Friday, May 31, 2024

Road improvements underway on 32 Avenue in Surrey, BC

 https://www.surrey.ca/news-events/news/78m-road-improvements-underway-32-avenue

District-of-North-Vancouver-considers-skytrain-rapid-bus-expansions-to-ease-congestion

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/video/2024/05/29/district-of-north-vancouver-considers-skytrain-rapid-bus-expansions-to-ease-congestion/

A proper bus & train bridge should be built, along with a bridge with HOV & truck lanes. All that in addition to the 6 congested lanes. So much of BC is about funneling everything into just 2 or 3 lanes each way.

BC unveils-240-language-racism-reporting-helpline

 https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-unveils-240-language-racism-reporting-helpline-1.6906991 Too little too late?

So many restrictions were imposed in Vancouver (V-BC) during the 1960s & 70s, then also during the 1980s & 90s. This was a time in which there was still mostly White people imposing so many of the overlapping restrictions. Indeed, for most of Vancouver's history, there was a, keep it White & small mentality. That's because if enough key people could stunt & thwart the growth of Vancouver, the same would happen for BC in general. 

It is important to note that a slow growth initiative isn't necessarily of a racist nature. However, since most of the people on the planet are non-white, anything to slow down the growth of Vancouver, also slows down the growth of BC. Just look at Alberta & Washington State to see how much larger Seattle, Calgary & Edmonton have become.  

Of course over the past few decades, BC started to become more diversified. However, many of the restrictions from the days of the mostly White councils & governments, remain. There has been a multigenerational reluctance to build proper size infrastructure in BC, because that means building for non white people. It's an unfortunate & terrible echo from the old colonial days.  

Now that BC has had several years of growing diversity, there is still another agenda that could slow down the growth of Greater Vancouver & BC at large. Environmental restrictions could be used to hold BC & Canada back. It could be a clever way to continue the, KEEP THEM OUT agenda going. BC doesn't even have the population of 1 Switzerland. Canada is nowhere near containing even just 1% of the world's population. 

If Canada were to officially say that it's good to keep out most of the world, because it's good for the environment, there would be several challenges. How can so many countries with a smaller land area contain more people? Even if Canada had a dozen cities between the size of Montreal & Toronto, there would still be vast undeveloped areas.

Even if BC planned & properly built up half a dozen big cities, there would still be so much wilderness left. 

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

Certainly the housing shortage & the lack of building up a good level of infrastructure, has called for a reduction of immigration. While that might work for a while, at some point Canada might have to explain why its not even able to contain 1% of the world's population? Of course most of humanity happens to be non white, but that's not suppose to be an issue these days. 

Hot Singapore & dry Dubai have been able to build up big & tall, because they aren't bound by Canadian & especially, BC type restrictions. Those cities and many more, would collapse if they were somehow Vancouverized. Short trains, narrow bridges & stumpy buildings, would tremendously impede those modern, dynamic cities. 

Of course Mumbai & Lagos are HUGE 3rd world cities with major transportation issues. Yet, they have the Third_Mainland_Bridge & the Mumbai_Trans_Harbour_Link

Indeed, most real cities couldn't properly function with so much crammed into the 3 lane joke that is the Lions_Gate_Dridge. Bus & train tunnels should have been built there decades ago. Hower, the inept Lions-Gate-Bridge has become an enduring symbol of the reluctance of Vancouver & BC to properly plan & build for the future. Even a new or improved Iron_Bridge wont be enough.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Mumbai#Rail

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai#Cityscape Most cities around the world refuse to become  Vancouverized. Especially a modern place like Singapore, a big city in a small area. 

Switzerland is about a 23rd of the size of BC. Yet, BC doesn't even have the population of one Switzerland.

An immigration plan to attract the more wealthy people can really help to build wealth for a nation. Provided that the infrastructure is properly upgraded. Too many refugees can be a strain on a nation, thats why its imperative to mostly attract the more well off people. Unfortunately, a non-white wealthy person in Canada might cause some jealousy. So at one end of the spectrum are the wealthy immigrants & the refugees at the other. There is a middle area of migrants with general skills that can also expand the economy, but again, some people might become jealous of them.

At the end of the day, Canada still has hardly any of the worlds population & someone seems to like that. 

transportation-service-cuts-loom-if-funding-can-t-be-found-for-programs-translink-BC

 https://bc.ctvnews.ca/transportation-service-cuts-loom-if-funding-can-t-be-found-for-programs-translink-report-1.6906670

https://globalnews.ca/news/10534589/translink-funding-fiscal-cliff-road-infrastructure/

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/30/translink-on-fiscal-cliff/

Wednesday, May 29, 2024

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

Toronto's MA$$IVE Transit Transformation

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufgQdU5DUI8

How Toronto Got Addicted to Cars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkO-DttA9ew

Surrey and Langley Skytrain

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx5GBKjiw2c

Surrey mayor disappointed by delays to Pattullo Bridge replacement

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/28/locke-unhappy-with-delays-to-pattullo/

Of course a bridge with at least 2 bus & HOV lanes, plus 3 general lanes each way should have been built decades ago. Apparently, its better to cram everything into just 2 lanes each way & not have a couple of emergency lanes. That way its even more likely to jam up the new bridge. Even if it open with 3 lanes each way, there should have also still been a couple of emergency lanes as well as 2 bus lanes. However, that would go against the BC bottleneck planning agenda. 

NW like Vancouver can't stop Surrey from growing into the largest city in backward BC.

https://www.surrey.ca/news-events/news/statement-mayor-pattullo-bridge

https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works/

Vancouver wants to decarbonize its large buildings. Some owners may not be able to afford it

New law requires large-building owners to report emissions, with plans to reduce greenhouse gas limits by 2040

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-bylaw-decarbonize-buildings-1.7206506

New replacement Pattullo Bridge with four lanes is too small for growing Surrey

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-replacement-crossing-capacity-small

Indeed, why build a bridge with 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes & even 2 emergency lanes? Just cram everything into only 2 lanes each way. This is the epitome of BC bottleneck planning. It's also another symbolic example to water down the scale of the infrastructure. Building big & wide is indicative of planning for growth, but BC has been under a multigenerational slow growth agenda.

https://www.newwestrecord.ca/local-news/pattullo-bridge-replacement-projected-delayed-another-year-8872962

Bus & HOV lanes should be standard on any new bridge in Greater Vancouver. A 4 lane bridge is just another sad BC joke. Make sure that the bridge isn't designed to accommodate a future deck for LRT, because Surrey & NW won't ever need another rapid transit crossing. Properly planning for growth means thinking big, but this is small minded backwater BC. 

Five of Ontario's top 10 worst roads are located in the Greater Toronto Area

 https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/five-of-ontario-s-top-10-worst-roads-are-located-in-the-toronto-area-1.6903196 Of course its a good idea to make sure that the roads & streets are as smooth as possible.

The Greater_Toronto_Area is gradually becoming a vast urban region like the Chicago_metropolitan_area. So many more modes of transit must be provided for the GTA. IE, trains, HOV, bus & bike lanes. 

https://www.insauga.com/one-of-ontarios-worst-roads-is-among-the-busiest-streets-in-mississauga

Being from the BC Lower_Mainland, it's hard to believe that Canada's GTA is on its way to becoming like another Chicagoland. But then I always remember that Ontario, like Quebec & Alberta aren't under anything like the BC mentality & all of its restrictions.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/worst-roads-ontario-2024-1.7215979 

In effect, the Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway went from a BC like 4 lane bridge to an 8 lane Ontario crossing in the mid 1980s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway#1985_twin_bridge

https://511on.ca/map/Cctv/loc06--3
https://511on.ca/map/Cctv/loc06--3 Both bridges are safer than cramming everything into one crossing structure. 

https://burlingtontraffic.ca/qew-burlington-bay-james-n-allan-skyway The 4th lane each way could eventually become a bus & HOV_lane.

The 4 lane Burlington_Canal_Lift_Bridge is more like a narrow Vancouver bridge. Just 2 lanes each way with no space for an emergency lane or bus & HOV lane. That's why the Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway crossing is still better than any bridge within the Vancouver city limits. The skyway crossing combined with the lift bridge, provides 12 lanes, because the emergency lanes usually aren't counted. Just imagine if all that was funneled into a 4 lane Vancouver bridge. Fortunately, the backward BC bottleneck mentality has never taken over Ontario. 

While Oak Street in Vancouver has 6 lanes, the Oak_Street_Bridge was only designed to have 4 lanes. Thus, it's a fine example of the BC mentality and the multigenerational Vancouverization agenda. Vancouverization is all about watering things down & creating bottlenecks or chokepoints.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Oak_Street_Bridge.jpg
https://wikimedia.org/Oak_Street_Bridge.jpg

The narrow 4 lane bridge should have been designed with a provision to eventually be at least 8 lanes wide. 3 lanes each way, plus a bus & HOV lane each way, but that would conflict with the narrow mindedness of Vancouver. It's sad that at least a bus & bike bridge wasn't built next to it, but that would conflict with the BC bottleneck planning approach to things.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/53/Oak_Street_Bridge_and_Fraser_River%2C_Vancouver_-_panoramio.jpg
https://wikimedia.org/Oak_Street_Bridge_and_Fraser_River.jpg

https://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/70.html A 6 lane street funneled into a 4 lane bridge. WTH?

The Oak_Street_Bridge really should have been opened as a 10 lane bridge. Yet, Oak_Street has only 6 lanes. A 10 lane OSB could have not only allowed for 3 lanes each way, but a bus & HOV_lane each way. Then the 5th lane each way could have been an emergency lane

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/driving-and-cycling/traveller-information/routes-and-driving-conditions/hov-lanes

At the very least, a HOV, bus & bike bridge should be built next to the OSB. However, the multi generational backward BC mentality just doesn't care.

The 4 lane joke that is the George_Massey_Tunnel, should have had a HOV, bus & bike bridge built next to it several decades ago. But that would have actually created better mobility & less congestion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Massey_Tunnel#Replacement Of course just like with the old tunnel, the new tunnel won't have a provision for LRT & emergency lanes. Thus, a LRT bridge would eventually have to be built next to it. Apparently, having a train from the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal to the airport still doesn't make sense. That's just the backward BC way.

If you are from Ontario, Quebec Alberta, the Pacific NW, Australia or just about anywhere, the watered down BC infrastructure will surprise you.

montreals-massive-contrecoeur-terminal-expansion-project

 https://canada.constructconnect.com/dcn/news/infrastructure/2024/05/a-deeper-dive-into-montreals-massive-contrecoeur-terminal-expansion-project

The Arbutus Greenway

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/arbutus-greenway-public-street-vancouver

The streetcar line was decommissioned in the 1950s. Perhaps a modern tram-train or LRV, might be built there before the 2050s. The 2 coach Canada Line is such a sad joke. It's barely a train as some streetcar & tram trains are longer, but not faster.

https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/arbutus-greenway.aspx

https://www.letsgobiking.net/beginner/143-arbutus-greenway/

https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/explore-the-arbutus-greenway.aspx

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/arbutus-greenway

https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/skytrain-expansion-program/skytrain-fleet-expansion All the SkyTrain stations should have been designed to eventually be able to accomodate 8-10 car trains.

The North Shore-Metrotown SkyTrain Plan

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-skytrain-burrard-inlet-rapid-transit-brt-lrt-study

https://www.cnv.org/Streets-Transportation/Transportation-Planning/North-Shore-Transit-Plan

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-city-councils-rapid-transit-translink-approval-plan

Monday, May 27, 2024

The big TO and Canada in general

Of course big cities & nations change over the decades & sometimes people just leave. However, there are various reasons overall that might cause people to move away. A country can be progressive & advance its living standards. However, when a country no longer listens to its citizens & newcomers, that's indicative of a stubborn and restrictive agenda. An agenda that seems to be the opposite of what the people want. 

Why are so many immigrants leaving Canada? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBDlcxyZ4fo CTV

WHY People are Fleeing Canada as Fast as They Can... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B_crKgV3rs

Why are so many people LEAVING Canada lately? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pVKJt1Uh9E

Why No One Wants To Live In Canada Anymore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzme7W7Fy8

Is Canada Is Becoming a Dystopian Nightmare? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChKwUpWNMSQ

Why Are People Leaving Canada? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kohSD5unJ3Q

Why are many Canadians deciding to live abroad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkOq60kP10

Cost of living and Software Engineer Salaries in Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyRp6pAwu8

Canada sees drop in citizen applications from permanent residents | BBC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3SFZdZFHxs

Sunday, May 26, 2024

The Pattullo Bridge replacement now delayed by 1 year

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-construction-opening-delay-2025

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pattullo-bridge-delays-1.7215198

https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works/

The new PB should open with 6 lanes with a provision to have at least 8 lanes. A 4th lane each way could be a nice bus & HOV corridor. But once again, everything will be funneled into a 4 lane BC bottleneck.

https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/pattullo-bridge-replacement-delayed-again-now-projected-to-open-in-2025-7364978

https://globalnews.ca/news/10523439/broadway-subway-pattullo-bridge-delay/

Since the Skytrain isn't open 24hrs, 2 bus lanes should have been part of the bridge right from the start. Its sad that the multigenerational BC mentality never allowed for a much wider SkyBridge. Fortunately, Oregon was able to build their fantastic Tilikum_Crossing, because it doesn't have anything like the BC mentality to thwart it. 

Of course the Skybridge was never designed to have bus & bike lanes, but that's something Portland would eventually do. The extremely narrow SkyBridge should have been designed to not only have 2 bike lanes, but 2 bus & 2 HOV lanes to take some of the pressure off the old PB, as well as its replacement. But that would conflict with the narrow minded, multigenerational backward BC mentality.

After all these decades, backward BC still wants to make sure that there is no provision for a streetcar or a tram-train between Surrey & NW. That's despite Surrey eventually becoming the largest city in BC. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skybridge_(TransLink) The narrow minded BC joke of a transit bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilikum_Crossing Perhaps, the most amazing bridge in Oregon. https://trimet.org/tilikum


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

Broadway subway-opening-delayed- until 2027

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-skytrain-opening-delayed-2027

This B$ should have been built decades ago.

https://globalnews.ca/news/10523439/broadway-subway-pattullo-bridge-delay/

Edmonton vs. Vancouver, BC

 https://versus.com/en/edmonton-vs-vancouver

In some ways you can win in Alberta & in some ways win in BC. It all depends upon what you want or what you can afford & if you like -25C for a few months of the year.

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

Calgary vs. Vancouver, BC

 https://versus.com/en/calgary-vs-vancouver


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

Saturday, May 25, 2024

The need to protect Alberta's affordability advantage

 https://edmontonsun.com/opinion/columnists/gunter-smith-needs-to-protect-albertas-affordability-advantage

Don't ever allow the BC mentality to takeover Alberta. If Alberta was under anything like the BC restrictions, Alberta would have collapsed years ago.

Being from the BC part of Canada, it's always amazing to see what Alberta & Washington_(state) are allowed to do, simply because they have no backward BC mentality to contend with.

Saskatchewan has the potential to become like a smaller Alberta, as long as it isn't taken over by anything like the BC mentality.

Seattle and Vancouver, BC

Seattle is about the size of Burnaby, NW & Vancouver, combined.

 https://www.movingwaldo.com/where-to-live/seattle-vs-vancouver-where-should-i-live/

https://versus.com/en/seattle-vs-vancouver

https://www.globe-gazers.com/vancouver-vs-seattle/


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

Friday, May 24, 2024

Portland, OR vs. Vancouver, BC

https://versus.com/en/portland-vs-vancouver



Victoria, BC

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_British_Columbia It's taken a long time just to reach a population of 100K.  

Greater_Victoria eventually obtained a population of 400K. 

The Capital_Regional_District has around 415K in 2021.

https://www.citypopulation.de/en/canada/britishcolumbia/admin/5917__capital 439,950 Population [2022] – Estimate


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Island#Demographics


Of course in Australia, Victoria_(state) is a mighty place, far from the provincial backwater BC mentality.

Prince George, BC

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

While Edmonton has easily surpassed a million people, PG has been struggling just to have 100K people.

The BC Lower Mainland

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Mainland#Population 3,049,496 in 2021.

The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary-Edmonton_Corridor

Area 38,323.18 km2 (14,796.66 sq mi)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary-Edmonton_Corridor#Growth 3,230,150 as of 2021.

Calgary-Edmonton Commuter_Train_Corridor , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQG2CTW_Cg RM Transit

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

More Canadians are choosing to move to Red Deer and Alberta, in general

 https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/local-news/more-canadians-are-choosing-to-move-to-red-deer-7363004

Red_Deer,_Alberta is a nice place for those who want to live in-between Calgary & Edmonton. Perhaps some day Red+Deer might become like a smaller Edmonton or Calgary. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Deer,_Alberta#Infrastructure

The Riverlands+Pedestrian+Bridge is great for those that don't want to cross the river on one of the regular road bridges.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-population-records-2023-to-2024-data-1.7157110


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

Monday, May 20, 2024

Friday, May 17, 2024

Canada is seeing one of the worst standard-of-living declines in 40 years

 https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-worst-standard-of-living-declines-four-decades

Ontario and Quebec have been long established areas of growth and there is always room for improvement. Alberta and BC have the potential to be the western counterpart.

A Calgary to Edmonton line would make a lot of sense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQG2CTW_Cg

Wednesday, May 15, 2024

Golden Glades bike-pedestrian bridge

 https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/05/14/golden-glades-getting-17-million-bike-pedestrian-bridge

Whether its crossing over several highways lanes, or its crossing over water, a bike & footpath bridge can really improve mobility.

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

The Pattullo Bridge saga

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-closing-two-night

The old bridge just wasn't designed for any expanded capacity. The new PB should have been designed to eventually have a 2nd deck & a provision for rapid rail transit. The new bridge should have been planned to open with a 3rd lane each way for bus & HOV. Apparently, it's better to funnel everything into 2 lanes each way. Good bike & foot paths, but no need for bus & HOV lanes at this time. WTH?


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

Kitsilano in Vancouver, BC

Neighborhoods are always changing, sometimes gradually & sometimes quickly. There are a lot of nice old houses in Kitsilano that are worth preserving. In several cases, infill developments can occur without having to teardown the older buildings.  

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-nimby-kitsilano-2560-trafalgar-street

It seems that not enough people in the neighborhood were allowed to properly voice their concerns.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2560-2580-trafalgar-st-2

https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/kitsilano.aspx

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

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/vancouver/neighbourhoods/kitsilano

The city should have been providing more incentives to retain the older houses, by allowing upgrades & or additions. Over the decades, Vancouver has lost several houses, simply because of half-assed policies.

 Of course if a new owner has paid 2.5, 5 or 10 million dollars for a property, they should be able to build what they want. However, there should have been incentives to save the older houses whenever possible. An infill development can be a guesthouse, or just a separate unit to be rented out for some extra income. 

Thursday, May 9, 2024

The first fully completed new generation SkyTrain in Metro Vancouver

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-mark-v-new-generation-train-inside-interior-design

So the newest trains will only have 5 coaches. So many metros & subways today have 6, 8 or 10 car trains. The SkyTrain should have been designed to ultimately have 152.4 m or 500 long stations like the Montreal Metro. The joke that is the Canada Line, was only designed to ultimately have 2.5 car trains, not 5, let alone 10. Of course BC wouldn't plan for 8-10 car trains, because that would be indicative of properly preparing for growth. BC has shown a continual reluctance to build up to a proper size infrastructure. 


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

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SkyTrain+bridges

Wednesday, May 8, 2024

Vancouver Island Rail Corridor

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-island-corridor-foundation-thomas-bevan

The Island_Rail_Corridor has so much potential, but sleepy BC or backwater BC is very slow-going, as usual. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-island-rail-delay-2023-1.6778609

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation/transportation-reports-and-reference/reports-studies/vancouver-island/island-rail

https://www.islandrail.ca/rail/rail-service-plans/

https://www.vicnews.com/news/petition-to-reinstate-rail-service-on-vancouver-island-headed-to-ottawa-7314120

https://tc.canada.ca/en/binder/47-vancouver-island-rail-corridor

https://www.transportaction.ca/regions/british-columbia/vancouver-island-railway-shame-or-opportunity/

https://www.change.org/p/restore-and-enhance-vancouver-island-s-railway-corridor-with-a-fund-up-to-1-billion

https://www.vicnews.com/news/vote-on-future-of-island-rail-corridor-prompts-first-nation-board-members-to-resign-111773

The Leaside Bridge and The Aurora Bridge

The 6 lane Leaside_Bridge opened on October 29, 1927. The bridge wouldn't have to be Vancouverized, or narrowed, if a bus & bike bridge was built next to it. Turning the Leaside_Bridge into a 5 or 4 lane crossing would be like taking the backward BC approach to things.

The 6 lane Aurora_Bridge opened on February 22, 1932. If a bus & bike bridge was built next to it, that would greatly improve the overall crossing area. However, some people would like to have the 6 lane bridge, Vancouverized. Funneling it into a 5 or 4 lane choke point is a BC type of approach that Washington State should avoid.

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Toronto’s road construction season

 https://globalnews.ca/news/10464912/toronto-construction-season-traffic-solutions/

Driving on parts of the Gardiner that's temporarily reduced to 2 lanes each way for repairs, can give people in the GTA a sense of what it's like driving in stunted Vancouver.

https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/03/19/gardiner-construction-phase-two-dufferin-strachan/

The mostly six lane Gardiner should have been designed to have had at least a 4th lane each way so that it could have been used as a bus & HOV lane.

https://bayview-news.com/2024/03/bayview-leaside-commuters-face-impact-of-2024-road-work.html/

Nothing like the Gardiner_Expressway or the Don_Valley_Parkway was ever allowed in Vancouver. That's because a clearing of houses would have been required. Thus, it's been tough enough just to have something like a 6 lane Lake_Shore_Boulevard (LSB) in Vancouver.

Kingsway_at_the_Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, is funneled into a 4 lane bottleneck. 

Hastings_Street_in_downtown_Vancouver is funneled into a 5 lane cokepoint & gets even narrower.

The Knight_Street corridor isn't all 6 lanes wide. There are a few 4 lane chokepoints. An urban 6 lane corridor is essential, because a 3rd lane each way can be a bus & HOV lane. However, the congestive Vancouver approach is to funnel everything into a 4 lane bottleneck. Fortunately, most cities have allowed enough extra space for bus & HOV lanes.


Is Toronto construction just as safe & easy as last year?

https://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-kicks-off-busy-billion-dollar-construction-season/

Of course all the various construction projects can't be done in one year, as it can take several years or even decades.

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/toronto-get-ready-for-more-traffic-delays-as-the-city-kicks-off-its-billion-dollar/article_e5069002-9b38-52d0-aba3-c09b03e720b7.html



Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge reopen after a fallen tree incident

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/07/stanley-park-causeway-closed-for-fallen-tree/

Perhaps the best example of Vancouverization is the 3 lane chokepoint that is the Lions-Gate-Bridge-and-roadway-through-Stanley-Park. No parallel bus-tunnel or bus-bridge, because that would actually help to efficiently move more people around.

https://globalnews.ca/news/10480945/lions-gate-bridge-closed-tree-down Especially, don't have a high capacity rapid transit rail tunnel though there, because that would go against the constrictive planning agenda of Vancouver & BC.

https://bc.ctvnews.ca/lions-gate-bridge-reopens-after-downed-tree-forces-closure-1.6877368

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fallen-tree-closes-stanley-park-causeway Bottelneck or chokpoint planning has been a crucial part of the Vancouverization agenda for generations.

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/traffic-alert-lions-gate-bridge-closed-downed-tree

Vancouver, BC is such a backward city. Fortunately, the Vancouverization mentality hasn't been adopted by most cities. 


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

TTC subway slow-speed zones is really affecting trains

 https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/05/07/ttc-subway-trains-slow-speed-zones/

Of course Boston has had its slow train problems as well.

https://mass.streetsblog.org/2024/02/13/the-t-fixed-dozens-of-green-line-slow-zones-so-why-is-it-still-so-slow

https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/09/12/mbta-red-line-slow-zones-shutdowns

https://www.vice.com/en/article/wxjekx/bostons-subway-was-running-at-half-speed-because-it-lost-paperwork

Sunday, May 5, 2024

Some of the Best Aquariums in the World

https://www.headout.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world/

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/the-worlds-most-beautiful-aquariums

https://www.thetravel.com/bucket-list-aquariums-in-the-world/

https://worldcitiesranking.com/best-aquariums-top10/

https://aquadecorbackgrounds.com/blog/10-largest-aquariums-in-the-world/

https://tourscanner.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world/

https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world

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

 https://www.vanaqua.org/explore/special-events/monsters-of-the-abyss

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jessica-biel-meets-jessica-seal-vancouver-aquarium

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/animal-stories/watch-jessica-biel-meets-namesake-rescue-jessica-seal-in-vancouver-8692882


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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_aquarium#Public_aquariums_today

Traffic impacted in downtown Vancouver due to BMO marathons

 https://globalnews.ca/news/10475853/traffic-impacted-in-downtown-vancouver-due-to-bmo-marathons/

While such events are for a good cause, the traffic gets even more congested.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/04/vancouver-marathon-road-closures/

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/road-closures-weekend-bmo-vancouver-marathon-may-2024-8678328

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/04/vancouver-marathon-road-closures/

Unfortunately, Vancouver planning never allowed for any bus tunnels, especially under Burrard Inlet & False Creek. All the underground train stations weren't built to easily become as long as the Montreal Metro stations, which are 152.45 m or 500 feet.  

Friday, May 3, 2024