Metro Vancouver Transit Discussion

[mr.x]

i thought this one was good. the ferry with a faint skyline backdrop.









And here are pics of it at the Panama Canal:

[djp]

I agree with some of what the above posters have mentioned. But I think population growth IS slowed down by transportation difficulties and/or a hassles. Some people are probably discouraged from living on the island because of the price/hassle of getting back and forth. By accomodating easier and (apparently cheaper since they've said something about lowering fares) transporation, I think they are essentially inviting more people to move there.

SFU, I agree that the development on the island is auto-oriented because of poor government decisions, but with the absolutely idiotic state of municipal affairs on Vancouver Island, that is certainly not going to be changing anytime soon. The Regional District of Nanaimo can't seem to approve enough sprawling single-family subdivisions here and there and everywhere...if they're carved out of hillsides and forested areas, so much the better! That's just one example but they're all terrible, even the municipalities around Victoria. Qualicum Beach, as you mentioned, is the one sane local government of the bunch and the difference is immediately apparent when you visit Qualicum.

[mr.x]

Raw footage of the arrival of Coastal Renaissance:
• Video Link

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by djp

I agree with some of what the above posters have mentioned. But I think population growth IS slowed down by transportation difficulties and/or a hassles. Some people are probably discouraged from living on the island because of the price/hassle of getting back and forth. By accomodating easier and (apparently cheaper since they've said something about lowering fares) transporation, I think they are essentially inviting more people to move there.

SFU, I agree that the development on the island is auto-oriented because of poor government decisions, but with the absolutely idiotic state of municipal affairs on Vancouver Island, that is certainly not going to be changing anytime soon. The Regional District of Nanaimo can't seem to approve enough sprawling single-family subdivisions here and there and everywhere...if they're carved out of hillsides and forested areas, so much the better! That's just one example but they're all terrible, even the municipalities around Victoria. Qualicum Beach, as you mentioned, is the one sane local government of the bunch and the difference is immediately apparent when you visit Qualicum.

when I lived on the island - my parents knew a woman and she hadn't left the island in 27 years no need for her too I guess

its definately more laid back there - kinda miss it

[SpongeG]

oh i saw the saturday westcoast express train

it looked pretty full from what i could see

how long has it been running for on saturday?

[Canadian Mind]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

when I lived on the island - my parents knew a woman and she hadn't left the island in 27 years no need for her too I guess

its definately more laid back there - kinda miss it

I know plenty of people who have lived here their entire lives, and frankly their isn't much reason to go anywhere else.

It isn't expensive as far as house prices go either. With 2 acres and a 2250 square foot house the place is still only worth $400 000

[deasine]

Interesting Blog Post (*wink* to that forum member =P [he knows what i mean])

TransLink Hijacked
Rafe Mair wrote an editorial for The Tyee, detailing the process by which TransLink has reverted back to provincial control. He also mentions several other projects whereby the Campbell government has superseded local interests. Interesting read.

This new TransLink board, all Campbell approved, without an elected person on it, will have the power to raise property taxes, buy and sell property, change property taxation classifications and run its own police force.

Here they are:

Dale Parker, a businessman who’s business financially supports the Campbell crowd;
Nancy Olewiler, an economist who serves as a Liberal appointee on BC Hydro’s board of directors;
David Unrah, lawyer and businessman who serves on many boards of directors and, get this, is the corporate director of Canada Line Rapid Transit which is overseeing the construction of the RAV — oops! — Canada Line (A little conflict of interest here?);
Jamie Bruce, an investment banker;
Sarah Goodman, PR spokesperson for Weyerhouse;
Robert Tribe, long time Executive Director of SNCF Lavalin, which makes buses and transit stuff (surely not another conflict of interest!);
Cindy Chan Piper who has a consulting firm, is a member of Vancouver’s right wing Non-Partisan Association and is a vocal supporter of Sam Sullivan (Gosh! Not another conflict of interest!); and
Skip Triplett, who has been an executive with BC Tel (now Telus), Xerox of Canada and the Steel Company of Canada.
There you have it folks. Nine members of the business community all approved in advance by Premier Campbell to represent the needs of two million Vancouverites…

… And what was the fundamental issue that triggered the American Revolution? Taxation without representation.

Well folks, George III is alive and well. He runs his fiefdom in a great big office in the parliament buildings in Victoria.

[nname]

Originally Posted by SpongeG

oh i saw the saturday westcoast express train

it looked pretty full from what i could see

how long has it been running for on saturday?

Its not a regular train...

From the WCE website:
December 15 - WCE Santa Train - Special Train

Actually.. they'll be running trainbus on sat and sun starting next year, but not regular trains

[mr.x]

i had the most peculiar bus ride experience today. on the 99 B-Line homebound, the bus driver started to warn us about being caught by the transit police for not paying our fares so he sang a transit police rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

[paradigm4]

I was procrastinating at school earlier and was playing around with vector graphics a bit. I made this stylized map. It's supposed to be an updated version of the one that's at Broadway Station.



There's the full size version here.

Any suggestions for improvements?

[raggedy13]

^Looks pretty sweet. Nice job.

[nname]

Originally Posted by paradigm4

Any suggestions for improvements?

Just quickly do this on paint... wouldn't something like this be better?

[officedweller]

I would unbold and space a gap between Granville and Vancouver City Centre Stations - although the lines cross, that is not a transfer point and it would be more confusing to vistors.

Here's my suggestion which represents the actual U-turn of the Expo Line and the 90 degree turn on the Canada Line.

[SpongeG]

Originally Posted by nname

Its not a regular train...

From the WCE website:
December 15 - WCE Santa Train - Special Train

Actually.. they'll be running trainbus on sat and sun starting next year, but not regular trains

ah - cheaper than parking at least

[mr.x]

TransLink to protect tunnels from terrorists
Three sites part of $2 million upgrade

Damian Inwood, The Province
Published: Tuesday, December 18, 2007

TransLink is launching a $2-million plan to try to make its transit tunnels terrorist-proof in the lead up to the 2010 Olympics.

"There's no doubt that the awarding of the 2010 Olympics has increased the interest in ensuring that our system is target-hardened against terrorism," TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie said yesterday. "That kind of event can draw unwanted attention to the region."

While the new Canada Line to Richmond isn't part of the plan, the 10 to 12 kilometres of tunnels on the route to Richmond will eventually use the same system.

A request for proposals has gone out for a consultant to examine the tunnels for areas of vulnerability and to do a preliminary design to help combat terrorism.

The request identifies three SkyTrain tunnels as needing protection. They are the Dunsmuir

tunnel under downtown Vancouver, between Waterfront and Burrard Stations, the Columbia cut-and-cover in New Westminster at Columbia Station, and the New Westminster tunnel, between Columbia and Sapperton stations.

It also plans to protect the West Coast Express at Waterfront Station.

TransLink plans security enhancements, which may include "smart" fencing, with an alarmed fibre-optic security system, plus barriers, gates and closed-circuit TV cameras. The systems would be monitored at the SkyTrain and West Coast Express operations and maintenance centres.

"The whole issue on security, and to consider target-hardening the system against terrorism, started after the Madrid bombings and the London Transport bombings going back to 2005," added Hardie.

The federal government gave TransLink $9.8 million as part of Ottawa's $37-million Transit Secure program.

Hardie said the tunnel program will eventually cost more than

$2 million, with $500,000 coming from TransLink and the rest from Ottawa. It will need to be mostly completed by March 2009 to qualify for federal funding, he added.

The SkyBridge over the Fraser River between Surrey and New Westminster may also be included.

Security expert John Thompson, president of the Toronto-based Mackenzie Institute, said the proposed system is not the perfect solution."It's a start," he said. "The first principle in counter-terrorism is that perfect security is impossibly expensive."

dinwood@png.canwest.com

[officedweller]

From the Burnaby Newsleader:

Metrotown pedestrian bridge gets $1m boost
December 14, 2007

The upgrading of the pedestrian footbridge that connects Metrotown SkyTrain station to Metrotown and bus transportation will be partially funded by a $1 million cheque from an area developer.

The cramped footbridge, or passerelle, will be expanded and made wheelchair accessible and is one of several future improvements to Metrotown identified in a recent Transit Village Study. Other expected upgrades are an extended SkyTrain platform, a new roof for the station, and a new transit exchange below for buses off Central Boulevard.

Under an agreement with Burnaby and TransLink, Ivanhoe Cambridge, developer of the proposed 425,000-square-foot, 27-storey Metrotown III office tower, will pay at least $1 million, or one-third, of the cost for the passerelle.

Burnaby and TransLink will pick up the rest of the tab.

A detailed design for the new passerelle is expected to be completed by TransLink in 2009, with construction to start in the spring of 2010.

[officedweller]

From the Richmond Review:

Additional buses, SkyTrain cars to come
December 19, 2007

More buses and SkyTrain cars are the big ticket capital items TransLink will spend money on in 2008.

The budget approved this month earmarks $81 million to order 40 new alternative fuel standard buses and 31 more articulated electric trolleys.

The additional buses are to be in service by 2009, although 11 of the trolleys are to increase the number of spares available.

A further 32 standard buses are also being ordered using $27 million in savings TransLink officials managed to find from the 2007 budget.

TransLink is also ordering 14 more Mark II SkyTrain cars at a cost of $17.5 million from Bombardier to try to keep pace with growing ridership.

They’ll arrive in 2010, after an initial order of 34 cars that are slated to arrive and bolster SkyTrain service in 2009.

TransLink also plans to order 19 new community shuttles to expand service in Langley.

Those are expected to be larger capacity than the traditional 24-passenger shuttles.

Officials want to find an intermediate-size vehicle for Langley that can hold more people but is still smaller than conventional 40-foot buses.

Also budgeted are 55 new HandyDART minibuses—more than half to replace aging ones.

The twin SeaBuses are also slated for a mid-life retrofit. The $14.7-million worth of work is to upgrade or replace several systems, allowing the Burrard Beaver and Burrard Otter to run for another 30 years. They’ll also get replaced passenger seats and new floor and wall colours to match the third SeaBus, due to arrive in 2009.

Another $50 million is earmarked as TransLink’s contribution to building nine new overpasses to separate road and train traffic along the Roberts Bank rail corridor from Delta through Langley.

The $314-million capital budget doesn’t include the planned $1-billion Evergreen light rail line, but TransLink officials say that will be budgeted separately after full project funding is confirmed.

Officials are still waiting for the provincial and federal governments to step up and bridge a $400-million funding shortfall.

Also budgeted are:

•$25 million in upgrades for Broadway and Main Street SkyTrain stations.

•$6.7 million for security cameras on buses and other safety improvements.

•$10.3 million for new bus loops at Marine Drive, Bridgeport and Brighouse along the Canada Line.

TransLink is projecting transit ridership will grow at a slower 2.2 per cent pace in 2008 because of the effect of the fare increases that take effect Jan. 1.

“The dampening effect of the fare increase is expected to be short-lived,” according to a report that projects ridership growth will rebound by 4.5 per cent by 2009.

The projections are contained in TransLink’s 2008 budget, approved by the outgoing board Dec. 12.

The transportation authority expects to take in $924 million in revenue, mostly from fares, fuel taxes and property tax.

Nearly $675 million will go to transit spending, another $142 million will go to debt servicing and $96 million will go to roads and bridges and other TransLink spending.

An $11.5 million surplus is forecast, which should increase the accumulated surplus to $408 million.

[mr.x]

A detailed design for the new passerelle is expected to be completed by TransLink in 2009, with construction to start in the spring of 2010.

spring of 2010? that's unfortunate, they said they would try to get it done in time for 2010. great news though that the mall is paying a million of the $3 million cost to replace the passarelle.

$25 million in upgrades for Broadway and Main Street SkyTrain stations.

But i'm guessing these are still slated for pre-2010 completion since they're near Olympic sites. i'm a little dissapointed at what they're planning for Broadway, i thought there would be a lot more considering it's the busiest station in the network.

The twin SeaBuses are also slated for a mid-life retrofit. The $14.7-million worth of work is to upgrade or replace several systems, allowing the Burrard Beaver and Burrard Otter to run for another 30 years. They’ll also get replaced passenger seats and new floor and wall colours to match the third SeaBus, due to arrive in 2009.

another 30 years??? and have they even ordered the third SeaBus?

TransLink is also ordering 14 more Mark II SkyTrain cars at a cost of $17.5 million from Bombardier to try to keep pace with growing ridership.

They’ll arrive in 2010, after an initial order of 34 cars that are slated to arrive and bolster SkyTrain service in 2009.

great news, but 14 cars for only $17.5 million? The 34-car contract cost $113 million in comparison. Bombardier must be having a Christmas sale or something...

That'll boost the Mark II fleet to 108 cars from 60 cars today (48 new cars).

And just for comparisons sake with the Canada Line....

- 48 Mark II cars x 130 capacity each = 6240 passenger capacity
- 40 Rotem cars x 167 capacity each = 6680 passenger capacity

OR

- 40 Rotem cars x 200 capacity each = 8000 passenger capacity

i find the 167 car capacity figure to be more realistic. btw, thx for posting the articles.

[officedweller]

Here's the full Translink Report:

http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/boa...al_Program.pdf

The $17.5M is only the additional funds required in additional to fund already in reserve from the original budget. Also good to see that the MKIs will be overhauled and not retired/withdrawn.

2009 Skytrain Expansion
Capital Cost = $17.535 million
In-Service Date = 2010
SkyTrain has experienced much higher than anticipated levels of
ridership growth anticipated over the last several years resulting in
consistent overcrowding. To address the ridership forecast to 2010, the
Board previously approved a capital project to procure 34 MKII
expansion cars for delivery in 2009. To address demand beyond 2010,
the contract with Bombardier included two options (for 14 and 24 MKII
cars) which could be exercised in late 2008 and early 2009 based on
further ridership and planning analyses.
This project is to exercise the first contract option with Bombardier for
the procurement of 14 Mark II SkyTrain cars (7 married pairs) for
delivery starting in 2010. TransLink must exercise the first option by
November 21, 2008.
Based on modelled ridership growth at a rate of 3% per year, this order
is expected to accommodate the projected ridership growth to 2012. The
second option of 24 MKII cars may be exercised in 2009 as part of the
2009 Capital Program to enable SkyTrain capacity to meet demand until
2018. In addition to accommodating future ridership growth, the 14 new
SkyTrain cars will help maintain service quality while the aging Mark I
trains are taken out of service for overhaul.
This project is consistent with the 10-Year Outlook’s objective to ensure
that rapid transit is an attractive alternative to the private automobile.
The total project budget estimate is $52.010M. This has been reduced by
the $34.475M unused funds from the 34 MKII expansion project. At the
time of Specific Project Approval, it was recommended that these funds
be held in the Capital Program in anticipation of the procurement of
additional cars. The project budget request is therefore for new capital
funds only.

Main Street SkyTrain
Station Upgrade – Detailed
Design and Construction
Capital Cost = $11.945 million
In-Service Date = 2009
Main Street SkyTrain Station is the primary transfer point between
SkyTrain and three high-frequency transit services, and the majority of
passengers arrive and depart the station by bus on both sides of Main
Street. The majority of these passengers are transferring through the east
side of the station.
Main Street SkyTrain Station currently has significant access constraints
and issues. Currently, access to the station does not meet minimum
standards and there are capacity constraints within the station.
Improving accessibility and maximizing capacity over the near-term is
also particularly crucial due to the significantly increased demand
expected at this station during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
This Capital Project Proposal is to fund Detailed Design and
Construction of the following Main Street SkyTrain station upgrades
will be proposed for implementation in a phased approach:
Phase 1 – East Side – new station house, escalator and stair, elevator,
canopy extension for bus shelter, platform at east station house with
TVMs, and glass safety barrier;
Phase 2 - West side (below platform level) – Additional stairs and upescalator
from Main Street, re-alignment and addition of an escalator
onto the eastern face of the platform, upgrade of the existing south
facing entry along Terminal Avenue with escalator and stair, optional
new retail space along Terminal Avenue, canopy extension for bus
shelter.
Both phases are included in the scope and budget of this project,
however Phase 1 will commence before Phase 2.

Broadway SkyTrain Station
Upgrade – Phase 1
Capital Cost = $13.805 million
In-Service Date = 2009
The Broadway/Commercial transfer interchange is the single most
important transfer point in the Metro Vancouver region. Not designed as
a major hub, the station complex has evolved incrementally on
constrained sites, and with key functional elements designed in isolation
of each other.
The Broadway and Commercial SkyTrain stations are at, or approaching,
capacity at key access points in the station complex. Ridership growth
has accelerated in the last four years and the number of station boardings
is expected to double within the next 10-15 years. Significant upgrades
to existing station capacity and access capacity are needed in order to
alleviate immediate pressures at the station, and to realize the longerterm
ridership benefits of network and vehicle expansion investments.
This project is the first phase of a 2-phase approach, and includes the
construction of those upgrades which can be completed by 2009, and
which may include the following:
• Relocated elevator and electrical services shaft
• New escalator with stair at mid-station
• New 10th Avenue entrance (including new stair, and
additional concourse area)
• New interior retail / vendor spaces
• Glazing on lower level of station
Phase 2 will include major capacity improvements to provide for
ridership growth forecast over the mid to long-term (7–30+year) time
horizon. A Capital Project Proposal for Phase 2 is planned to be
submitted as part of the 2009 Capital Program.

[mr.x]

thanks for posting. i thought this was particularly interesting:

the 14 new SkyTrain cars will help maintain service quality while the aging Mark I trains are taken out of service for overhaul.