Transit Fantasies

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

5 years from now, the Arbutus opens.
5 years after that, UBC extension opens.
5 years after that, Langely extension opens.

So, 20 years before it opens, unless they speed things up.

The Surrey/Langley extension is projected to open in 2028, not 2036, and it seems unlikely that the proposed UBC extension will get designed, approved, funded and built before then.

[jollyburger]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

5 years from now, the Arbutus opens.
5 years after that, UBC extension opens.
5 years after that, Langely extension opens.

So, 20 years before it opens, unless they speed things up.

They called it the 2050 plan for a reason

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

The Surrey/Langley extension is projected to open in 2028, not 2036, and it seems unlikely that the proposed UBC extension will get designed, approved, funded and built before then.

I was generalizing to make the point.

Originally Posted by jollyburger

They called it the 2050 plan for a reason

Because, at the rate we build, it is reasonable?

[cganuelas1995]

If only we had some economic miracle then we could build multiple projects at once.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

If only we had some economic miracle then we could build multiple projects at once.

I'd settle on construction starting right after construction finishes.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by cganuelas1995

If only we had some economic miracle then we could build multiple projects at once.

Isn't this the exact plan for the Broadway and Langley extensions?

[Tvisforme]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

I was generalizing to make the point.

OK, thanks for clarifying. It was just odd because you put UBC before Langley.

[WALKIEBRO]

Originally Posted by chowhou

Isn't this the exact plan for the Broadway and Langley extensions?

The economic miracle to enable that was the government money printer.

[Migrant_Coconut]

Expo: 1985, 1994
Millennium: 2002
Canada: 2009
Evergreen: 2017
Broadway: 2025
Langley: 2028

Even if it's just one project every 7-8 years, that's maybe three more by 2050; UBC goes next, so North Shore ETA 2042?

[cganuelas1995]

Originally Posted by WALKIEBRO

The economic miracle to enable that was the government money printer.

Take out loan, build, pay off loan with revenue.

[Sheba]

Moving this over here...

Originally Posted by Mac Write

UBC needs a PRT system. Then everywhere will be easily accessible. Buses/SkyTrain unload at the main PRT hub and then people transfer to the PRT's. High capacity PRT cars would be needed. One can dream.

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

If UBC needs a last-mile solution, it'll be more transit or rideshare, or both, rather than the worst of both worlds. There's very good reasons why Morgantown absolutely hates their podcars.

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

For a university campus something like e-scooter sharing seems like a better fit to me. An autonomous e-scooter that could scoot itself to where the demand is would be perfect.

UBC isn't that big - something like shared bikes / scooters would work for the majority of people, and that sort of thing already exists. Plus it's not like there aren't any buses there either. The last thing I'd want to see there are basically autonomous smart cars doing zipping around doing those short trips instead.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by Sheba

UBC isn't that big - something like shared bikes / scooters would work for the majority of people, and that sort of thing already exists. Plus it's not like there aren't any buses there either. The last thing I'd want to see there are basically autonomous smart cars doing zipping around doing those short trips instead.

Maybe a good start would be a free zone for the UBC grounds.

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by swimmer_spe

Maybe a good start would be a free zone for the UBC grounds.

If you're talking about transit, UBC is already close to a free zone for students with the UPass, there's a heavily subsidized charge each month but it's expected every student has a 3 zone pass.

[swimmer_spe]

Originally Posted by chowhou

If you're talking about transit, UBC is already close to a free zone for students with the UPass, there's a heavily subsidized charge each month but it's expected every student has a 3 zone pass.

Close and are, are 2 different things.

All those odd ideas about PT, and yet transit itself in that area isn't free yet?

[Migrant_Coconut]

If it's already free for students, why waste time and effort reworking the fare system again? Faculty, staff and visitors can still contribute revenue.

And it doesn't matter how free TransLink makes it: the road grid (or lack thereof) means there's only a single long, infrequent one-way loop for the whole campus, plus two R4 and two 99 stops. Not very useful... hence the scooter-share discussion.

[Sheba]

...and now for something completely different - Bus Simulator 21 (review)

The conceit of Bus Simulator 21 is extremely straightforward: you manage a transportation company and drive buses across a number of different environments. There are fictional open-world environments—one in the US and one in Europe—and real buses, including double-deckers and even fully electric ones.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by WALKIEBRO

I think this alignment is good but the branching should be out of downtown and not North Vancouver. The line should go out from downtown then one branch to North Van, one branch to Metrotown.

I'm mixed on this one. Accessing Downtown is definitely important, but a one-seat ride intersecting with the Millennium Line AND Expo Line would be really important. Lonsdale to Broadway Corridor would be a one-transfer ride.

However, there will definitely be higher ridership on the Vancouver side. This is the MAIN strength of the Gold alignment.

I'd LOVE to see ride time estimates for all the routes. The direct deep underground link to the Canada Line seems like a non-starter to be honest. Expensive, not terribly convenient, and only really benefits one route.

The Gold alignment makes a LOT of sense in another way as well. It's ONE line that serves three (four?) municipalities. Compare that to the Canada Line (Richmond/YVR). M-Line (Burnaby/Vancouver).

It's effectively TWO lines. A Vancouver Line that serves the increasingly densifying Hastings Corridor and a North Shore Line that ties the whole region together... and then just joins them up.

The Purple Line is nice in that it creates a radial bypass line...and offers a potential for a third east-west line along 41/49.

In the end, it's Burnaby vs. Vancouver on this one... and while Burnaby has been doing great at turning industrial warehouses into Condos... I just don't think they have the guts to start densifying corridors with SFHs. I mean, will the North/South Willingdon Corridor become a "Destination" or just an artery road connecting Brentwood, BCIT, and Metrotown

The entire length of Hastings on the other hand, has plenty of potential to become a third business district, after the Broadway Corridor... and even comes with with some great water/mountain views as well.

I can't seem to find time estimates for each mode in that paper, though. How long would a trip from Lonsdale to Gastown be estimated to take ?

[Migrant_Coconut]

Gonna repeat that it should theoretically be possible to build the Gold Line in a way that can include the Purple Line later on - then we can have an Expo extension to the end of Hastings, connecting at Brentwood to a North Shore line to Metrotown.

[Offside_Ref]

Originally Posted by Migrant_Coconut

Gonna repeat that it should theoretically be possible to build the Gold Line in a way that can include the Purple Line later on - then we can have an Expo extension to the end of Hastings, connecting at Brentwood to a North Shore line to Metrotown.

Long term I could see it operating as a single line (Expo extension) along Hastings to the base of Burnaby Mountain, and then Purple line as is. Build the Gold line first regardless, because having a track connection is always a good idea even if it's for deadheading and not necessarily for service. Of course at that point and with Skytrain frequency, they could play around with the origin-destination pairs as they please and not force a transfer.

[twoNeurons]

Originally Posted by Offside_Ref

Long term I could see it operating as a single line (Expo extension) along Hastings to the base of Burnaby Mountain, and then Purple line as is. Build the Gold line first regardless, because having a track connection is always a good idea even if it's for deadheading and not necessarily for service. Of course at that point and with Skytrain frequency, they could play around with the origin-destination pairs as they please and not force a transfer.

The gold line in the end is far better for the region. Although it doesn't connect North Vancouver to Downtown Vancouver as directly:

• It connects the North Shore East to West
• A branch from downtown down Willingdon to Brentwood and Metrotown forms the start of an outer loop line
• Also, this could act as a relief line for the Expo line into downtown.