https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fiscal-cliff-service-cuts-economic-impact
Thursday, October 10, 2024
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.canadianaffair.com/blog/how-big-is-canada
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/
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
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
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
Wednesday, October 9, 2024
Tuesday, October 8, 2024
Monday, October 7, 2024
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Friday, October 4, 2024
First Nations could build Vancouver's new tallest towers at Rupert SkyTrain station
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/3200-east-broadway-vancouver-rupert-station-mst-aquilini
High density by a train station is always a good idea.
Thursday, October 3, 2024
How Skyscrapers are Ranked is Absurd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kLx9pXVJlw
When Chicago built the Tallest Building in the World | The story of Sears Tower https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm0dzhFeArw
Wednesday, October 2, 2024
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.
Saturday, September 28, 2024
North Vancouver lane realignment on pause following public outcry
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/09/28/north-vancouver-lane-realignment-iron-workers-bridge/
Unfortunatly, the Iron Bridge wasn't designed with future capacity in mind. No emergency lanes, no bus-lanes and no provision for rail rapid transit.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/north-vancouver-lane-change-1.7336664
Transit service cuts could lead to 200 more hours stuck in traffic a year
This lack of funding just conveniently fits in with the multigenerational mentality or agenda to perpetually implement congestive urban planning in BC.
In the 1950s & 60s, there just wasn't any concept in Greater Vancouver to have wide emergency lanes & a provision for future express bus lanes. Thus, all the bridges & the D. Island Tunnel were instant bottlenecks or chokepoints.
Then in the 1970s & 80s, instead of admitting that all of the regional crossings are inadequate for providing express bus & HOV lanes, things just kept on going the wrong way. There was no incentive to build proper bus & HOV bridges to help the congested crossings. That's because such new infrastructure would actually improve the regional transportation system.
In the 1980s, the first SkyTrain line should have been designed to eventually allow for 152.5m long stations, just like the high capacity Montreal Metro stations. Instead, the first 2 SkyTrain lines were designed to only have 80m short stations.
Then the 3rd line, the C Line or the embarrassing Canada Line, was designed to only have 50m stations. If the argument to have half size or one 3rd size trains was due to construction budget limitations, the stations could have still been designed to eventually allow for 153m long trains. However, that would go against the backward congestive BC approach to infrastructure.
Why allow for a 10 car train that could someday link YVR to both of the ferry terminals? Apparently, it was much better to just have a 2 car joke of a train between Vancouver & Richmond. Why build a bus & HOV tunnel next to the LG Bridge, when everything can just be squeezed into an inept 3 lane crossing? Why build a bus & HOV bridge next to the Oak & Knight Bridges, when they can remain as 4 lane chokepoints?
The multigenerational symbolism of congestive planning seems to be imperative for backward BC. That's the best way to continually demonstrate a reluctance to have a proper express or rapid bus network & trains that are as long as those on the Montreal Metro & the Toronto Subway. A proper HOV network would also enable more people to get around more efficiently, but that would conflict with the narrow bridges.
Things are so backwards & inept in BC, but building proper infrastructure means to properly plan for growth & future transportation demands.
Friday, September 27, 2024
West Vancouver opens door to deferring wastewater plant cost overruns
Apparently, some people thought that no public oversight was a good idea.
That way, there could be tremendous cost overruns, which can cause Metro Vancouver infrastructure to continually fall further behind.
Thursday, September 26, 2024
A Vancouver-penthouse-at 838-west-Hastings
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-penthouse-838-west-hastings
This building doesn't even have 40 floors, so it's not that tall by today's standards.
https://bosaproperties.com/residential-portfolio/jameson-house
For most of the history of BC, stunted or thwarted Vancouver was where the tallest buildings, widest bridges & roads would be.
Now Burnaby, NW, Coquitlam & especially Surrey will be building taller & wider than what restrictive Vancouver allows.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/opinion-bc-real-estate-association-housing
If it were possible, Vancouver would block out the sun & just have perpetual rain throughout the year.
East Vancouver tenants living with no power, refuse to leave
When a building becomes uninhabitable, the residents should be helped to find adequate temporary housing. Then whenever the building problems are fixed, they should be allowed to move back in. If the building is going to be torn down for a new residential structure, they should be allowed to reside there for the same rental rate until they ever want to move out.
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
BC NDP voters rethinking carbon tax
If the carbon tax actually went into properly building up the BC infrastructure, then it might have been worth it. However, the farce of Vancouver and BC in general, is still such a lagging mess. Greater Vancouver is facing transit cuts & most of the bridges in the region are still in need of parallel bus & bike bridges.
The first 2 SkyTrain lines only have 80m stations when the Montreal Metro has almost 153m stations. The line between Vancouver, YVR & Richmond only has a clearance for 50m stations. Longer stations like in Montreal & Toronto, can move a lot more people. Unfortunatly, BC keeps taking the congestive planning option.
Monday, September 23, 2024
Restaurants in Canada are predicting severe consequences following changes to foreign workers policy
Once again the issues aren't being properly addressed. The restaurants need more long-term employes.
Sunday, September 22, 2024
The Alex Fraser Bridge (1986)
The Alex_Fraser_Bridge was opened as a 4 lane chokepoint, right from the start. No need for any express_bus_lanes or rail rapid transit, as that would conflict with the congestion planning agenda.
"Upon opening in 1986, only four of the six available lanes were open. Cyclists and pedestrians share two narrow sidewalks one on each side. All six lanes opened in 1987 after traffic demand justified the need." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fraser_Bridge#Overview
Eventually, the AFB would have 7 lanes, when it should have been designed to have 8-10 lanes. A provision for a lower transit deck would have been nice, but there isn't a vision for an efficient transportation network.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#History It opened with only 4 lanes & no emergency lanes. No provision for a lower deck, but a 5th lane was eventually added. So many times, an inept 4 lane BC bridge that is supposed to be a major crossing, is subjected to the congestive planning agenda.
By the 1980s & especially the 1990s, many people wished that the bridge had a lower bus & train deck.
When the first Port_Mann_Bridge opened in 1964, it was very symbolic of the antigrowth & chokpoint planning agenda of BC. Despite being a BC_Highway_1 bridge in Greater Vancouver, there was no serious consideration for 2 truck & 2 bus-HOV lanes. Just have all the traffic crammed into a 4 lane bottleneck.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#Dismantling_of_original_bridge
Friday, September 20, 2024
Climate protesters march through downtown Vancouver
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6516296
They marched over the Cambie_Bridge, which used to have 6 lanes. Unfortunately, the bridge wasn't designed to have wide sidewalks & bike lanes on both sides.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/climate-protesters-to-march-through-downtown-vancouver-on-friday-1.7045835
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/climate-protest-shut-down-cambie-bridge
West Vancouver bike lane planters lead to confusion
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/weest-vancouver-bike-lane-planters
Of course with proper planning and coordination this wouldn't be a problem.
Miami's Signature Bridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EbEjBsfhLcs
It's amazing what can be done when people from Vancouver or just about anywhere from the BC part of Canada can't stop it.
https://www.i395-miami.com/the-project/
It doesn't matter if it's the Greater Miami Area or Brisbane, Queensland, these places can think big & build big because they are so far away from the cold, rainy backwater BC mentality.
https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/04/02/i-395-signature-bridge-taking-shape/
https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2023/08/01/massive-signature-bridge-project-builds-to-2027-opening/
Thursday, September 19, 2024
Busy traffic weekend expected in North Vancouver for massive festival
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-vancouver-music-festival-traffic-impacts-2024
It's so sad and pathetic how the North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver) has become such a fine example of inept transportation planning.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver)#Access
The extremely narrow Lions_Gate_Bridge should have had an 8 lane tunnel built near it several decades ago. Then the Lions_Gate_Bridge could have become a nice bike and foot bridge. The inept Lions-Gate-Bridge is so narrow that several houses are wider than it. Even some home garages and swimming pools are wider than it. Thus, the Lions_Gate_Bridge is one of the best examples of congestive planning in backward BC. The bridge should have been designed to eventually become a few meters wider on each side. There also should have been a provision for a lower deck which could have allowed for a rail rapid transit line and rapid bus lanes.
The Ironworkers_Memorial_Second_Narrows_Crossing should have been designed with a provision to be widened a few meters on each side. After its collapse in 1958, the bridge should have been redesigned to have a wider main deck and a lower deck for trains and busses. The top deck should have been designed to have 4 lanes each way, with 2 wide shoulders and 2 wide sidewalks. Unfortunately, despite being the main connection to the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal, the rebuilt Ironworkers_Memorial_Bridge wasn't designed to have a lower transit deck and no emergency lanes. Thus, it remains as another one of the best examples of congestive planning in Vancouver.
The Canada_Line should have been planned as a long term, high capacity route between Horseshoe_Bay,_West_Vancouver, Vancouver_International_Airport and the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal. Again, the congestion planning mentality took priority.
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
Vancouver Lime e-scooter launch leads to some sour reactions
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lime-e-scooter-vancouver-launch-reaction?
Each neighborhood should have been properly consulted about this.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-residents-shocked-e-scooter-rider-george-massey-tunnel Such an inept tunnel with no emergency lanes.
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
Metro Vancouver transit facing 'drastic cuts'
After decades of imposing narrow streets, roads, highways & bridges, it's still difficult for the region to have a proper express bus network. Most of the bridges in the region need to have a bus & bike bridge built right next to them.
The first 2 SkyTrain lines still only have 80m stations & the 3rd line, the C-Line, only has 50m stations. In contrast, the Montreal Metro was designed to have almost 153m long stations. Thus, a 500 foot long station can accommodate a 9 car train. Unfortunately, the first 2 SkyTrain lines can only accommodate the newer 4 car trains with a potential for a 5 car train, someday. The 3rd line or the C-Line, can only accomodate a 2 car joke of a train, but it has the potential to become a 2.5 car joke of a train.
This absurdity of congestive planning must be challenged & stopped in backward BC. Unfortunately, there are some influential people that continually like to maintain the symbolism of short trains and narrow bridges. They don't want the Greater Vancouver Region to become a proper urban area. That mentality apparently justifies the inadequate or underbuilt infrastructure in the region.
So now with looming transit cuts, the narrow roads & bridges will become even more congested.
https://www.rtands.com/tag/translink
The $2BN Megaproject Under Vancouver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YFFtTEUQc
What Greater Vancouver Needs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qZavPFZ9H1E
Whether its a bridge or a tunnel, Perth and Seattle have excellent wide crossings which allow for rail rapid transit. Fortunately, the congestive Vancouver mentality never reached into those cities.
https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/tunnel-construction Unfortunatly, BC missed another opportunity to have rapid rail transit through the tunnel.
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/09/17/highway-91-spun-out-richmond Even back in the 1980s, BC_Highway_91 should have been designed to be at least 4 lanes each way. 3 general lanes each way with the 4th as a bus & HOV lane. There also should have been 2 wide shoulders or emergency lanes. The Alex_Fraser_Bridge should have been designed to be at least 10 lanes wide. 3 general lanes each way & a bus-HOV lane & a truck lane each way. Plus, 2 emergency lanes & a provision for a lower rail transit deck. Unfortunatly, bottleneck or chokepoint planning won out. Plus, the symbolism for BC is to not properly plan for large, efficient infrastructure.
How can the Greater Vancouver Region have an efficient express bus & rapid bus network, when the highways & bridges are kept narrow? Why wasn't the SkyTrain designed to eventually have 153m or 500 foot long stations like the Montreal Metro? That would be symbolic of a proper big thinking city wanting to have high capacity transportation corridors. BC is about taking the congestive planning approach instead.
Perth+and+Seattle have been able to do so much more, because they aren't under anything like the imposed Vancouver restrictions and the overall backward BC mentality.
Sound Transit Publishes Final EIS for West Seattle Link Extension
https://www.rtands.com/passenger/sound-transit-publishes-final-eis-for-west-seattle-link-extension/
Seattle is Building a $54BN New Railway https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct4bwWsP3iE
It would be so chaotic for Seattle+and+Perth if they were under anything similar to the imposed Vancouver restrictions and the backward BC mentality.
North end of Granville Bridge roadway reopens
The Granville Bridge should have at least had a provision for a lower deck.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-bridge-north-end-reopens-vancouver-connector
A lower deck would have been great for extra bus lanes and potential LRT, but this is backward BC.
https://vancouversun.com/news/traffic-alert-north-end-granville-street-bridge-reopen-monday
Since no bus & bike bridge was even built right next to it, the bridge is being scaled down to 6 lanes, from 8.
A revamped 6 lane bridge with 2 bike lanes & 2 sidewalks.
If the bridge eventually has 2 express bus lanes, there will only be 4 general traffic lanes.
https://granvilleisland.com/news/transportation-updates-on-granville-bridge-city-of-vancouver
Unfortunately, the 8 lane Granville_Street_Bridge_(1954) wasn't designed to have a lower level. That wasn't the case with the 12 lane Ship+Canal+Bridge in Seattle. The Vancouver bridge was never connected to a freeway, where as the Seattle bridge was.
Monday, September 16, 2024
Climate change costs growing for B.C. municipalities
This is very sad & pathetic for the largest urban part of BC. Most of the major bridges in Greater Vancouver should already have had bus & bike bridges built next to them. However, that would go against the bottleneck or chokepoint planning mentality.
The first 2 SkyTrain lines are still only running 4 car trains of the newer coaches. The 3rd line, C Line or Canada Line is still only running 2 car joke of a train. Fortunately, most real cities will at least run 6, but usually 8, 9 or 10 car trains. Again, that would go against the congestive planning approach, which BC has favoured for several generations.
So, one of the big questions is, why isn't a significant portion of climate change funds going into the BC infrastructure? Especially for longer trains and stations and express bus bridges.
Schools & hospitals for decades were designed not to easily be expanded. The multigenerational BC agenda is to hold things back for as long as possible. Long trains & wide bridges are symbolic of accommodating growth. Thus, congestive planning is symbolic of not putting enough funds into the infrastructure. Thus, another big question is, where has the money gone through the decades, because the infrastructure is always lagging?
"Duke Point is a major ferry terminal owned and operated by BC Ferries that provides ferry service across the Strait of Georgia to Tsawwassen. The ferry terminal is located at Duke Point in Nanaimo and is the only major terminal in the BC Ferries system without a public transit connection." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_Point_ferry_terminal
Surrey's streets, roads and bike paths
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surreys-road-extension-criticized-unsafe-cyclists-advocates
There should have been wider sidewalks put in several decades ago. Narrow streets & narrow sidewalks are just part of the narrow-minded approach to planning in backwater BC. Any major road should be at least 2 or 3 lanes each way. In many cases, sidewalks can be widened to accomodate a bike path. A 2 lane country road isn't good for a city, if busses & trucks have to get through.
Metro Vancouver residents shocked by e-scooter rider in George Massey Tunnel
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-residents-shocked-e-scooter-rider-george-massey-tunnel Another fine example of inept BC planning. Have a tunnel so narrow, because there aren't any wide emergency lanes. Then eventually it could have been 3 lanes each way. However, there should have been a provision to have another tunnel next to it within a few decades. Unfortunately, that never happened by the 1990s.
At least there should have been a bus, train & bike bridge built next to it decades ago, but that would go against the BC bottleneck mentality.
https://www.highway99tunnel.ca The 8 lane Tunnel_Replacement Project is supposed to be open by 2030. That's only 60-70 years late. Unfortunatly, another parallel tunnel or bridge will eventually have to be built, because there is still a need to eventually have the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal become connected to the Vancouver_International_Airport, Waterfront_station and the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal with rapid rail transit.
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Construction for Oakridge-41st Ave Station Upgrades Starts Sept. 16th
The stations still could have started out as a 2-3 car train joke, apparently for cost cutting measures. However, the stations should have been constructed in such a way that they could eventually accomodate 8-10 car trains. Sadly once again, the joke is on short sighted Vancouver for promoting inept transportation planning. Even with budget cuts, at least 3 levels of government should have been able to realize that someday, this line could become a high capacity connector between the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal, the airport & the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal.
Unfortunately, that damn symbolism got in the way again. A short & inept train is better for congested Vancouver than an 8-10 car train. This is the result of the multigenerational congestive planning agenda. Building big is symbolic of planning for proper growth, but some backwater mindset folks don't want anything symbolic of a real metropolis in backward BC.
Thursday, September 12, 2024
Climate protest promising to impact traffic Friday afternoon in Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-climate-protest-march-traffic-impacts
Cambie_Street and the Cambie_Bridge have become a fine example of Vancouverizing a major transportation corridor. That is to scale it back so as to create a bottleneck. Perhaps more-so than any major city, Vancouver and the metropolitan region continually strives to have congestive planning.
Unfortunately, the Canada_Line stations were only designed to accommodate 2-2.5 car trains, when it should have been 8-10 car trains. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Stations
Cambie_Street and the bridge should have remained continually at 6 main lanes. That would have made it easier to have a 3rd lane each way as an express bus lane. Especially, since the C-Line was so underbuilt.
Wednesday, September 11, 2024
The old and new Pattullo Bridge
Unfortunately, the Pattullo_Bridge of 1937 was built without any wide shoulders, or any shoulders at all. There was only one narrow sidewalk & no provision for trams or streetcars. It was all fitting for NW, a provincial backwater since its start.
In contrast, the 1932 Sydney_Harbour_Bridge opened with 6 lanes and 4 sets of train tracks & 2 sidewalks. Very fitting for the state capital of NSW.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-031-34593-7_49
https://www.targetproducts.com/pattullo_bridge_2024/
In the 1930s, it was still amazing to have plumbing & especially electricity in Surrey.
https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/surrey
https://www.cloverdalereporter.com/entertainment/surrey-now-and-then-2367955
Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Sunday, September 8, 2024
Dramatic weather shift expected to kick in overnight for Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/weather-shift-vancouver-fall
From a cold winter and crappy spring to a half-assed summer, fall is quickly returning.
Saturday, September 7, 2024
Friday, September 6, 2024
Thursday, September 5, 2024
Wells Fargo Center (Portland, Oregon)
The Wells_Fargo_Center should have been the first 50-55 story building in Portland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wells_Fargo_Center_(Portland,_Oregon)#Details
https://marketplace.vts.com/building/wells-fargo-center---portland-portland-or
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Portland,_Oregon
U.S. Bank is leaving the U.S. Bancorp Tower in downtown Portland
https://www.kpic.com/news/local/us-bank-is-leaving-the-us-bancorp-tower-in-downtown-portland
https://www.koin.com/news/portland/u-s-bank-leaving-big-pink-tower-in-downtown-portland/
The U.S._Bancorp_Tower could have been the first 50-55 story building in Oregon, but it wasn't permitted to have more than 42 floors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Bancorp_Tower#Design
https://unicoprop.com/properties/us-bancorp-tower , https://usbancorptower.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Portland,_Oregon
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
Columbia Centre in Vancouver and Columbia Center in Seattle
https://modtraveler.net/city/vancouver_694/listing/columbia-centre Not even 30 floors in Vancouver, but its impressive when compared to what's Victoria, Prince George & Kamloops.
However, the Columbia_Center in Seattle almost has 80 floors.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_Center#Design It would still be an impressive building in NYC, Chicago, Houston, LA & SF. Its still the tallest tower in Seattle.
Its not just that Vancouver gets more rain than Seattle & especially Calgary, but that almost everything has to be watered down in Vancouver, when compared to those cities.
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Vancouver-concert-hall-theatre-society-study
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-concert-hall-theatre-society-study
It's so difficult to build in Vancouver, due to all the red tape and other B$ constraints.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-art-gallery-construction-cost-increase-redesign
Monday, September 2, 2024
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Monday, August 26, 2024
Lynnwood Link extension
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynnwood_Link_extension
https://www.soundtransit.org/system-expansion/lynnwood-link-extension
https://seattletransitblog.com/2024/07/20/lynnwood-link-opening-ceremony
https://www.theurbanist.org/2024/04/04/lynnwood-link-light-rail-will-open-august-30
https://kingcounty.gov/en/dept/metro/programs-and-projects/lynnwood-link-connections
Ottawa to limit low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada
https://globalnews.ca/news/10715377/temporary-foreign-workers-limit-canada/
Canada has less people than California and Australia has less people than Texas.
Sunday, August 25, 2024
Kensington (Philadelphia)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWGwCbSUECw
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensington,_Philadelphia
https://6abc.com/post/kensington-avenue-shooting-leaves-man-fighting-life/15228913/
https://www.newsnationnow.com/crime/fentanyl/philadelphia-opioid-crisis-kensington/
https://time.com/jeffrey-stockbridge-kensington-philadelphia-photographs/
Saturday, August 24, 2024
LA's Most Dangerous Hood
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMdonaTqgGc
SF, the City that Pays You to Do Drugs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypZu61OgITE
Friday, August 23, 2024
Thursday, August 22, 2024
Surrey-Newton Guildford LRT
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-skytrain-lrt-metro-vancouver-transit-projects-future
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey_LRT
https://businessinsurrey.com/policy/lrt/
https://skytrainforsurrey.org/tag/surrey-newton-guildford-light-rail/page/4/
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Rail strike would halt B.C.'s West Coast Express
Ideally, any commuter rail & intercity lines should have their own tracks so that there is no conflict with the tracks for freight trains.
Tuesday, August 20, 2024
Toronto’s CNE is off to a rough start after record-setting rainfall on opening weekend
It's always unfortunate when a Vancouver type rainstorm causes the CNE to be watered down.
Quebec to limit temporary foreign workers in Montreal with six-month freeze
https://globalnews.ca/news/10706534/quebec-temporary-foreign-workers-program-freeze/
There are labor shortages, but the push is on to slow things down for a while.
Singapore and Switzerland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLdDep1t6YY
Why is Switzerland home to so many billionaires? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuEpU_IdvNo
Canada vs. Australia
https://www.solmigration.com/blog/canada-vs-australia/
Unfortunately, unless you like crappy, cold weather for half of the year, Australia is the better country.
https://financialpost.com/diane-francis/why-australia-doing-so-much-better-than-canada
https://www.canozvisas.com/blog/pros-and-cons-of-living-in-canada-vs-australia/
Two Economies, With One Set of Flaws: The Economies of Australia and Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu5lPuaZ9Jo
Canada or Spain?
https://www.blogto.com/travel/2024/08/canadian-move-spain/
https://www.mylifeelsewhere.com/cost-of-living/spain/canada
Well, if you like crappy, cold weather for half of the year, then Canada is where it's at.
https://www.canadacis.org/blog/moving-to-canada-from-spain-pros-and-cons/
Monday, August 19, 2024
The Monorail vs. the Subway
Why Monorails Are A Bad Idea https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9f__nhlHC1g A monorail is OK to go from one end of a line to the other. However, having several branches and junctions can be quite problematic.
How Los Angeles Rejected the Monorail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piF7adQyXCk
How Seattle Rejected the Monorail https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVQ-2lcBOjI A long double track monorail line might have worked for Seattle. However, conventional rail is still much more practical.
Why Tokyo's Metro Is Profitable and New York City’s Isn’t https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdJwAUdvlik
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YFFtTEUQc The Broadway subway in Vancouver, BC.
The Columbia River Crossing project (CRC)
Expanding transit options between Portland and Vancouver, WA. https://wsdot.wa.gov/accountability/ssb5806/docs/6_Project_Development/PublicInvolvement/Transit_FactSheet.pdf
https://bikeportland.org/2022/04/21/interstate-5-expansion-project-proposes-repeat-of-crc-or-slightly-less-wide-version-352609 Just because this is a bridge that will extend partially into Vancouver, WA, it should still be as wide as possible. Narrow bridges are part of the narrow mindset of Vancouver, BC.
https://bikeportland.org/2022/04/22/i-5-project-leaders-pick-light-rail-as-transit-option-for-columbia-crossing-352639 A wider bridge makes it easier for rail rapid transit, bus & HOV lanes, truck lanes & bike lanes.
https://www.interstatebridge.org/updates-folder/river-crossing-visualizations/
Freight Train issue blocks major Langley intersections
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/08/19/langley-train-traffic-stops/
There should have been several more overpasses in the valley by now. Urban railway crossings that are at grade are such a hindrance to truck & vehicle traffic in general.
https://www.aldergrovestar.com/local-news/fatal-train-crash-shuts-down-langley-thoroughfares-7363504
https://www.abbynews.com/news/train-crash-with-construction-truck-blocking-langley-roads-7117877
Thursday, August 15, 2024
Transforming Nanaimo into a public transit hub for Vancouver Island
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hullo-ferries-nanaimo-hub-vancouver-island-public-transit
https://www.dpworld.com/canada/projects/nanaimo
Victoria to Nanaimo should all be one urban strip.
A mixed-use building development at VCC-Clark SkyTrain station with rental housing, office, childcare, grocery store, and retail uses
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1155-east-6th-avenue-vancouver-vcc-clark-pci-low-tide-redevelopment
This is small considering how close it is towards downtown Vancouver. Its big when compared to developments in Kelowna, Kamloops & Prince George, but small by big city standards.
Surrey-Langley SkyTrain construction cost balloons by 50%
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-new-cost-opening-date
This should have been started decades ago, but BC always has to be behind schedule.
Wednesday, August 14, 2024
8-km-long Highway 1 widening in Abbotsford
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/highway-1-widening-abbotsford-fraser-valley-cost-bc-phase-3b
This should have been done in the 1980s, or at least by the 1990s. Still no bus & HOV lanes after all these decades. Of course no provision for rain rapid transit. This is BC congestive planning at its best.
Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Hullo Ferries celebrates a busy first year, and looks ahead to growth and expansion
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hullo-ferries-vancouver-nanaimo-high-speed-ferry-service-statistics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Ferries NSW can do so much, because it was never under anything like the Vancouver restrictions & the backward BC mentality in general.
https://transportnsw.info/travel-info/ways-to-get-around/ferry#/
https://www.myfastferry.com.au/destinations/circular-quay/
https://www.sydney.com/articles/best-ferry-trips-in-sydney
https://www.transdev.com.au/solutions/sydney-ferries/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Ferries#Network
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferries_of_San_Francisco_Bay How can the SF Bay Area do so much? That's because it never had anything like the backward BC mentality to thwart it.
https://www.foundsf.org/index.php?title=Ferries_on_the_Bay
https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/
http://calurbanist.com/san-francisco-bay-ferries/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferries_of_San_Francisco_Bay#Current_ferry_routes
Monday, August 12, 2024
A cyclist claims wire left across bike lane on the Iron Bridge
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-bridge-cyclist-wire-allegations
Someone might have been very angry with bike people and not with car & truck people. The real problem is that so much of the older BC infrastructure just wasn't designed to be more of a multi-modal crossing.
The Ironworkers-Bridge is so narrow for a bride in that location & wasn't designed for substantial future capacity. When it was initially designed in the 1950s, there was no concept to have 2 bus lanes, 2 truck lanes & 2 emergency lanes. Plus, at least 2 general traffic lanes each way & a provision for 2 train tracks. Thus, the 6 lane bridge is overwhelmed, because it can't do the job of an 8-10 lane wide bridge.
Hopefully, it can be replace with something like the Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-montreals-new-44-billion-champlain-bridge-opens-to-traffic-for Fortunatly, the Vancouver mentality wasn't able to ever reach Montreal & prevent such a nice modern bridge from being built there. https://www.flatironcorp.com/project/champlain-bridge
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/granville-bridge-connector.aspx A bike & foot bridge should have been built next to it decades ago. Then the Granville Bridge could have 3 general lanes each way, plus a bus & HOV lane each way. Instead, if 2 bus & HOV lanes are designated, there will only be 2 general lanes each way.
The Burrard Bridge should have had a bike & foot bride next to it. Instead, it was reduced from a 6 lane crossing to a 4 lane bridge.
The very narrow Oak Street Bridge & the Knight Street Bridge, should have had bus & bike bridges next to them decades ago.
Most bridges in Vancouver & the metropolitan region just weren't designed with that much future capacity in mind. Thus, it's a travesty that by now, almost every crossing should have had bus & bike bridges next to them.
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/walk-bike-and-transit.aspx Unfortunatly, provisions for bus & bike lanes just weren't the thing to do several decades ago.
A truck lane is just as important as a bus & HOV lane. That's because freight should be efficiently & easily be transported in any major urban region.
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/trucks-commercial-and-oversize-vehicles.aspx
Sunday, August 11, 2024
Friday, August 9, 2024
Should downtown Vancouver eventually require a 3rd major train station?
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-train-station-new-railway-line-ideas
Perhaps eventually there could be a deep underground train station below Robson_Square. However, it's more likely that Waterfront+Station+and+Pacific+Central+Station would be extensively upgraded first.
Thursday, August 8, 2024
Longer Trains for Crossrail?
https://www.londonreconnections.com/2024/longer-trains-for-crossrail/
Ideally, it's always better to allow for enough clearance for longer trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail
It's even better to have longer stations or at least a roughed out provision established in the first place.
https://www.londonreconnections.com/2024/bonus-trains-for-crossrail-more-details/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossrail#Route
https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/more-elizabeth-line-trains-arriving-in-summer-2026-73566/
Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Tuesday, August 6, 2024
Why is anti-immigration sentiment on the rise in Canada?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txyjmNXcWiU
Part of bringing more wealth into a country is to have most of the immigrants moderately wealthy to very wealthy. Then a smaller percentage of migrants & refugees would be less of a strain on the system. However, even if 60-70% of immigrants were well off or financially comfortable, some people still might get too jealous of them.
Unfortunately, Canada has been several decades behind in keeping up with a necessary level of infrastructure. Canada is one of the largest countries in overall area, yet it doesn't even have 1% of the world's population.
Monday, August 5, 2024
Railway rolling stock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Generation_Rollingstock Brisbane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway_rolling_stock London
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway#Future_rolling_stock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Docklands_Light_Railway_rolling_stock#B23_rolling_stock
Airport Trains and Stations
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Airport_railway_station,_Brisbane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London#Rail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_de_Gaulle_Airport#RER
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Airport_Rail_Link , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Airport_Rail_Link#Planned_reinstatement_of_the_link
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco_International_Airport#Transit
Sunday, August 4, 2024
Is Montreal the best city in North America?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yDtLv-7xZ4
The tallest buildings in Montreal aren't that impressive when compared to what's allowed in Melbourne, Toronto, Chicago & NYC.
https://reporter.mcgill.ca/montreal-named-best-student-city-in-north-america/
Montreal doesn't have the very wide freeways that LA, Houston, Dubai & Toronto have, but its not stuck with the narrow bridges that Vancouver has.
https://vocal.media/wander/why-montreal-is-the-greatest-city-in-north-america
https://blog.mtl.org/en/montreal-ranks-top The Metro is fantastic! Especially the newer walk-through 9 car trains.
https://www.mtlblog.com/2-quebec-spots-ranked-among-best-cities-in-canada
https://www.mtlblog.com/quebec-cities-cheapest-rent-prices-canada
https://www.mtlblog.com/montreal/what-montreals-iconic-habitat-67-was-supposed-to-look-like-photos
At least Montreal hasn't been forced to adhere to the same restrictions as Vancouver. The first 2 SkyTrain lines only have 80m stations, when the Montreal Metro has 152.5m stations. The Canada Line only has 50m stations. It would have been chaos if Montreal had decided to have short stations & narrow bridges.
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Thursday, August 1, 2024
The Economies of Australia and Canada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gu5lPuaZ9Jo
In some ways Australia is able to think & plan as if its a bigger country than Canada.
Waterfront Station and Pacific Central Station (Vancouver, BC)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfront_station_(Vancouver)
"Waterfront station was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and opened on August 1, 1914.[2] It was the Pacific terminus for the CPR's transcontinental passenger trains to Montreal, Quebec, and Toronto, Ontario." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterfront_station_(Vancouver)#History
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Central_Station
"Pacific Central Station was built in 1917 by the Canadian Northern Railway as the terminus of its line to Edmonton.[4] It was dedicated on November 2, 1919, a day after the first Canadian National trains began using the station.[5][6] It was originally named False Creek Station..." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Central_Station#History
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Waterfront+Station+and+Pacific+Central+Station
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Premetro, Semi-metro and Rapid Transit...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premetro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semi-metro
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapid_transit
Of course when Vancouver & the greater urban region became obsessed with keeping the roads & bridges narrow, it was as if there wasn't a proper concept of express bus lanes & rapid bus lanes.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-funding-issues-impacts-traffic-congestion
The 1959 George_Massey_Tunnel should have opened with 3 lanes each way. Plus, 2 wide emergency lanes. Then over the course of its first 2 decades, it could have become a 6 lane crossing with 2 bus & HOV lanes.
By the 1980s, the inept 4 lane George_Massey_Tunnel should have had a parallel higher & wider bus & HOV tunnel consisting of at least another 4 lanes & at least 2 emergency lanes. Thus making it more capable as an eventual replacement to the old tunnel. Then by around 2000, there should have been a bike, truck & train bridge or tunnel as well.
A George_Massey_Tunnel#Replacement by 2030? The first phase of this really should have been started by the 1980s. Of course the new tunnel with 8 lanes & 2 bike lanes, won't have 2 emergency lanes & there won't be 2 truck lanes. Plus, in accordance with a perpetual congestive planning mentality, there is no provision for an extension of the Canada Line with its inept 2 car trains.
The new tunnel should have had 3 general lanes each way, plus 1 bus lane & 1 truck lane each way. Plus, 2 wide emergency lanes which could eventually be repurpose for a north & southbound rail rapid transit corridor.
That's because someday the Canada Line can not only have 2.5 car trains, but an actual 5 car train consisting of five 20m coaches. Selective_door_operation technology would make this possible. Of course it would have simply been much better to have designed all the stations to already be at least 100m, instead of the inept 50m. Unfortunately, backward BC thinking keeps getting in the way.
https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/province-considering-filling-george-massey-tunnel-with-sand-8777369 Despite the old tunnels height restrictions, a slightly smaller version of the Road_Train could have been ideal for it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_train#Trailer_arrangements
Keeping the old tunnel as a freight corridor between Delta & Richmond would be of tremendous benefit. Delta has the Roberts_Bank_Superport & the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal.
Richmond has the Vancouver_International_Airport & the inept Canada_Line.
Despite budget limits at the time, the Canada_Line should have been designed to eventually have 5 car trains & ultimately, 10 car trains. It should have been envisioned as a high capacity rail link between downtown Vancouver, YVR, Richmond & Delta. With an ultimate connection between the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal and the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal.
For some reason Vancouver & BC never seemed to really take off in the 1980s like Calgary, Seattle & Perth. Indeed, while Vancouver seemed to continue on its sleepwalking path after Expo_86, Brisbane really started to boom after its World_Expo_88.
Unlike SW BC, the Brisbane Airport & seaport are much closer to each other.
https://upload.wikimedia.org Being from Vancouver, its difficult to grasp how Brisbane was ever allowed to permit such nice long trains. This is something to be very proud of, as it can move a lot of people in both directions. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Airport_railway_station,_Brisbane This opened in 2001 & Vancouver's inept version had to be ready by 2010 with just 2 car trains. Yet, Brisbane designed their to be high capacity capable as soon as it open for service. From a backwater BC perspective, it's amazing how Queensland is able to think on such a grand scale & to properly allocate the necessary funds. Who knows where so much of the funds went in BC? That's because not enough of it seems to have gone into the infrastructure.
https:://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_International_Airport#Rapid_transit_(SkyTrain)
Unfortunately, this is an imbasament because, that's not a 4 car train, its two, 2 car trains on a single track. How can Vancouver rate as a proper city & metropolitan area, when the trains are so short?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YVR-Airport_station Why have a double track station allowing for at least 150m - 200m long trains? Do it the BC way with only a single track & a 50m station. This isn't just an example of extreme cost-cutting. Its not properly designing crucial transportation infrastructure for eventual high capacity. Fortunately, most proper big urban areas are able to think & build big right from the start.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/Gateway_Bridge This 6 lane & then 12 lane crossing was possible, because Queensland isn't under anything like the backwater BC restrictions.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sir+Leo+Hielscher+Bridges,+Queensland,+Australia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges This has the potential to still have 4 lanes each way. Plus, 1 bus or HOV lane & 1 truck lane each way.
Loblaw parent company suffers $253M loss due to bread price-fixing settlement
Some companies just can't understand why they have no sympathy from the public.
Senakw's first rental housing towers begin to take shape
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/senakw-squamish-first-nation-vancouver-towers-construction-july-2024
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Vancouver
The tallest buildings in this Vancouver development should have been taller than the tallest building in NW.
https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/pier-west-1/30319
178 m / 584 ft https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/complex/3304
Senakw should have had at least 2 or 3 towers much taller than the Living_Shangri-La, the tallest in Vancouver. Something like the Crown_Sydney scale is banned in Vancouver, but it's OK for big city Sydney & SF.
| Tip | 271.3 metres (890 ft) |
|---|---|
| Observatory | 250 metres (820 feet) |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Sydney#Approval
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Vancouver#Tallest_proposed_and_under_construction Most of BC is a backwater wildernes that is unapealling for people, but great for wildlife & vegetation.
The plan was to continually thwart Vancouver, Victoria & Kelowna for as long as possible. That in turn slows down the few key areas of urban grown in BC. NSW & California, just never had the same, KEEP THEM OUT MENTALITY. Thus, they were able to think & properly plan for growth.
Sydney, NSW & SF, California just were never under the extreme restrictions that Vancouver has. Plus, Syd & SF haven't been under a multigenerational agenda to keep holding those scenic cities back.
Sydney and SF aren't afraid to build taller next to a bridge, like Vancouver is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Sydney#Tallest_buildings_(150m+)
"The taller tower, One Rincon Hill South Tower, was completed in 2008 and stands 60 stories and 641 feet (195 m) tall.[A][B] The shorter tower, marketed as Tower Two at One Rincon Hill, was completed in 2014 and reaches a height of 541 feet (165 m) with 50 stories." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Rincon_Hill
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_San_Francisco#Tallest_buildings
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_central_business_district#Transport This is what you are able to do when you aren't bound by the limiting mentality & backward agenda that Vancouver has. For some reason, Vancouver hasn't been able to get established big cities to emulate its congestive & inept planning standards. That's because most major cities want to plan & implement good transportation infrastructure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Francisco#Public_transportation
Fortunately, Sydney & SF never wanted to take the backwater Vancouver approach to things.
Canada is far off from even containing 1% of the world's human population & BC has yet to have the population of 1 Switzerland. Proper infrastructure planning like in Japan & S. Korea, the UK, CH & Germany, has already been able to accommodate more people. However, most of the world is non-white & some parts of Canada still want to hold onto the old British Colonial mentality for as long as possible.
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