Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion II

[Dengler Avenue]

One of the apartment buildings makes the area look like Soviet Russia…

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

One of the apartment buildings makes the area look like Soviet Russia…

If it's 267 Orwell you're thinking of, it's definitely still under construction but I can't see it getting much better. It's a BC Housing project, so that's the way it goes I suppose.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by chowhou

The Phibbs Exchange remodel is coming along nicely and shouldn't be too much longer; Took a picture on the road today. (I was the passenger... maybe)

[clipped]

(Also wow Lower Lynn is a lowrise haven! Just wish there was more pedestrian/transit user friendly businesses in the area.)

Originally mid-2024 completion but it's ahead of schedule so opening this Spring..

[FarmerHaight]

Originally Posted by chowhou

The Phibbs Exchange remodel is coming along nicely and shouldn't be too much longer; Took a picture on the road today. (I was the passenger... maybe)



Larger image

(Also wow Lower Lynn is a lowrise haven! Just wish there was more pedestrian/transit user friendly businesses in the area.)

You're right that the pedestrian environment in that area is lacking. I walked from Phibbs to the U-Haul yard one time and that was not a pleasant experience. That stretch of Main is a lot like Marine Drive further west, where you have some blocks with wide sidewalks and businesses fronting the sidewalk alternating with strip malls and fast-food drive-thrus.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by FarmerHaight

You're right that the pedestrian environment in that area is lacking. I walked from Phibbs to the U-Haul yard one time and that was not a pleasant experience. That stretch of Main is a lot like Marine Drive further west, where you have some blocks with wide sidewalks and businesses fronting the sidewalk alternating with strip malls and fast-food drive-thrus.

I guess there's only so much they can do. They can't do much to the road width and then they have to wait for each property along Main Street to get redeveloped to have any chance of improving the sidewalk etc. And I guess they have to figure out what to do with the Skytrain/BRT ROW.

[chowhou]

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/tran...ning-finalized

TransLink selects three rapid transit routes for planning, including two BRT services

After much debate on both the regional and individual municipal levels, TransLink and its Mayors’ Council have finalized three new rapid transit corridors for priority implementation, including Metro Vancouver’s first two BRT routes.

Out of nine BRT routes considered across the region, TransLink announced today it will be moving forward with detailed planning for high-frequency, faster arterial bus services along King George Boulevard linking Guildford Town Centre, Surrey City Centre, and White Rock.

There will also be a new BRT route linking Langley City Centre, Langley Township, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge via 200 Street and the Golden Ears Bridge.

As well, TransLink will soon advance a route extension of the existing R2 RapidBus service linking the North Shore to Metrotown via the Second Narrows.

Interesting to note that BRT is not currently planned for the Park Royal-Metrotown route, but the Burnaby proposed alignment is shown in the publicity graphics.

Also of note...

North Shore to Metrotown

TransLink states that in the “near term,” the existing R2 RapidBus service will be upgraded and extended from its current easternmost terminus of Phibbs bus exchange near the north end of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

The R2 RapidBus will cross the bridge to connect with SkyTrain Brentwood Town Centre Station and terminate at SkyTrain Metrotown Station, with stops at major destinations such as the BCIT Burnaby campus.

Currently, the R2 RapidBus runs west-east along the North Shore, starting from Park Royal in West Vancouver. The future route extension means passengers can take a one-bus ride without any transfers between Metrotown and Park Royal, which provides a total corridor length of 21 km.

Although this was previously touted as a BRT route for direct implementation, that is no longer the case. Instead, TransLink will work with the municipal governments to study potential BRT and other rail-based rapid transit alternatives. This work will then determine the permanent long-term rapid transit solution for the corridor.

During today’s press conference, TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn noted there are no plans to remove any general vehicle lanes on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to accommodate the route extension.

[bardak]

I think as long as the R2 has good queue jumping lanes onto the bridge the lack of a bus lane on the bridge itself should not be that bad.

[bardak]

So the North Shore alignment is a (well needed) NDP pet project so makes sense they are prioritising that.

The King George BRT would fulfill the original vision for RR1a option from the Surrey Rapid Transit Alternatives Analysis which as far as I can gather the Translink planning departments preferred option.

The one I don't get is the Langley/Haney Place BRT. I would think there are more high priority routes such as Scott Road, the R2, or R4. Is it just because it will relatively easy to get bus lanes on 200th and Dewdney trunk?

[simons]

Originally Posted by bardak

…

So the North Shore alignment is a (well needed) NDP pet project so makes sense they are prioritising that.

The King George BRT would fulfill the original vision for RR1a option from the Surrey Rapid Transit Alternatives Analysis which as far as I can gather the Translink planning departments preferred option.

The one I don't get is the Langley/Haney Place BRT. I would think there are more high priority routes such as Scott Road, the R2, or R4. Is it just because it will relatively easy to get bus lanes on 200th and Dewdney trunk?

R2 is the North Shore route, and TransLink’s decided against directly implementing BRT and instead prioritizing “rapid transit”, which may be BRT.

Scott Road is getting the R6, which has many BRT-like features.

R4 was never going to be BRT, and the majority of Vancouver city council has resolved to replace the study of rapid transit on 49th to UBC with a study for Hastings, which was never going to be one of the first BRTs, given Burnaby’s focus on the Park Royal Metrotown route and Burnaby Heights opposition.

I think Langley - Maple Ridge makes sense because it’s 3 municipalities to coordinate with, the roads are generally quite wide, and (my own speculation/hope is that) the R3 would be able to piggyback off of improvements to Lougheed Highway in Maple Ridge since a lot of congestion comes from intersections the BRT would have to go through as well.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by bardak

So the North Shore alignment is a (well needed) NDP pet project so makes sense they are prioritising that.

There was a commitment by Translink to the mayor's council to get planning underway on this route before planning for the UBC extension could start.

The TransLink report to the Mayors' Council says it would only happen "after the North Shore Rapid Transit and BRT Action Plan have already begun implementation."

I imagine this is a "good enough" solution to meet that requirement so that we can finally start the process on a UBC extension in earnest (which will ultimately free up a significant amount of bus capacity that could be redistributed to these or other rapidbus routes).

There also were those comments earlier this year from the ministry of transportation that a replacement for the Ironworkers bridge was something they were looking at. I imagine this will get throw around again as an election promise going into October to help retain some of the North Shore seats (although with the way polling is going it's unlikely they'll need to do much, so could be put on the backburner until 2028). Ultimately that's what will be needed for long term fixed rapid transit to the North Shore.

[jollyburger]

The bus jump lane at Kingsway/Willingdon



https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update...0863311937536/

[Lexus]

Just went for a bike ride and got a flat tire. Hoped to Scott Road and couldn’t get onto the first train WF bound it was so packed. And this happened on Saturday 8am. I was shocked tbh. I feel bad for those folks on weekdays during rush hours. They better have 5 car trains ready on day 1 when extension to Langley is completed.

[Vantage]

Originally Posted by Lexus

Just went for a bike ride and got a flat tire. Hoped to Scott Road and couldn’t get onto the first train WF bound it was so packed. And this happened on Saturday 8am. I was shocked tbh. I feel bad for those folks on weekdays during rush hours. They better have 5 car trains ready on day 1 when extension to Langley is completed.

The first 5 car train is supposed to be delivered by the end of the year. They will definitely have them ready for the SLS extension.

[Mac Write]

Original schedule was test train this month, then 1 a month starting in June 2024 finishing delivery in 2027 (this does not include the 30/6 extra trains ordered).

[jollyburger]

They completed the North Shore B-Line upgrades

https://buzzer.translink.ca/2023/11/...inutes-faster/

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They completed the North Shore B-Line upgrades

https://buzzer.translink.ca/2023/11/...inutes-faster/

Respectfully to Translink, the eastbound bike lane coming off of Lower Road looks like hell now especially if large vehicles pass you.

[idunno]

Which part are you referencing? EB on Cotton Rd now protected unlike before = seems much better?

[jollyburger]

For reference the new layout.

[greenturnedblue]

Why did so many threads start over with a 'II'? just curious.

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by greenturnedblue

Why did so many threads start over with a 'II'? just curious.

From what I understand, it was an attempt to address the frequent database errors by closing large threads that had thousands and thousands of posts.