Quote:
Originally Posted by Metro-One
 Exactly.
Hell, I have even stated that if this tunnel were to be replaced with an 8 lane structure, I would be more than happy if it were done to include 2 commercial / truck only lanes + 2 Bus / HOV only lanes (allowing a rapid bus) and therefore still only having 4 general purpose lanes (which exist today).
Along with bike / pedestrian infrastructure. I am not demanding an increase in SOV capacity, but a structure that properly encourages car pooling, allows for a rapid Bus system, and streamlines the flow of goods. |
I actually think that would work fine. You'd also need to make sure the Highway 17 and Steveston Highway interchages accomodated a truck only option. And/or have truck only interchange.
The 2 things that cause most of the traffic are 1) Truck traffic and 2) needing to go down to 1 lane.
If you allow a constant flow of 2 lanes for cars either direction, you push trucks to 1 specific lane only, and you have a dedicated HOV that doesn't merge into regular traffic, AND GET THAT HOV TO THE LEFT!!!! not the right hand side, then I think 8 lanes is sufficient.
Vancouver isn't adding new lanes into the city and quite frankly I think most of the South of Fraser development should focus on getting people not going to Vancouver but to Surrey Central anyway. We should at most do an 8 lane crossing and then focus on transit expansion.
Rapid bus would be the transit component to this though I'd argue the bus service from Bridgeport to Ladner Loop and the Ferries is actually quite outstanding. Even to South Surrey it is pretty good.
Basically my vision for the project would be:
Northbound:
1) Make BUS lane between KGB and HWY91 an actual HOV lane
2) Move the new HOV lane to the center rather than the right side
3) Extend the new HOV lane from HWY91 to where it starts now just at the dump curve
4) Move the existing HOV to the left from the right
5) Have a truck only lane from the new SFPR interchange over the river exitting at Steveston
6) 2 general lanes over the new crossing
7) Extend HOV on the left through to Bridgeport
8) Final crossing = 1 HOV, 2 General, 1 Trucks Only
Southbound:
1) Convert Bus only to HOV lane from Bridgeport
2) Move to left from right side
3) Add new truck only exit from Steveston over new crossing
4) Same southbound crossing config as northbound
5) Regular exits at Hwy 17 and SFPR
6) Add new HOV lane (1 HOV + 2 General) to HWY 91 interchange
7) Add new general lane from HWY 91 to KGB (1 HOV + 3 General)
8) HOV and 1 general end at KGB (2 general beyond, no changes)
So really in the above what you're doing is constructing a new 8 lane crossing, doing some lane reconfigurations from HWY 91 to Bridgeport, adding 1 lane from HWY 91 to dump curve Northbound, tweaking or reconstructing the interchange at Steveston, slight reconfiguration of the interchange at HWY 17, minor tweaking at SFPR interchange, and the addition of 2 lanes from HWY 91 to KGB southbound.
The project to add the new bus lane from KGB to HWY91 was something like $5 million so if you make that $15 million or so because you're adding 2 lanes (HOV + 1 general) that isn't much. Most of the cost would be the new crossing and a bit of tweaking.
You're also not technically increasing traffic through to Vancouver, you're enhancing the HOV/BUS service, and you're accomodating the Truck Traffic = goods.
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Pic of 2 slightly used rapid bus on the 99 coming from the tunnel. Double the height for less road length. 
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