Blue Sky dreaming: Ultimate Rapid Transit network

[paradigm4]

Translink recently announced that it is soon going to be working on a new 30 year transport plan, and wanted any and all ideas for this future network. Similar to a bit of what was discussed in this other thread, I wanted to get everyone's ideas on their ultimate rapid transit network for the new Translink (from Whistler, to Vancouver, to the Valley, to Hope).

If money was no object, and all projects could be completed, what type of routes would you have and where would they be? Would they be SkyTrain, LRT, commuter rail, aerial tram, passenger ferry, etc.?

Go completely blue sky here. Maybe we can come up with a few cool ideas.

EDIT: I'd also like to note that Google Maps has a cool "My Maps" function where you can easily mark points and draw lines on maps, and then save the map and link back to it. It would be a great way to visualize any proposed routes.

[SpongeG]

i think a line from richmond to north burnaby - sort of run along no3 road cross just east of knight street along the fraser river and where willingdon would be along willingdon and than along hastings to SFU maybe ending up at lougheed or something

[Canadian Mind]

Canada line stations would have the possibility to be extended.

Canada line would loop around richmond and reconnect by the airport.

Skytrain would continue east to abbotsford, then loop around south and re-connect at King George. there would also be another arm that heads north into mission, and then west, crossing the river again along the golden ears bridge to arrive at a future station in langley, and then the line would cross the river once more back into maple ridge, and eventually hook up with evergreen SKYTRAIN line there.

I'd also have a line that runs from metro-town station into south vancouver, ending near a canada line station by the river.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

i think a line from richmond to north burnaby - sort of run along no3 road cross just east of knight street along the fraser river and where willingdon would be along willingdon and than along hastings to SFU maybe ending up at lougheed or something

Well, I would think that having the Canada Line down No. 3 Road somewhat negates the purpose of having a line on the same route. Would this run along the Fraser, then head north onto Willingdon? And then past SFU, connect back up with the Millennium Line?

I think a good route would be to run along Hastings (where they plan to put the B-Line), all the way to Willingdon, then turn south and make a final connection with Metrotown. This would be different from the proposed B-Line, which is supposed to just stay on Hastings all the way to SFU.

Frankly, I think that we shouldn't be paying insane amounts of money to make superfluous connections to universities unless they do a cost sharing program (whether this means SkyTrain or an aerial tram to SFU, or underground SkyTrain to UBC).

Anyways, I think the route I mentioned would not only help rejuvenate the DTES, but also provide Northeast Van, the PNE, and BCIT with rapid transit, while making a vital cross through between North and South Burnaby.

[twoNeurons]

Maps! We need Maps people!

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by paradigm4

Well, I would think that having the Canada Line down No. 3 Road somewhat negates the purpose of having a line on the same route. Would this run along the Fraser, then head north onto Willingdon? And then past SFU, connect back up with the Millennium Line?

I think a good route would be to run along Hastings (where they plan to put the B-Line), all the way to Willingdon, then turn south and make a final connection with Metrotown. This would be different from the proposed B-Line, which is supposed to just stay on Hastings all the way to SFU.

Frankly, I think that we shouldn't be paying insane amounts of money to make superfluous connections to universities unless they do a cost sharing program (whether this means SkyTrain or an aerial tram to SFU, or underground SkyTrain to UBC).

Anyways, I think the route I mentioned would not only help rejuvenate the DTES, but also provide Northeast Van, the PNE, and BCIT with rapid transit, while making a vital cross through between North and South Burnaby.

i don't know why i said no3 road - i meant the road that goes by IKEA - is it bridgeport? Richmond roads confuse the hell out of me

[SpongeG]

ok this map was really bad and was really old so its a rough idea of where

[Canadian Mind]

I made this map using google earth. I resized it to make it smaller, but then the clarity when all FUBARed. It's still better than the above map for planning out routes, as it includes all of the lower mainland from Horseshoe Bay to Chillowack and the US border. It's still big, but meh

[SpongeG]

i was driving to surrey the other day and thought they really need a new bridge between new west and surrey - it could contain street car for say a route between scott road and lougheed perhaps or a new heavy rail crossing since the old one is so old and inefficient

it would help relieve patullo bridge traffic and the port mann with hwy 1 acess via brunette and provide a quicker route from north delta etc to north vancouver

[East Van]

it would be interesting to see google maps like the one above with montreal and toronto at the same scale...

[paradigm4]

Well, I've got my ideas together. Here's a quick teaser:

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by East Van

it would be interesting to see google maps like the one above with montreal and toronto at the same scale...

I'll take the hint and post the results in the Canada section later. I'll put them at the actual scale though, so the pics will be f*cking huge.

[mr.x]

Originally Posted by paradigm4

Well, I've got my ideas together. Here's a quick teaser:

*cries* that's the rapid transit network i've always dreamed of!

[Canadian Mind]

and the kind Vancouver needs.

Heh, once you get the thing done, think you could overlay the routes onto the map I provided (or a better one once it is built) so we can see exactly where they run in relation to roadways.

[SFUVancouver]

(I originally posted this in SSC under my other pseudonym "Vancouverite")

I've used LRT as a placeholder for all the proposed alignments and I'm not married to that technology. I also don't have very much in Richmond or Surrey since I don't know these municipalities well. If you have any feedback I'd love to hear it.


Thanks to imageshack.us

[edit] just realized I forgot to include the White Rock alignment in the legend. It would originate at Guildford Town Centre travel south on 152nd St in Surrey and have a terminus in White Rock.

The Northeast Connector, Northwest Connector, and the White Rock alignment could all also originate at Surrey City Centre.

I've also had the suggestion that the Boundary alignment should be along Willingdon and I will make this change since I think it has a lot going for it. I also intend to reroute the "Northeast" and Northwest" connectors to originate in Surrey City Centre/Whalley and then go through Guildford.

[paradigm4]

I just wanted everyone's opinion on one thing:

On my plan, the light blue line, which goes from Scott Road, thru Surrey to Langley, then north along 200th.... The line could either go back west and connect with the Surrey-Coquitlam pink line at Guildford, or it could cross the Golden Ears Bridge and go back northwest to connect at Coquitlam Centre.

In my plan, I chose the route in Surrey instead of across the bridge. This is because, even by going across the bridge, you don't end up hitting Maple Ridge town centre, you basically bypass it. And there's not much point of making a sharp right and loop around Maple Ridge.. I mean, it's already going to be serviced by West Coast Express anyways. And since the line is bypassing Maple Ridge, and just going through Pitt Meadows... well you get my point.

And, by going thru Surrey, you could make a stop in Port Kells, which would probably bring in just as many people as Pitt Meadows, if not more.

Does everyone agree with this point-of-view?

[SpongeG]

yeah Maple Ridge could use feeer bsuses to pitt meadows

port kells would be good - what about walnut grove? that area is nuts with growth

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

yeah Maple Ridge could use feeer bsuses to pitt meadows

port kells would be good - what about walnut grove? that area is nuts with growth

Ya, it would go right into Walnut Grove before heading northwest thru Port Kells. It would also go through Willoughby, which is the area along 200th St, between Willowbrook and Walnut Grove. Willoughby is seeing crazy development - just literally throwing townhomes and industrial buildings on top of the old huge farming residences.

[fever]

here's my stab at it...



It focuses on a streetcar network along the most developed commercial strips outside downtown Vancouver, my choices for handling future growth, and also existing rail lines in Metro Vancouver. It also aims to connect as many industrial parks as possible to the rapid transit network. The biggest omission is probably SFU and Hastings. The Central Valley line (parallel to the M Line) would have to be very fast or built as part of an upgrade for Amtrak to be worthwhile.

[paradigm4]

Originally Posted by fever

here's my stab at it...



It focuses on a streetcar network along the most developed commercial strips outside downtown Vancouver, my choices for handling future growth, and also existing rail lines in Metro Vancouver. It also aims to connect as many industrial parks as possible to the rapid transit network. The biggest omission is probably SFU and Hastings. The Central Valley line (parallel to the M Line) would have to be very fast or built as part of an upgrade for Amtrak to be worthwhile.

I strongly believe that having a Vancouver-only mentality will be ultimately detrimental to the whole region. You already see it happening in the south of Fraser region - the suburbs will keep expanding, no matter what's happening elsewhere. So you can either learn to help the suburbs shape their growth, or you can let them pave over everything. That's why I do not agree with "Vancouver handling future growth".

Not to mention the ridiculous housing prices out there. In our region's market, people pay for livability. That's what it comes down to. Downtown is the most livable, the rest of Vancouver second, and then major centres along the SkyTrain third, usually. The problem here is, most places outside of Vancouver are not nearly as livable, and so the prices there are cheaper. If the whole region was as livable as downtown, you'd see a balancing act - the suburbs would become more expensive, but as more supply filled the market, downtown would become cheaper and more accessible to people. It's all about supply and demand.

I'm also not too keen on spending money to build lines parallel to the existing SkyTrain, especially considering how much the SkyTrain cost.