Vancouver Downtown Streetcar | Proposed

[Zassk]

^ It is BCTV... a negative vibe is implicit. They are eerily effective on my parents and their social circle. Demo streetcar arrives: crease brow, must worry!

[WarrenC12]

Well, they do have a point. You have to look at it in the context where the City is planning to shut down both the conservatory and the petting zoo for what amounts to far less than $1m to keep them open.

On the other hand they spent $8m to refurbish a rail line to use for 60 days. Sure they want it to continue, but Translink appears to want nothing to do with it. At least they didn't mention that part... yet.

As much as I want it to succeed, I have to shake my head at the "plan" so far.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Well, they do have a point. You have to look at it in the context where the City is planning to shut down both the conservatory and the petting zoo for what amounts to far less than $1m to keep them open.

On the other hand they spent $8m to refurbish a rail line to use for 60 days. Sure they want it to continue, but Translink appears to want nothing to do with it. At least they didn't mention that part... yet.

As much as I want it to succeed, I have to shake my head at the "plan" so far.

Keep in mind, the City of Vancouver spent this money BEFORE it was in financial crisis.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by deasine

Keep in mind, the City of Vancouver spent this money BEFORE it was in financial crisis.

So, long before they had any semblance of a plan?

When did they approve this? If it was last year's budget at this time of year, they should have seen the writing on the wall with respect to the economy.

Anyway, like I said, I want this to succeed, but if it does, it will happen despite the total lack of a supported plan, rather than because of one.

[Metro-One]

If you really want to make a city livable, then don't close down facilities such as the petting zoo and observatory. These are kind of important to family life, and even tourists.

But i think this project is important, and the money for this project is well spent.

Where they could have saved money was not re-doing Pacific Boulevard, that was a big waste when such facilities are closing (and the viaduct study).

[SpongeG]

its the beginning of something and is in place at least and there will be streetcars as usual next summer run by the old folks

[Rusty Gull]

^ You gotta love the old folks running the heritage streetcars. I wonder if that's what the SSP forumers will be doing when we retire?

By the way, I wonder what their thoughts on the Bombardier cars are? You just know it is either a love or absolute hate thing.

[johnjimbc]

Originally Posted by Zassk

^ It is BCTV... a negative vibe is implicit. They are eerily effective on my parents and their social circle. Demo streetcar arrives: crease brow, must worry!

That is hilarious. I always wondered what generated that BC phenomenon.

[tom_g]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

Sure they want it to continue, but Translink appears to want nothing to do with it. At least they didn't mention that part... yet.

Well, that ought to get the public on board then. Just tell them Translink opposes it. Anything Translink opposes must be a good thing...

[Zassk]

The Flexity streetcars look awesome, and I'd love to see one running all the way to Stanley Park. But I wish it could be done without sharing roadway with cars. We need a pedestrian/streetcar dedicated street running east/west through downtown... but we don't have one and I can't see where we'd create one. Kicking cars off Robson is a pipe dream.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Zassk

The Flexity streetcars look awesome, and I'd love to see one running all the way to Stanley Park. But I wish it could be done without sharing roadway with cars. We need a pedestrian/streetcar dedicated street running east/west through downtown... but we don't have one and I can't see where we'd create one. Kicking cars off Robson is a pipe dream.

What about down through gastown? If anywhere, I think that's a reasonable area for it to share with cars.

[BCPhil]

Originally Posted by Rusty Gull

By the way, I wonder what their thoughts on the Bombardier cars are? You just know it is either a love or absolute hate thing.

I think it's love. They are a big part of trying to bring streetcars back to Vancouver, and they are getting to drive the new ones, so this is probably a realization of a dream for them.

Originally Posted by Zassk

The Flexity streetcars look awesome, and I'd love to see one running all the way to Stanley Park. But I wish it could be done without sharing roadway with cars. We need a pedestrian/streetcar dedicated street running east/west through downtown... but we don't have one and I can't see where we'd create one. Kicking cars off Robson is a pipe dream.

I don't think that is much of an issue. The way the downtown Streetcar network is planned there isn't much road sharing.

All the way from Granville Island to Olympic Village Station the train is in its own trench. From there to Science world it will run in a dedicated median past the village. Down Quebec street it is planned to be off to the west side of the street, not taking up (or being on) any road lanes. Then it starts sharing road lanes on Columbia, which isn't a busy road at all. But I think it's only one lane it will share and the other will be dedicated (as Columbia is a 1 way street). Then turning the track will be split on Water and Cordova. Those streets are also not that busy. Cordova is pretty wide and sharing a lane is no big deal, and I think they would remove the curbside parking on Water. I think the tricky part is then where the tracks merge on Cordova infront of Waterfront. But after that through to Stanley park W Cordova isn't that busy (heck, some of the crosswalks are even uncontrolled) and I think they want it on the curb on Georgia.

The system seems pretty well thought out to minimize the amount of lanes it shares with traffic, while at the same time, not remove any valuable lanes for automobiles. The whole thing would be pretty cheap to implement, hardly effect traffic, revitalize Gastown (further) and Chinatown and be a great way for locals and tourists to get around and comes with built in marketing appeal.

[twoNeurons]

I really don't think that closing down Robson has been given enough consideration. I don't think the street would die. I think it would thrive.

It's essentially the city's "high" street and as such it can survive very well without car traffic. Most of the time, people driving downtown are parking blocks away from their destination on Robson ( if they're parking on the street ) so they're walking anyhow.

Buses could remain on the street and the main east-west corridor then becomes Georgia. Or how about taking parking away between Bute and Burrard and reclaiming it as sidewalk. Robson really needs wider sidewalks and better weather protection. ( Massive canopy? )

[WarrenC12]

Closing down Robson?

There's already limited E-W access for cars downtown. Remember there's essentially nothing that goes the full distance between Davie and Robson. Trust me, cars still need access to that street.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by twoNeurons

I really don't think that closing down Robson has been given enough consideration. I don't think the street would die. I think it would thrive.

It's essentially the city's "high" street and as such it can survive very well without car traffic. Most of the time, people driving downtown are parking blocks away from their destination on Robson ( if they're parking on the street ) so they're walking anyhow.

Buses could remain on the street and the main east-west corridor then becomes Georgia. Or how about taking parking away between Bute and Burrard and reclaiming it as sidewalk. Robson really needs wider sidewalks and better weather protection. ( Massive canopy? )

I concur wholeheartedly. We'll see how it goes with Robson shutdown during the Olympics

[DKaz]

I'm divided on the whole closing Robson thing. I enjoy the Robson as a pedestrian, I enjoy Robson as a transit user, but I also enjoy cruising in my car on Robson. Also, Robson is more of a collector road whereas Georgia is a throughfare arterial.

[SFUVancouver]

The two restored old Interurbans.

Taken by SFUVancouver, December 8th, 2009

Old interurbans meet the new Bombardier Flexity tram.

Taken by SFUVancouver, December 8th, 2009

Old and new get to know each other.

Taken by SFUVancouver, December 8th, 2009

[red-paladin]

Granville is already a transit mall. It would make far more sense to have nothing but streetcars on Granville than do anything to Robson. I like the fact that Robson is always jam-packed with people, cars and buses. That's what makes it so busy.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by SFUVancouver

Old and new get to know each other.

Taken by SFUVancouver, December 8th, 2009

Awww... ain't that a cute couple. She's blushing.

[Rusty Gull]

^ That's so cool. It's like one of those Thomas the Train children's stories, when the trains starts arguing with eachother about who's faster or stronger (or, I suppose nowadways, greener) - but by the end of the book, they are all best friends.