the fire, and providing security on both sides of the crossing, said Transit police chief Ward Clapham. Clapham’s forces have built barricades on both sides of the bridge. B.C. Ambulance Service has added three vehicles to its fleet, stationed in Surrey, said spokeswoman Kristy Hillen. Falcon said an air ambulance is on standby to take patients to New Westminster’s Royal Columbian hospital, a centre for trauma care, and there’s a possibility of using a portable pre-fabricated truss bridge to allow emergency services to go between Surrey and New Westminster. He said the fire underscores the province’s need to replace its aging infrastructure. But Bruce Ralston, New Democrat MLA for Surrey-Whalley, said the anticipated gridlock signals that the Liberal government doesn’t consider alternative forms of transit a priority. “This illustrates how far we’ve fallen behind south of the Fraser, and how little attention there are to transportation alternatives.” Measuring 1,221 metres, or 4,006 feet, the Pattullo was completed in 1937. ksinoski@vancouversun.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 So besides the N19, what other buses run across the Pattullo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 So besides the N19, what other buses run across the Pattullo? 321. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 321. huh? http://www.translink.bc.ca/bus/40/routemap/r321.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 huh? http://www.translink.bc.ca/bus/40/routemap/r321.pdf Weird. My hard copy schedule saus N19 and 321 over Pattullo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 So assuming the hard copy's wrong... There's NO buses that run across Hwy 1 OR Pattullo!!?? No wonder Surrey's been bitching about more buses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) So assuming the hard copy's wrong... There's NO buses that run across Hwy 1 OR Pattullo!!?? No wonder Surrey's been bitching about more buses. http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/maps/sys_.../sys_Surrey.pdf -- this is how it appears on my hard copy. It's in purple, which means limited service... to New West Stn. Edited January 20, 2009 by BuckyHermit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckyHermit Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Yet, the alleged "limited service" to New Westminster Station isn't on the timetable. http://www.translink.bc.ca/bus/50/timetables/tt321.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwdivision Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 It is an absolute gong show out there no matter what mode of normal transportation one takes. With the massive increase in bus passengers, buses are running late and leaving passengers behind at bus stops. Chartering a helicopter would be the fastest way to get across the Fraser River. I know every little bit helps but seriously what are four more additional trains shuttling between Scott Road and Waterfront stations to ease the pressure during rush hourtrains going to do? Basically nothing considering those trains should be commencing and terminating at King George Station. The lack of any quick response plan shows the public that if something similar like this happens during the Olympics, we're screwed. For starters, the N19 should be going 24 hours until this mess is fixed. This 4:30 am start for Skytrain is ridiculous because it is only 38 minutes earlier than normal and there are no buses starting earlier to get people to the Surrey area stations for the earlier trains. Start the trains at 3:45 with area buses even earlier and translink better work out a deal to get some more parking around Skytrain stations. On the news, the Massey tunnel's counterflow lane is to start at 5:00 am and that too should start earlier like 4:00 and go until 10:00. Then for the evening commute, begin it at 2:30 and go until 8:00 pm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nwdivision Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 So assuming the hard copy's wrong... There's NO buses that run across Hwy 1 OR Pattullo!!?? No wonder Surrey's been bitching about more buses. The Skytrain bridge is why there are hardly any buses on the Pattullo. Why translink can't put buses on the Port Mann bridge temporarily during this Pattullo fiasco is total stupidity and ignorant. Some of these translink officials, managers should wake up and get a dose of reality as they really have no clue when there are zero buses on the Port Mann. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nitronuts Posted January 20, 2009 Author Share Posted January 20, 2009 For starters, the N19 should be going 24 hours until this mess is fixed. This 4:30 am start for Skytrain is ridiculous because it is only 38 minutes earlier than normal and there are no buses starting earlier to get people to the Surrey area stations for the earlier trains. Start the trains at 3:45 with area buses even earlier and translink better work out a deal to get some more parking around Skytrain stations. On the news, the Massey tunnel's counterflow lane is to start at 5:00 am and that too should start earlier like 4:00 and go until 10:00. Then for the evening commute, begin it at 2:30 and go until 8:00 pm. It starts at 4.30 and not earlier because of neccessary maintenance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violator Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 (edited) The Skytrain bridge is why there are hardly any buses on the Pattullo. Why translink can't put buses on the Port Mann bridge temporarily during this Pattullo fiasco is total stupidity and ignorant. Some of these translink officials, managers should wake up and get a dose of reality as they really have no clue when there are zero buses on the Port Mann. Cause they cant guarantee a scheduled arrival and departure times for the bus routes. Edited January 20, 2009 by bignickdawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_1 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Cause they cant guarantee a scheduled arrival and departure times for the bus routes. It would take an hour + to cross on a bus so it makes no sense. It makes much more sense for buses to link to skytrain stations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buggernut Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Cause they cant guarantee a scheduled arrival and departure times for the bus routes. Like they let that bother them for any of their other routes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Like they let that bother them for any of their other routes. If Translink puts buses on the port Mann in these next 4 weeks, it'd just be a huge waste of resources. You're using up buses that can service other routes, as well as bus drivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Common sense Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 translink has said they are looking into fare discounts during this time. Anyone think that's possible? (to make it a 2-zone from Surrey-Vancouver instead of 3-zone) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buggernut Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 translink has said they are looking into fare discounts during this time. Anyone think that's possible? (to make it a 2-zone from Surrey-Vancouver instead of 3-zone) It wouldn't be fair to us Coquitlamers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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