SkyTrain Billions Better Spent on Trams: Study

[agrant]

Front yards actually, and we're not all rich. You physically couldn't fit it in properly. Imagine clear cutting most of the trees and columns 30 feet from the front door. Housing prices would drop like a stone. Let's stop talking about 8th as an above ground option please. 10th is no different. Completely absurd IMO.

[deasine]

Originally Posted by jlousa

Acutally it would follow CPTED (Crime prevention thru environmental design) Anything that increases eyes on the street is a good thing.

No different then DVBIA's idea to remove garbage bins from downtown alleys to make it a more inviting place to walk. It's believed that by adding foot traffic you decrease crime.

Originally Posted by fever

I don't really get the cpted connection

neither alley is continuous anyway

Let's say it is possible to build the guideway over the alley... you are basically making it much darker. Dark spaces = crime = not advised CPTED.

[Overground]

Originally Posted by agrant

Front yards actually, and we're not all rich. You physically couldn't fit it in properly. Imagine clear cutting most of the trees and columns 30 feet from the front door. Housing prices would drop like a stone. Let's stop talking about 8th as an above ground option please. 10th is no different. Completely absurd IMO.

Finally a voice of reason. Absurd indeed.

[SpongeG]

it either has to run along the street like portland or go underground

[geoff's two cents]

As my previous post indicates, I'm as much a fan as anyone of an above-ground skytrain, but the most reasonable suggestion here seems to me to be a line that is underground for the length of Broadway, and above-ground when it gets to the endowment lands. This would be the most responsible budget-wise, and would alienate few of us, I think, from an aesthetic point of view.

Putting the line down the middle of Broadway and having it work might be possible in my own dictatorial utopia , but in the real world it would, as paradigm4 suggests, destroy the feel of the street. The line would not be adequately serving the high density along Broadway if it was put anywhere else, and even I must admit that the back alleyway would be disastrous for whoever is occupying the above-ground residential or commercial suites (otherwise, I wish the New West alley configuration could be transplanted, not that the results in that city haven't been a bit mixed).

And no, the change of heart was not due entirely to deasine's death threats.

[MistyMountainHop]

Just put it under 10th, then have it come above ground before it gets to UBC.

[Chioster]

We need a skytrain up to SFU too. Good thing I left my house early today, when I got off the skytrain at production way, the bus had just left and the lineup was zero so I stood there and waited. Somehow, the next bus was 15 mins late and 8 skytrains(4 from each direction) past and the whole production way station platform was JAMMED, the line up was basically curling around those big poles that hold up the building above it. It was just a nightmare. Like I said, good thing I left early today or I might have had to wait for 5-6 buses(articulate) before getting on.

[deasine]

Not sure if SkyTrain would be the best choice for SFU honestly. Some form of more reliable rapid transit for sure, but not necessarily SkyTrain. LRT along the Hastings Corridor would be nice.

I always envisioned a LRT from SFU down the Hastings Corridor through Downtown and across the Lions Gate Bridge (a four lane tunnel, expandable to six, will be built for car traffic).

[mr.x]

Have a gondola going up to SFU from Production Way Station, like the Whistler Peak to Peak with similar cabins.

[geoff's two cents]

Originally Posted by deasine

Not sure if SkyTrain would be the best choice for SFU honestly. Some form of more reliable rapid transit for sure, but not necessarily SkyTrain. LRT along the Hastings Corridor would be nice.

I always envisioned a LRT from SFU down the Hastings Corridor through Downtown and across the Lions Gate Bridge (a four lane tunnel, expandable to six, will be built for car traffic).

Why not skytrain? I'm not disagreeing with you - just want to know the reasoning.

[clooless]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Have a gondola going up to SFU from Production Way Station, like the Whistler Peak to Peak with similar cabins.

Similar to the Portland Aerial Tram?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Aerial_Tram

Although I think a gondola system uses more cars.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by clooless

Similar to the Portland Aerial Tram?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Aerial_Tram

Although I think a gondola system uses more cars.

No, more like the Whistler Peak to Peak. For example, it has 28 cabins each with a capacity of 28 passengers. With more towers on a SFU-SkyTrain system, you could have more cabins and thus more capacity.


The problem with the Portland aerial tram is that it has very limited capacity....you can only have one cabin and it only gives you a capacity of about 60 people....hardly enough for going up Burnaby Mountain.

[SpongeG]

i could see a tran going from deep cover over the inlet up to SFU and down to the skytrain station

now that would change the lower mainland traffic

[ravman]

i have heard that a gondola system is under consideration at SFU. but it prob wont be for a looong while if it does occur

[deasine]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

Have a gondola going up to SFU from Production Way Station, like the Whistler Peak to Peak with similar cabins.

I would like to see something like that too. But then again, we need some form of "rapid transit" from Hastings/Downtown to SFU as well.

Originally Posted by geoff's two cents

Why not skytrain? I'm not disagreeing with you - just want to know the reasoning.

Well we all know that SkyTrain is incredibly expensive. There are plans to grow and densify the Hastings corridor, but I cannot see it grow as much as the present Broadway corridor, and of course, not even what the Broadway corridor will become.

The Hastings LRT corridor could be the start of the future Streetcar/LRT network throughout Vancouver. You could have potential Streetcar/LRT lines branching off the main Hastings line, like Victoria Streetcar.

[lightrail]

Originally Posted by mr.x2

No, more like the Whistler Peak to Peak. For example, it has 28 cabins each with a capacity of 28 passengers. With more towers on a SFU-SkyTrain system, you could have more cabins and thus more capacity.


The problem with the Portland aerial tram is that it has very limited capacity....you can only have one cabin and it only gives you a capacity of about 60 people....hardly enough for going up Burnaby Mountain.

Gondola's are not that fast. The fastest run around 8m/s, which is 28km/h. The aerial trams have capacity limits too as the weight must stay within safety tolerances for the wires and towers.

[geoff's two cents]

Originally Posted by deasine

I would like to see something like that too. But then again, we need some form of "rapid transit" from Hastings/Downtown to SFU as well.



Well we all know that SkyTrain is incredibly expensive. There are plans to grow and densify the Hastings corridor, but I cannot see it grow as much as the present Broadway corridor, and of course, not even what the Broadway corridor will become.

The Hastings LRT corridor could be the start of the future Streetcar/LRT network throughout Vancouver. You could have potential Streetcar/LRT lines branching off the main Hastings line, like Victoria Streetcar.

LRT to SFU - I like it! You're right about the expense too. Ideally, there'd be the same political will to fund a subway along that stretch as there was for the Canada line - It wouldn't just connect SFU and downtown, but would also serve the Pacific Colosseum and Playland/PNE. The current development on Burnaby Mountain makes it even more imperative that the mountain be well connected. However, given the finite amount of resources the city and province have at their disposal, I understand completely.

A question though - would the grade on Burnaby Mountain be too steep for a streetcar/LRT?

[deasine]

Originally Posted by geoff's two cents

A question though - would the grade on Burnaby Mountain be too steep for a streetcar/LRT?

The part I haven't exactly figured out yet =P

[SpongeG]

what about a little gondola only a few per thing?

like they use this one in spain



people are gonna be aware that it is a slow mode and can acoomodate for it

[Dave2]

Originally Posted by deasine

The part I haven't exactly figured out yet =P

A verrrrry deep subway station directly below the SFU campus.