Wednesday, November 6, 2024

The Sydney Metro Train

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Metro , https://www.sydneymetro.info/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InYZw4mIWGA

https://www.sydneymetro.info/citysouthwest/project-overview

Train length
  • Sydney Metro North West, City and South West: 6 Carriages (with potential for 2 additional carriages to be added)
  • Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport: 3 or 4 carriages
Headway4 minutes (peak)
5-7 minutes (intra-peak)
10 minutes (off-peak)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Metro#Operations

"The Metro North West Line currently operates with 6-car trains running on 4-minute headways. After the addition of the Stage 2 extension to Bankstown, the stations’ platforms will be configured to allow for future use of 8-car trains and the signalling system designed to allow for 2-minute headways, both of which are planned to be introduced once increased patronage demands it. Eight-car trains have a design capacity of 1,539 customers and increasing the running frequency to ultimately 30 trains per hour (2-minute headway) would provide a maximum capacity of 46,170 passengers per hour per direction." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Metro#Capacity

Unlike backward Greater Vancouver, Sydney makes it easier to have longer trains to better handle future capacity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Metro_Metropolis_Stock

Tuesday, November 5, 2024

Megaprojects: Shaping Metro Vancouver’s future

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxJ1EPJD8mw

Second Narrows Water Supply Tunnel

https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/second-narrows-water-supply-tunnel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIwbBicnSzg

 https://www.tunnelcanada.ca/members/documents/2022/papers/SES7LHY0J1K0U8CKS_SNWST_Design_and_Construction_of_a_Deep_TBM_Launch_Shaft_in_Coarse-Grained_Soils_-_Emslie_et_al_1.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHw6eLNep00

Vancouver prepares to dig a tunnel deep under Stanley Park

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/metro-vancouver-prepares-to-dig-tunnel-deep-under-stanley-park-9761677

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/stanley-park-water-supply-tunnel-vancouver-construction

https://globalnews.ca/news/10853316/stanley-park-water-tunnel-timeline/

https://vancouversun.com/news/construction-to-begin-on-new-495-million-water-supply-tunnel-in-stanley-park

https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/ConstructionDocuments/fact-sheet-stanley-park-water-supply-tunnel.pdf

https://brander.ca/watertunnel/

https://metrovancouver.org/services/water/ConstructionDocuments/stanley-park-water-supply-tunnel-engagement-summary-phase-3.pdf


https://www.mottmac.com/contentassets/89f18a046b4d49c8874e32f58b71bc90/stanley-park-water-supply-tunnel-1.png?width=1696&height=960&quality=90&rmode=crop

https://www.mottmac.com/en-us/projects/stanley-park-water-supply-tunnel/

A busy highway in Edmonton will be reduced to one lane for the rest of 2024

 https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/highway-west-edmonton-reduced-single-lane

Prince Rupert, BC

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Rupert,_British_Columbia

https://www.abbynews.com/news/bc-study-calls-prince-ruperts-downtown-northwest-bcs-most-vibrant-7627977

Monday, November 4, 2024

bike-lane-debate-flares-in-new-westminster, bc

 https://globalnews.ca/news/10850395/bike-lane-debate-flares-in-new-westminster/

https://www.reddit.com/r/NewWest/comments/ydlrlj/am_i_the_only_one_that_thinks_the_new_bike_lanes/

The Seattle Streetcar

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Streetcar

https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/getting-around/transit/streetcar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Streetcar#Future_expansion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streetcars_in_North_America#Second-generation_streetcar_systems

https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/02/02/it-could-be-the-end-of-line-for-the-seattle-streetcar Hopefully, thais can be resolved. Otherwise, Seattle might start to emulate some of the backwards planning that is in Vancouver, BC.

https://www.ggnltd.com/seattle-streetcar-city-center-connector

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Lake_Union_Streetcar

https://www.masstransitmag.com/rail/vehicles/press-release/55137917/king-county-metro-transit-service-resumes-on-south-lake-union-route-of-seattle-streetcar


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=streetcars+and+trams

The Portland Streetcar

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Streetcar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Streetcar#Proposed_expansions

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portland_Streetcar#Comparison_with_light_rail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streetcars_in_North_America#Second-generation_streetcar_systems


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=streetcars+and+trams

The Dallas Streetcar

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Streetcar

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dallas_Streetcar#Future_expansion_plans

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Line_Trolley#Future

https://www.dart.org/guide/transit-and-use/dallas-streetcar

https://www.mata.org/about/learn/

https://www.dmagazine.com/frontburner/2023/10/dallas-wakes-up-to-a-hazy-dream-of-a-streetcar-system


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=streetcars+and+trams

Vancouver's former Olympic Line streetcar

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-olympic-line-streetcar-future

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Downtown_Historic_Railway#Olympic_Line

Fortunately, the Vancouver mentality of anti-streetcars and trams was never adopted in Seattle, Portland, Boston, Philadelphia, Toronto, Melbourne, SF & N.O...

https://montecristomagazine.com/community/vancouvers-forgotten-streetcars

https://kumtuks.ca/streetcars-and-metro-vancouver/

https://vancouversun.com/news/this-week-in-history-1890-vancouver-gets-cutting-edge-with-an-electric-streetcar-and-light-system Unfortunatly, over the course of several generations, Vancouver keeps doing the wrong thing, especially with urban transportation planning. 

https://digitize.library.ubc.ca/digitizers-blog/streetcars-before-buses-british-columbia-electric-railway/

https://open.library.ubc.ca/viewer/bcbooks/1.0376526#p6z-8r0f: Greater Victoria could have been a prper big citties like Seattle or Sydney Australia. Greater Vancouver could have been on the scale of a Montreal by now. 

https://monova.ca/the-story-of-streetcar-153

https://westendvancouver.wordpress.com/historical-background/streetcars/

https://spacing.ca/vancouver/2013/06/18/vancouver-transit-the-era-of-street-cars1/

https://buzzer.translink.ca/2017/04/from-rails-to-rubber-a-look-back-at-the-regions-transition-from-streetcars-to-buses


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=streetcars+and+trams

Thousands without power, trees down in B.C. as storm sweeps through on Monday

 https://globalnews.ca/news/10850151/bc-storm-monday-power-outages-pooling-water/

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/highlights/wind-warning-issued-for-vigorous-storm-in-metro-vancouver-9755993

https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-wind-rain-storm-live-updates-thousands-lose-power

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/overnight-power-outages-expected-after-destructive-b-c-storm-1.7097643

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/11/04/metro-vancouver-delta-capilano-wind-warning-trees-fall/

NYC "A" train subway service to be suspended for 5 months

 https://pix11.com/news/transit/a-train-subway-service-to-be-suspended-for-5-months-what-to-know

https://new.mta.info/maps/subway-line-maps/a-line


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_Division_(New_York_City_Subway)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Division_(New_York_City_Subway)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/60th_Street_Tunnel_Connection

Edmonton's historic Mill Creek Trestle Bridge is being replaced

 https://dailyhive.com/edmonton/mill-creek-trestle-bridge-replaced-edmonton

https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/roads/mill-creek-ravine-trestle-bridge-replacement

https://hermis.alberta.ca/ARHP/Details.aspx?DeptID=1&ObjectID=4664-0060


https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/roads/mill-creek-pedestrian-bridges

https://islengineering.com/project/mill-creek-pedestrian-bridges/

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/edmonton_archives/edmonton-bridges

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=6f9421d312f5455c85ccbbe29727bd24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Bridges_in_Alberta

TransLink seeking creative ‘retirement plans’ for old SkyTrain cars

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/11/03/vancouver-skytrain-cars-proposal-refurbish-retirement-expo-line/

At least a couple of them should be in a special exhibit to show more evidence of backwater BC planning that was supported by inept Vancouver planning. 

Why have trains as long as those in Montreal (152.5m), when Greater Vancouver is all about excelling in congestive planning?

Saturday, November 2, 2024

The City of Paris, ÃŽle-de-France region

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%8Ele-de-France

Île de Montréal - Island of Montreal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Island_of_Montreal

 https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9gion_m%C3%A9tropolitaine_de_Montr%C3%A9al


Vancouver quietly proclaimed Chip Wilson Day

 https://bc.ctvnews.ca/vancouver-quietly-proclaimed-chip-wilson-day-as-billionaire-installed-sign-calling-b-c-ndp-communist-1.7096391

https://vancouversun.com/news/bc-election-chip-wilson-ndp-communist-sign-vancouver-mansion

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/chip-wilson-vancouver-ndp-signs

The old SkyTrain cars are finally entering their retirement phase

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-mark-i-cars-ideas-reuse-proposal

Such ridiculously small, plastic railcars. They were designed to be even smaller that the steel ones in Chicago, which can have longer trains than backward Vancouver.

Service interrupted on Metro's green line, REM back to normal

 https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/public-transit-troubles-service-interrupted-on-metro-s-green-line-rem-back-to-normal-1.7094960

Unlike BC, at least Montreal has a good level of infrastructure, when its working.

https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/metros-green-line-service-interrupted-again-because-of-water-infiltration

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2024/11/01/service-green-line-montreal-metro/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Bonaventure/@45.4985644,-73.5665737,693m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x4cc91a541c64b70d:0x654e3138211fefef!2sMontreal,+QC!3b1!8m2!3d45.5018869!4d-73.5673919!16zL20vMDUycDc!3m5!1s0x4cc91a5d23cb7eb9:0x8cce01ab91b1d89d!8m2!3d45.4980335!4d-73.5668115!16zL20vMDRzNzRu!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/REM+%C3%8ELE-DES-SOEURS+Station/@45.4703096,-73.5380778,127m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x4cc91a541c64b70d:0x654e3138211fefef!2sMontreal,+QC!3b1!8m2!3d45.5018869!4d-73.5673919!16zL20vMDUycDc!3m5!1s0x4cc911564250dde1:0x6e42f617ef20d4a4!8m2!3d45.4703598!4d-73.5384674!16s%2Fg%2F11t9lr6r37!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAyOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Montreal

Friday, November 1, 2024

Vancouver's inept Knight Street and Bridge

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-knight-street-video-concern

The Knight_Street_Bridge was deliberately designed to not have a couple of emergency lanes. No truck lanes and especially no bus and HOV lanes. No proper bike lanes, just 2 narrow sidewalks. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Street_Bridge#Infrastructure

Thus, the Knight_Street_Bridge is one of the best examples of BC bottleneck planning.

https://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/695.html

The Knight_Street_Bridge is so narrow and inept, that a new HOV, bus and bike bridge should be built right next to it.

The incredibly inept Fraser_Street_Bridge should have been rebuilt or replaced by the 1970s, especially by the 1990s. The city and the Provincial_government didn't seem to understand that a new bridge there would be great as a HOV, bus and bike bridge. A couple of wide emergency lanes would have made it a lot easier for emergency vehicles to go between Vancouver & Richmond.

Despite Oak Street being 6 lanes wide, the BC bottleneck mentality wanted to force everything into a 4 lane Oak_Street_Bridge. Even if there was no concept to have bus lanes in the late 1950s, the OSB should have had 6 lanes, plus 2 wide emergency lanes and 2 wide sidewalks.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Street_Bridge#Infrastructure

By now, there should have been a HOV, bus & bike bridge built next to the narrow & inept Oak_Street_Bridge

The multigenerational inept Vancouver & BC planning agenda is all about creating more congestion. 

Fortunately, the 8 lane Champlain+Bridge also has 2 passenger train tracks. This was possible, because Montreal and Quebec don't have anything like the Vancouver & BC mentality to hinder them.

Why have a provision for 10 car SkyTrains, when a 2-4 car train can enable more congestion? That's the backward BC way.

It's amazing that the Montreal+Metro was designed to have 9 car trains even back in the 1960s. Montreal and Quebec just don't have anything like a backwater BC mentally to contend with.

Wednesday, October 30, 2024

Bus Lanes and Bus Rapid Transit

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_lane

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_transport_bus_service#Express_bus_service

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bus_rapid_transit

Unfortunately, Greater_Vancouver is one of the worst examples of Regional_Transportation_Planning. With so many narrow bridges and a refusal to build a proper network of bus-bridges, things remain chaotic on the existing inept bridges. 

The SkyTrain_(Vancouver) should have been designed to be a little like a light rail version of the Chicago_L Trains. However, instead of designing the stations to eventually accomodate 8 car trains, like the Chicago_L, the Vancouver maximum was a 6 car train of the Mark_I_fleet. Shorter railcars & shorter trains, that's the name of the congestion planning game in backward BC.

As of late 2024, the first 2 SkyTrain lines are still only running 4 & 2 car trains, not counting the original smaller coaches. The 3rd line or Canada_Line, is only running 2 car trains. All 3 lines should have been designed to eventually have 8-10 car trains, but that would be properly planning for future capacity on a multi-billion dollar system.

Monday, October 28, 2024

A Record 1.32 million cruise ship passengers for Vancouver in 2024

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-cruise-ship-season-2024-statistics

Why "Nobody" Lives In Upstate New York

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLs4hLIuHVY

The New York Nobody Knows About https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5rnrX5ZFYo

BC and Canada

 The BC part of Canada has been engrossed by a backwater and backward mentality since its inception.

Victoria,_British_Columbia is still a sleepy backwater, while Melbourne is a mighty city in Victoria_(state), Australia. Sidney,_British_Columbia is another classic BC backwater, while Sydney is the mighty capital of NSW. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_central_business_district

Due to an extremely slow growth mandate & agenda, Greater_Victoria is a far cry from reaching the scale of Sydney and Montreal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downtown_Montreal

Victoria and SW BC are the mildest parts of Canada during the horrible winter. It just so happens that a series of various overlapping restrictions were imposed so as to hold back the scale & progress of backwater BC. Most of BC remains as a wilderness, but it's been very difficult to establish a half-dozen major cities in BC. 

While Montreal is big by thwarted Vancouver's standards, Montreal is small when compared to the scale of Melbourne. Despite bing in Canada, Toronto was gradually allowed to become a proper big city. Toronto has some taller buildings than Sydney, NSW, but no 100 story towers like Melbourn & Chicago have. Toronto was eventually able to become 

Why "Nobody" Lives In The VAST MAJORITY Of British Columbia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdeZV_caT78

Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvDzrX17kFE

Sunday, October 27, 2024

Saudi Arabia’s Neom megaproject

 https://www.the-sun.com/news/12762755/saudi-arabia-neom-workers-dying-slaves/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neom#Controversies

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neom#Abusive_work_culture

Neom is a huge project with big problems.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neom , https://www.neom.com/en-us

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/29/saudi-arabia-says-all-neom-megaprojects-will-go-ahead-as-planned.html

Damp, grey week ahead for Greater Vancouver

 https://www.nsnews.com/weatherhood-local/halloween-forecast-damp-grey-week-ahead-for-vancouver-9717912

There are always several people who look forward to the cold & crappy fall & winter Canadian weather.

https://www.nsnews.com/bc-news/wind-warning-for-bcs-south-coast-with-gusts-up-to-90-kmh-expected-overnight-9711244

Of course, BC gets its share of cold & crappy fall & winter weather.

Taipei

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AY292ifYAXk

Australian Migration Program planning levels

 https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/what-we-do/migration-program-planning-levels

In several ways Australia will always win out over Canada, simply because Australia doesn't have to endure the carappy, cold Canadian winters.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/mar/21/migration-numbers-australia-2023-rise

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_Australia#Current_immigration_programs

https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_departments/Parliamentary_Library/Budget/reviews/2024-25/Immigration?CalendarWidgetTarget=17-05-2024&tab=tab2a

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-67609963


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=immigration

Canada's Immigration Levels

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/economic-impact-immigration-cuts-1.7362448

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/supplementary-immigration-levels-2025-2027.html

https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/mandate/corporate-initiatives/levels.html

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-immigration-levels-plans.html

https://www.statista.com/topics/2917/immigration-in-canada/#topicOverview


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=immigration

North Vancouver declares state of local emergency after very heavy rainfall

 https://www.nsnews.com/highlights/north-vancouver-declares-state-of-local-emergency-3-homes-evacuated-after-heavy-rain-9717550

https://www.nsnews.com/highlights/vancouver-weather-windstorm-power-outages-2024-9710714

Food of the GNAW

The_Food_of_the_Gods_(1976) is a standard GIANT mutant animals on a rampage movie.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Food_of_the_Gods_(film)#Plot


GNAW: Food_of_the_Gods_II (1989) has even larger enraged animals running rampant.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_of_the_Gods_II#Plot


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Food+of+the+GNAW

Vancouver's ratty reputation takes centre stage at New York rat summit

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouvers-ratty-reputation-takes-centre-stage-at-new-york-rat-summit

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/new-york-city/rats-winning-nyc-rattiest-city-us-ranking/5923130/

https://www.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor/news/694-24/mayor-adams-host-inaugural-national-urban-rat-summit

https://www.pctonline.com/news/national-urban-rat-summit-a-meeting-of-the-minds-of-rodent-control-experts/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2024-09-18/nyc-hosts-rat-summit-as-mayor-adams-faces-federal-probes-citylab-daily

https://gothamist.com/news/rats-like-to-pee-on-each-other-and-other-lessons-from-nycs-rat-summit

It's all about Food+of+the+GNAW!

R42 (New York City Subway car)

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R42_(New_York_City_Subway_car)

Train length2 car train: 120.4 feet (36.7 m)
4 car train: 240.8 feet (73.4 m)
6 car train: 361.2 feet (110.1 m)
8 car train: 481.6 feet (146.8 m)
10 car train: 602 feet (183 m)
Car length60 ft (18.29 m)
Width10 ft (3,048 mm)
Height12.08 ft (3,682 mm)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R42_(New_York_City_Subway_car)#History

The New York City subway opened in 1904

 https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/new-york-city-subway-opens

Thursday, October 24, 2024

17-Building Development Proposed In Vaughan, Ontario

 https://storeys.com/behemoth-17-building-development-vaughan/

No building within the city limits of Vancouver has been allowed to rival what Vaughan & Mississauga are permitting.

Van https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=9790 , https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=1&status=15

Vau https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=2797&status=15 

Mis https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=306&status=15



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Vaughan

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Mississauga

New pro soccer team Vancouver Rise pitch Burnaby on stadium partnership

The new women’s professional soccer team wants Swangard Stadium as its home venue, but the facility would need improvements to meet league standards. https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/new-pro-soccer-team-vancouver-rise-pitch-burnaby-on-stadium-partnership-9699516

It's always been difficult for backwater BC to get things up to a league standard, or especially international standards.

Appreciative transit culture in BC, etc.

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canadian-transit-shout-out-reaction

People are happy whenever public transit is working reasonably well and running at an appropriate level of capacity. Unfortunatly, that's not always the case and its not the fault of the transit operators and attendants. It's the inept planning that refuses to improve bottleneck water crossings and other chokepoints. Various BC governments providing limited construction budgets and or not providing structures with built-in higher capacity capabilities. 

Fortunately unlike in BC, most real cities around the world have longer trains & wide enough roads & bridges to accommodate proper bus & HOV lanes. 

Slashing immigration numbers in Canada

 https://dailyhive.com/canada/immigration-cuts-canadians-react-trudeau


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=immigration

The goal to build one of Metro Vancouver's new tallest buildings

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/citizen-tower-anthem-properties-burnaby-metrotown-ipo

Unlike Calgary and Seattle, Vancouver won't permit any residential building to be this tall within its strictly controlled city limits. Fortunately, Burnaby, Coquitlam and Surrey will allow taller buildings.

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/vancouver-developer-seeks-to-raise-82m-for-metrotown-project-via-ipo-9508936 This is Business Outside of Vancouver.

https://storeys.com/anthem-properties-burnaby-66-storey-citizen-metro-king-metrotown This is like an average semi-tall building in Toronto and the GTA.

https://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/real-estate/two-more-towers-up-to-80-storeys-tall-more-rental-housing-could-be-coming-to-burnabys-brentwood-8461795 There has been an unwretten ruel in Greater Vancouver for several decades. As long as something is impressive by PG, Kamloops, Kelowna & especially Victoria standards, that's good enough for backwater BC.

https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-councillor-opposes-plan-for-80-storey-tower-in-burnaby-5509305 No buildings taller than 40 stories & no roads wider than 4 lanes is very symbolic of the, KEEP IT SMALL mentality of BC. Even the newer SkyTran cars still only form 4 car trains. The Canada Line only has 2 car trains. 

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9875630 When the scale of things in BC have been kept back for several decades, its difficult for some people to fathom an attempt to have a taller or larger scale of developments and infrastructure. 

Even the mountains just north of LA are allowed to be taller than those of (Greater_Vancouver).

Some treetop walks and viewing platforms

 https://www.tremblant.ca/things-to-do/activities-products/treetop-walk

https://www.tremblantactivities.com/activities/treetop-walk/

https://www.nodestinations.com/blog/vancouver-capilano-suspension-bridge-park

https://botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/visit/greenheart-treewalk/

https://www.tourismvictoria.com/sport-tourism/sport-attraction/malahat-skywalk

https://malahatskywalk.com 

https://www.attractionsvictoria.com/explore/activities/malahat-skywalk/

https://aspectengineers.com/portfolio/malahat-skywalk/

https://destinationlesstravel.com/malahat-skywalk-vancouver-island/

https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/malahat-skywalk-spectacular-treetop-walk-opens-on-vancouver-island-canada-20210720-h1x9tw.html

Queen Elizabeth Park, BC

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen_Elizabeth_Park,_British_Columbia


https://vancouversbestplaces.com/city-of-vancouver/queen-elizabeth-park/

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/queen-elizabeth-park.aspx

Unfortunatly, Vancouver won't permit a viewing tower there. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queen-elizabeth-park-master-plan-vancouver-park-board

Apparently, it's much better to have the view obscured by trees. Most of BC is full of trees & mountains.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Mountain_(British_Columbia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloedel_Floral_Conservatory

Tuesday, October 22, 2024

Pacific Science Center in Seattle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Science_Center


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Center

H.R. MacMillan Space Centre: V-BC

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._R._MacMillan_Space_Centre

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hr-macmillan-space-centre-planetarium-star-theatre-upgrade

https://www.spacecentre.ca/


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanier_Park#History

Best mate of man killed in Harbour Bridge crash calls for safety improvements

 https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-harbour-bridge-crash-friends-of-jamal-choukri-call-for-better-safety-measures-on-bridge-after-truck-driver-killed/80225522-a55a-4edd-8843-e689a2990dcd

The Sydney+Harbour+Bridge is a nice wide structurer with high traffic volume, but there are some safety issues.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/harbour-bridge-crash-sparks-debate-about-movable-road-barriers-20220307-p5a2ha.html

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/friend-of-man-killed-in-harbour-bridge-crash-calls-for-safety-improvements-20241021-p5kk44.html

https://www.northweststar.com.au/story/8796262/questions-over-harbour-bridge-safety-after-fatal-crash/

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/oct/17/sydney-harbour-bridge-closed-after-multi-car-crash-leaves-one-dead



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Sydney+Harbour+Bridge

Ash-scattering pier near fishing bar gets Surrey council nod

 https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/ash-scattering-pier-on-fraser-river-gets-surrey-council-nod-7602905

Perhaps it's only fitting that its in clear view of the dangerous, decerped & inept Pattullo_Bridge. The very narrow PB never had enough room for a steel or proper concrete central barrier, no emergency lanes & only 1 narrow sidewalk. Of course there was no provision for a lower train & truck deck, as will also be the case with the new bridge.

https://www.timetoast.com/timelines/pattullo-bridge-history

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pattullo-bridge-5-things-you-didn-t-know-1.3564197

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/pattullo-bridge-a-loaded-gun/article700812 

The old PB might not quite be the worst bridge in BC, but it sure became a fine example of inept backwater BC planning.

"Approximately 15 people have died in traffic accidents mainly due to head-on crashes on Pattullo since 1990." https://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/insurance/bc-bridge-scene-for-another-fatal-crash-1000047689/

https://projects.eao.gov.bc.ca/api/document/5b73439a5bc7e60024dc108b/fetch/Appendix__18.13_Historical_Heritage_Study.pdf

The Pattullo_Bridge opened on November 15, 1937 and was designed without any future capacity considerations. Instead of 2 wide sidewalks, there was only 1 narrow sidepath. The bridge should have been designed to be widened in a few decades. Plus, a provision for a lower truck & LRT deck as transportation needs increased.

The incredible Sydney_Harbour_Bridge opened on 19_March_1932. Unfortunatly, the old & the new PB are classic BC bottlenecks, by design. 


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Sydney+Harbour+Bridge

Multi-unit fire burns in downtown Vancouver high-rise

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/10/21/high-rise-fire-downtown-vancouver

https://globalnews.ca/news/10823193/fire-downtown-vancouver-high-rise-building 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-coal-harbour-fire-1.7358998

Monday, October 21, 2024

Saturday, October 19, 2024

Friday, October 18, 2024

1,600-home housing project in Vancouver facing delays

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/1-600-home-housing-project-in-vancouver-facing-delays-1.7357082

Canada's Highway 1 through the BC Interior is an Embarrassment

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-highway-1-bc-interior-embarassment Back in the day, just to have a waggon road there was quite an achievement. Then with the dawn of the motorcar & trucks, having 1 wagon-road each way was amazing. A minimum of 2 lanes each way with 2 emergency lanes on all main highways in BC would be an improvement. Unfortunatly, the backwater BC mentality persists through the decades & generations. 

There should have already been a 6 lane Hope bypass with 2 wide shoulders & a provision for 2 Bus & HOV lanes. Another classic three lane BC bottleneck. The inept 2 lane Hope-Fraser+Bridge chokepoint is one of the best examples of BC and Canada's refusal to build proper size infrastructure where its really needed. This 3 lane joke should have been part of the 6 lane Hope bypass.

Since there is a reluctance to have a proper intercity passenger rail network in BC, there should at least be a proper intercity bus network. All the main highways should have 2 dedicated bus & HOV lanes.

A 6 lane elevated section could go right there. A nice 2 lane bridge that should have been twinned or duplicated decades ago. The same for the rail line as well. A single track and a 2 lane bridge are indicative or symbolic of the antigrowth mentality or agenda. 

There is nothing wrong with higher levels of immigration for such a vast country, if the infrastructure is allowed to keep up. However, decades of an antigrowth agenda is forced to collide with immigration.

This 2 lane 1963 highway tunnel should have been twinned by the early 1990s. Now the 1960s highway infrastructure is even farther away from being adequate.

Spences+Bridge is another 2 lane wonder, with no emergency lanes and no divider. 

Savona+Bridge also meets the backwater BC standard by only having 2 lanes, with no wide emergency lanes and no divider. 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kamloops,+BC/@50.6530262,-120.3776251,160m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x537a66c7aa6b6aaf:0x881b41e937e7f1f9!2sBritish+Columbia!3b1!8m2!3d53.7266683!4d-127.6476205!10e5!16zL20vMDE1anI!3m5!1s0x537e2cd33d0d3b31:0xd23e96aa9a6945e7!8m2!3d50.674522!4d-120.3272675!16zL20vMDF3ajE3!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/R.W.+(Rolf+Wallgren)+Bruhn+Bridge/@50.8358134,-118.9947739,174m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x537a66c7aa6b6aaf:0x881b41e937e7f1f9!2sBritish+Columbia!3b1!8m2!3d53.7266683!4d-127.6476205!10e5!16zL20vMDE1anI!3m5!1s0x537ee90068c15d23:0x669386a2a005d716!8m2!3d50.8360309!4d-118.9939614!16s%2Fg%2F11vwq02dl3!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Revelstoke+Suspension+Bridge/@51.0062434,-118.2203159,192m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x537a66c7aa6b6aaf:0x881b41e937e7f1f9!2sBritish+Columbia!3b1!8m2!3d53.7266683!4d-127.6476205!10e5!16zL20vMDE1anI!3m5!1s0x537937491061a343:0xb88365d308abe089!8m2!3d51.0063885!4d-118.2201286!16s%2Fg%2F11gnpb6r3f!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Columbia+River+Bridge/@51.4839714,-117.1830525,1170m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x537a66c7aa6b6aaf:0x881b41e937e7f1f9!2sBritish+Columbia!3b1!8m2!3d53.7266683!4d-127.6476205!10e5!16zL20vMDE1anI!3m5!1s0x5379b5debedfdda3:0x1b8d0d3bead3846f!8m2!3d51.4842419!4d-117.1806309!16s%2Fg%2F11g8_2_6wc!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Frenchman's+Bridge/@51.2988904,-116.8970772,376a,35y,0.67h,44.93t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m16!1m9!3m8!1s0x537a66c7aa6b6aaf:0x881b41e937e7f1f9!2sBritish+Columbia!3b1!8m2!3d53.7266683!4d-127.6476205!10e5!16zL20vMDE1anI!3m5!1s0x5379c1b7e53bd251:0xfb9e2572de7fcac9!8m2!3d51.3023971!4d-116.8957702!16s%2Fg%2F11v3ltcw_v!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4487081,-116.3233593,253a,35y,86.67h/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Metro Vancouver Housing Deficit Grows To Over 45,000 Homes

 https://storeys.com/metro-vancouver-housing-deficit-fall-2024/

For several decades, multi-unit 4-5 story houses just weren't permitted to be built in Vancouver. Even the shoebox like, Vancouver special should have been allowed to have at least 3-4 levels. Plus, there should have been several 6-10 story block size apartment buildings or flats like in Paris & London. There was quite an emphasis on Vancouver stumps, especially, no 65 to 85 floor buildings like in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Toronto.

Very narrow bridges, which make it almost impossible to have a proper & efficient express bus & HOV network for the region. Fortunately, the backward BC mentality was never able to make it over to Australia to prevent bridge expansion or duplication. 

Then even by late 2024, the first 2 SkyTrain lines only have 4 car trains of the newer coaches. The joke that is the Canada Line, still only runs 2 car trains. All 3 lines should have been designed to eventually have stations that could accommodate 8-10 car trains, but that would actually enable more people to efficiently travel around the region.

Fortunately again, this inept & horrible BC planning mentality was never able to infest & stop the Toronto Subway from having 6 car trains. However, by now, the TTC should have been running 8-10 car trains. It would have been chaos if the Montreal Metro was only running 3 car trains for the past several decades. Such an absurdity would be indicative of a, WHY EVEN BOTHER TO BUILD IT, mentality? Thats been the ongoing problem in BC since plumbing & electricity was first implemented.

Just to allow backwater BC to catch up to Alberta & Washington State would be challenging enough. Then to gradually think & plan on a scale of a Quebec & even an Ontario, might as well be just another Sci-Fi pipedream.


Wednesday, October 16, 2024

South of the Fraser

 https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2024MOTI0112-001305

https://www.sfprhighway17.com/

The Fraser_Valley of BC is so lacking of infrastructure.

Little Canada (attraction)

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Canada_(attraction)

Head-on counterflow lane crash closed Massey Tunnel for hours last night

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/head-on-crash-massey-tunnel

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hours-long-massey-tunnel-crash-delay-embarassing

Highway 1 Keith Road and Mt Seymour Parkway

 https://www.mcelhanney.com/project/highway-1-keith-road-mt-seymour-parkway/

The North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver) is designed to be heavily congested.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ironworkers-on-ramp-traffic-north-shore

https://theprovince.com/opinion/linda-buchanan-bridging-communities-across-highway-1-would-revitalize-north-vancouver

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/integrated-north-shore-transportation-planning-project-lonsdale-vancouver-rapid-transit

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/provincial-federal-municipal-governments-launch-north-bowinn-ma

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=214205&page=13



https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=North+Shore+of+Greater+Vancouver

Suncor Energy Centre, Calgary

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suncor_Energy_Centre

Telus Sky, Calgary

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telus_Sky  60-storey, 222.3 m (729 ft)

Rainier Square, Seattle

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainier_Square_Tower 850-foot (260 m) tall, 58-story tower 

https://www.nbbj.com/work/rainier-square

https://www.supremesteel.com/projects/rainier-square-tower/

https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/rainier-square/16751

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainier_Tower 41-story, 156.67 m (514.0 ft) 

Union Square (Seattle)

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Square_(Seattle)

Seattle’s $70M Overlook Walk connecting Pike Place Market and Waterfront

 https://queenannenews.com/news/2024/oct/15/now-open-seattles-70m-overlook-walk-connecting-pike-place-market-and-waterfront/

https://www.planetizen.com/news/2024/10/132123-seattles-new-overlook-walk-offers-ample-park-space-near-pike-place-market

https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/10/04/overlook-walk-opens/

https://waterfrontparkseattle.org/blog/event/overlook-walk-opening/

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Seattle+Aquarium+Ocean+Pavilion/@47.6080011,-122.3426155,356a,35y,0t/data=!3m1!1e3!4m15!1m8!3m7!1s0x5490102c93e83355:0x102565466944d59a!2sSeattle,+WA,+USA!3b1!8m2!3d47.6061389!4d-122.3328481!16zL20vMGQ5anI!3m5!1s0x54906b00298607a1:0xb5e88c1877a24a60!8m2!3d47.6079097!4d-122.3426701!16s%2Fg%2F11whs1h107!5m1!1e2?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

LRT remains the best option for North Shore rapid transit

 https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/opinion-lrt-remains-the-best-option-for-north-shore-rapid-transit-9643033

Ambleside,_West_Vancouver should certainly be a SkyTrain stop along the way.


Monday, October 14, 2024

Mississauga Votes Against Allowing Fourplexes

 https://storeys.com/mississauga-votes-against-fourplexes/

There can be both & even all of the above. Single family homes, duplexes, multiplex, low-rise apartment blocks & mid to high-rise towers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M_City_Condominiums This is the start of taller buildings in Mississauga than what is allowed in very restrictive Vancouver.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Mississauga

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Mississauga#Approved_and_Under_Construction

Thursday, October 10, 2024

TransLink service cuts could cost Metro Vancouver's economy $1 billion per year

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fiscal-cliff-service-cuts-economic-impact

ASEAN and Canada

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN#Economy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN#Free_trade

https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/asia-population/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Asia


https://globalnews.ca/news/10386750/canada-41-million-population/

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2018005-eng.htm

https://www.cloverdalereporter.com/national-news/trudeau-in-laos-trying-to-cement-canadas-ties-with-southeast-asia-7579004

https://www.canadianaffair.com/blog/how-big-is-canada



https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/

End of The Tropicana in Las Vegas

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropicana_Las_Vegas

https://www.gettyimages.ca/photos/las-vegas-tropicana

https://globalnews.ca/news/10802915/tropicana-hotel-implosion-las-vegas/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/sports/tropicana-las-vegas-a-sin-city-landmark-since-1957-will-be-demolished-to-make-way-for-mlb-stadium-1.6748625

City of Vancouver proposes new protected bike lane on Melville Street to Coal Harbour seawall

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-dunsmuir-melville-street-coal-harbour-bike-lane

Neom - The Line - The Rise and Fall of Saudi Arabia's Linear City

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ak4on5uTaTg

Saudi Arabia is Building Neom, a Two-Kilometer Skyscraper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhU4nA3i_IQ

Saudi Arabia’s giant money pit: NEOM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XNK55tc3x8


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Neom

Most Useless Megaprojects In The World

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZOCUjjCzkU Part 2

Forest City in Malaysia

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naXcEOdtDGE 

The Egyptians are Building a Huge New Capital City

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auowZtMw0uQ


Why Egypt is selling a city to UAE for $35 billion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9SGlBUMbeA


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Egypt

Egypt plans to green its desert

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAEQXUVqoyg


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Egypt

The Future Of Australian Cities

 https://scenariojournal.com/article/made-in-australia/

https://theconversation.com/new-cities-its-an-idea-worth-thinking-about-for-australia-92990

https://www.indaily.com.au/opinion/2019/05/02/why-isnt-australia-planning-new-cities

Will Australia cope with the rise of mega cities? Australia 2050 (part 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4BBpqpXRCM

Australia’s insane plan to green the Outback https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGrDOR7lBQ4


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Australia

Do BC regulations have unintended housing supply impacts?

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-government-housing-policies-supply-opinion

A New Bus Rapid Transit along King George Boulevard from Surrey to White Rock?

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ndp-surrey-white-rock-brt

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-road-survey-results-traffic-reactions

Tuesday, October 1, 2024

A Bus Rapid Transit route between Park Royal and Metrotown

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-ndp-bus-rapit-transit-route-west-vancouver

Either a new bus, HOV & train bridge has to be built, or a new much wider Iron Bridge is essential. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge A nice 8 lane bridge with 2 train tracks was possible in Montreal, because its far away from the stunted infrastructure agenda of Vancouver & the backwater BC mentality. Any new Iron Bridge should be at least as wide as the New_Champlain_Bridge_in_Montreal

Of course people from Vancouver are allowed to visit Montreal, but the backward BC mentality just isn't allowed to take over Quebec, Ontario or Alberta.