Arbutus: Greenway & Future Streetcar | Proposed

[Alon]

Is there a real service need for this? The #16 is a very busy bus, but is there a lot of demand along Arbutus as opposed to between Arbutus and Downtown/Hastings?

[logan5]

I believe that the peak total demand for transport into DT Vancouver from the south metro, by all modes combined (car, bus, train, etc.,) can be met by the canada line. if i read the traffic screenline report right, canada line has enough capacity to handle peak absolute demand (15 000 pphpd).

[Alon]

It's not just a capacity question. If there are a lot of people getting on the #16 on Arbutus riding to Downtown, then light rail to Granville Island doesn't meet their transportation needs and will not get their patronage; they'd be better served by building the UBC extension faster, so that they could go from Broadway and Arbutus to City Hall and transfer there to the Canada Line.

[logan5]

I assume an arbutus line would terminate in downtown vancouver. I would guess for most residents along arbutus, it would be faster to ride east on the bus to connect to the canada line to get downtown. If you live close to downtown, then a one ticket ride on the bus would probly be preferable.

[officedweller]

Agreed. If Artbutus is built out as LRT in 20 years or more, I could see it crossing Granville Bridge (as long as they don't remove all usable RoW space for that pedestrian path).

Even if "Combo 1"

http://www.translink.ca/en/Plans-and...e-Designs.aspx

is built and extended down Arbutus, I would expect an Arbutus extension to eventually include a False Creek crossing to downtown.

[Canadian Mind]

I had always imagined 2 uses for arbutus, hopefully in conjunction (one stacked above the other). 1 would be access for heavy rail transit south through Richmond, then east to Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, and maybe even Chilliwack/Hope. The other use would be as a HSR line south to Seattle, Portland, and maybe someday the California coast.

[Jebby]

Originally Posted by Canadian Mind

I had always imagined 2 uses for arbutus, hopefully in conjunction (one stacked above the other). 1 would be access for heavy rail transit south through Richmond, then east to Surrey, Langley, Abbotsford, and maybe even Chilliwack/Hope. The other use would be as a HSR line south to Seattle, Portland, and maybe someday the California coast.

Why would HSR or heavy rail go down that path? They'd be better suited along Highway 1 and the Grandview Cut.

[officedweller]

Agreed, that's way too far west.
Take a ruler north from Blaine (which itself may be west of an HSR route) and draw a line northwards.

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by Jebby

Why would HSR or heavy rail go down that path? They'd be better suited along Highway 1 and the Grandview Cut.

Would they share the PMB? cause there isn't a lot of room left around PMB for a rail crossing.

[MetroRailRoad]

I do't think there is a need to build a rail line down the Arbutus corridor at the moment. The most recent proposal that I am aware of is the Canada Line running down Arbutus, but that was rejected in favor of building it down Cambie street. I believe this was because there is little use for such a line down that corridor.

[Conrad Yablonski]

Nominated for The Largest Load of Wank in decades-rarely have so few wasted so much electricity.

[AverageJoe]

Well this is an interesting development...
Trains may run again on Westside Vancouver's Arbutus corridor

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/met...138/story.html

Quote:
"Ed Greenberg, a CP spokesman, said the railway company is clearing out brush along the line as well as surveying its property lines. 'We are doing a new survey to ensure we have a current record of our property,' he said. 'We are continuing to explore operational options for the line, but no decisions have been made at this time.'"

I would guess CP would be fully within their right to operate whatever trains they want on their railway. It might not be neighbourly but business is business... I'd imagine the right-of-way Starbucks owner would be rather concerned about this development.

[logicbomb]

I doubt we'll ever see a train run along the ROW, simply because there's no longer any industrial lands along the Arbutus Corridor or the Northern False Creek areas.

Would it solely service the Molson Brewery? Doubt it, the cost of re-implementing the line would exceed any potential benefit.

I think this is CP trying to irk local residents (who are now shitting their pants at the thought of having trains through their neighborhood), who will in turn begin to pressure the City into allowing CP to re-develop the lands. CP just recently abandoned the Marpole segment that runs west of Oak (which continues on as the Arbutus line) and the Marpole Spur is barely holding on nowadays too (guessing the segment will be abandoned in a few years).

[aberdeen5698]

Originally Posted by logicbomb

I think this is CP trying to irk local residents (who are now shitting their pants at the thought of having trains through their neighborhood), who will in turn begin to pressure the City into allowing CP to re-develop the lands.

I suspect it's more likely that they want a survey of their property so they have a legal record of ownership that they can use for whatever they're planning. With Hunter Harrison now at the helm, and knowing that he can't abide waste or idle assets, it's even possible that they may be finally ready to consider selling.

[phesto]

Originally Posted by AverageJoe

I'd imagine the right-of-way Starbucks owner would be rather concerned about this development.

Interestingly, that Starbucks property was put up for sale just a few months ago...not sure if it sold.

[theKB]

Would be interesting to pop in an LRT type route along this line...

One can dream

[Tetsuo]

Does anyone have history about the former Steveston ROW along Railway Ave in Richmond. Amazing to think Richmond city only paid CP $2 million for the entire stretch.

[theho]

I have imagined that since the Arbutus corridor does not have that many level crossings that a mostly grade separated service would be possible if they trenched those crossings. (maybe covered below grade stations?). There is probably a ton of other infrastructure in the way under those crossings though. It'd be cool if it could some how terminate (or at least reach) at Marine Drive Station.

[trofirhen]

Originally Posted by theho

I have imagined that since the Arbutus corridor does not have that many level crossings that a mostly grade separated service would be possible if they trenched those crossings. (maybe covered below grade stations?). There is probably a ton of other infrastructure in the way under those crossings though. It'd be cool if it could some how terminate (or at least reach) at Marine Drive Station.

Agreed. Cutting south through Point Grey slices through too many major east-west streets for this not to be grade-separated, even partially, as you say. Parts of it already have a route, down beside Arbutus itself, then up the tight curve on the escarpment and on to 41st. That station might need to be underground, too. But, hey, terminating as Marine Drive station would be great.
Where do you see it starting from in the other direction?

[theKB]

Originally Posted by trofirhen

Agreed. Cutting south through Point Grey slices through too many major east-west streets for this not to be grade-separated, even partially, as you say. Parts of it already have a route, down beside Arbutus itself, then up the tight curve on the escarpment and on to 41st. That station might need to be underground, too. But, hey, terminating as Marine Drive station would be great.
Where do you see it starting from in the other direction?

Theoretically couldn't they reconnect at granville island somehow and basically take it all the way around down to yaletown?

There is also no reason why they couldn't connect it to marine station as there is track going down to the crossing at the fraser as well as along kent. It would just have to work with the freight traffic down there.