https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-commute-times-canada
UTL is about exploring past, present and future urban technologies in science and fiction, etc...
Thursday, August 29, 2024
Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Tuesday, August 27, 2024
Monday, August 26, 2024
The Boundary Road corridor between North Vancouver, Burnaby and Richmond
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/boundary-road-vancouver-burnaby-shared-maintenance-history
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/driving-in-vancouver-the-worst
Boundary+Road should have had a bridge over Burrard_Inlet and over the North_Arm_of_the_Fraser_River by now. A North and South Boundary Road+Bridge could provide a good truck, bus & bike connection between the North Shore, Vancouver & Burnaby. Then between Burnaby & Richmond with a Number 8 Road Bridge. Then a Nelson Road Bridge to Delta and the Deltaport. However, such regional port city infrastructure still seems beyond what the backwater BC mentality can fathom.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/boundary-road-bridge-vancouver-burnaby-richmond An April Fools articale hightligted the absudity of Greater Vancouver ignoring or neglecting The Boundary Road corridor.
Boundary+Road has the potential to be a regional north-south axis for trucks, buses, cars & bikes, that would really enable more people & goods to efficiently get around.
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
The Ironworkers Memorial Bridge will experience lane closures over the following week
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ironworkers-memorial-bridge-lane-closures
Even from a late 1950s backwards BC perspective, there should have been at least 2 wide emergency lanes. 4 emergency lanes would have been even better, because in addition to 3 general lanes each way, a provision for 2 bus & HOV lanes would have been great. There also should have been a provision for a lower truck & train deck.
Of course any replacement bridge should not only provide 3 general lanes each way, but also 1 truck & 1 HOV lane each way. Then another section or level for at least 2 train tracks & 2 express bus lanes. Since BC doesn't like to provide 24hr train service, there must be 2 bus lanes always open, especially whenever the rail component is closed for maintenance or some emergency.
Unfortunatly, BC Bottleneck planning waters things down. Vancouver, Victoria & Kelowna like to excel in such congestive planning.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Ironworkers-Bridge
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/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4saz4VSuW3I
https://surreylangleyskytrain.gov.bc.ca/
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.
Slate-Owned Metrotown Place Office Towers Under Receivership Listed By CBRE
https://storeys.com/metrotown-place-office-slate-receivership-listing Such a small office complex that would only be impressive in places like Victoria & Prince George.
Richmond has to find a place where office buildings can not only be over 20 floors, but well over 30 stories.
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
Several Vancouver narrow bridge issues
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-bridge-cyclist-wire-allegations
Someone might have been very angry with bike people and not with car, bus & 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+Lion+Bridge+and+The+Iron+Bridge have no rail rapid transit crossings to help them.
The Ironworkers-Bridge is so narrow for a highway bridge 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 HOV lanes, 2 truck lanes & 2 emergency lanes for a port city. Plus, at least 2 general traffic lanes each way & a provision for 2 train tracks. Thus, the 6 lane bridge is so overwhelmed, because it just can't do the job of an 8-10 lane wide bridge. While the Iron Bridge has 2 improved bike+lanes, they are part of the sidewalks.
The former 8 lane Granville+Street will have 6 lanes, while the & Oak+Street only has 4 lanes. The inadequate Oak+Street+Bridge (OSB) should have opened with at least 8 lanes, instead of only 4. Plus, 2 wide emergency lanes & 2 wide sidewalks. There still should be a new southbound OS Bridge, but the city would be against it. A narrow 4 lane bridge just doesn't have the space & capacity for 2 express bus lanes, 2 HOV & 2 truck lanes. Apparently, it's better to just funnel everything into only 2 lanes each way.
The OSB should be twinned or replace with something like the Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge in Montreal. The largest city in Quebec is allowed to have a nice wide bridge & long metro trains, because Quebec isn't bound by anything like the backwards BC mentality.
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 back to Montreal & prevent such a nice modern bridge from being built there. https://www.flatironcorp.com/project/champlain-bridge If you are from Montreal & have visited Vancouver, you will be surprise to see how much shorter an underground Vancouver train station is than what is allowed underground in Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, Seattle, SF & LA...
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 in the downtown core.
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+and+bike+bridges built next to them decades ago.
Most bridges in Vancouver & the metropolitan region just weren't designed with that much future capacity in mind, especially for buses & HOV lanes. Thus, it's a travesty that by now, almost every crossing should have had bus & bike bridges built 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 in BC.
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
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Oak+Street+and+Granville+Street
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 future 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
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Elizabeth+Line
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
An Airport+Station is essential, but not all major airports have gotten around to building them.
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