Quote:
Originally Posted by xd_1771
The thing about Kitsilano is that this is no 2 block (hospital) or 3-4 block (Langara) difference. To route the line elsewhere would be neglecting this community - a community in which there are several major and popular destinations for people from elsewhere. To take the line and have it totally skip Kitsilano is in my opinion a step in the wrong direction - it is like taking a huge chunk of ridership potential (not just from Kitsilano residents who may ride the line, but others who may ride to Kitsilano and other such areas)
Although servicing through commutes through completing the circle would be nice, omitting the southwest corner of the loop I could definitely understand (perhaps the 49th Avenue portion could stop at Kerrisdale , until/unless if it is absolutely necessary to extend the line to complete the circle), but the lack of service to Kitsilano and area (which, mind you, wouldn't just be for the residents there) when there is little compromise to line length & cost, and higher potential benefit and more destinations served, not so much.
To compare (let us assume that all of this will be constructed by bored tunnel):
Exhibit A: 6th west of Burrard to Pacific and Drake via modified routing: Burrard -> under False Creek -> Pacific Blvd: 2.6KM
Exhibit B: 6th west of Burrard to Pacific and Drake - most direct route: 1.85KM
For a relatively minimal difference in line length, you are going out of the way to better serve these potential destinations: Vanier Park/Point Grey, Hadden Park, Jericho Beach, the Vancouver Aquatic Centre, Sunset Beach, and the southern end of the Granville St corridor. In addition, if the circle were to never be completed and the line to never continue past Broadway and Arbutus, this pretty much renders the need for faster through commute somewhat less significant.
I don't see why it doesn't make sense. |
What is the point of this line? Who wants to go from condos in Kerrisdale to condos in Yaletown, and bypass downtown? Why spend the money on a Skytrain line that will require everyone on it to transfer to actually get anywhere interesting? The part of Yaletown you travel through is already done, so there is no possibility of ToD, and it doesn't take anyone who lives along it to a major employment center. It just skirts around the edge of downtown, being as far away from the CBD as possible, and horizontally connecting communities that want to travel to the hub. Honestly, who is going to ride this without transferring to Canada Line or Expo Line?
If you are going to make people transfer anyway to get to the CBD, this may as well be LRT and NOT cross False Creek. Just run trains at grade on the Arbutus ROW, under the Granville street bridge, and along the existing ROW along false creek. Then you make the connections for transfers at Arbutus (Broadway Line), Olympic Village (Canada Line), Main Street (Expo Line), and Hastings (Hastings Line), then turn towards Waterfront to bring commuters through Gastown or onto Coal Harbour (with a single ride) and save a lot of money.
Otherwise it seems to be a multi-billion dollar inconvenience.