Friday, August 8, 2025

Canada weather

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/canada-weather

 https://weather.gc.ca/data/wxoimages/wocanmap0_e.jpg , https://weather.gc.ca/canada_e.html

Overall, as parts of the world heats up, Canada remains as a place where you can avoid 45, 40 or even 35 C summers. Unfortunatly, winter always returns and by late February many people are fed up with it.

Montreal

 https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/montreal/h3a/august-weather/2-56186_1_al Montreal still might have 9 or 10 days that are at least 30 C.

Toronto weather

 https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/august-weather/55488

So, Toronto still might have some 30 C days in August.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/july-weather/55488?year=2025 According to AW, Toronto only had 6 days that were at least 30 C. Some places around the world would be happy to have 6 days under 30 C, but without the humidity.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/june-weather/55488?year=2025 Wow, Toronto actually had a couple of days in the mid 30s in June.

Temperatures to climb up to 30 C during a sunny streak in Metro Vancouver

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/weatherhood-local/metro-vancouver-weather-temperatures-climb-august-2025-11053150 

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/city/ca/british-columbia/vancouver/monthly?m=8&a=2025

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286 Perhaps some upper 20s, but it's tough for Vancouver to reach 30 C , especially 35 or 40 C. However, some parts of Greater Vancouver might reach 30 C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/july-weather/53286?year=2025 There were only 2 days that were 30 C in July in Vancouver.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/june-weather/53286?year=2025 Vancouver had no 25 C days in June.

Thursday, August 7, 2025

YVR-Canada-Line

 https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/transportation/public-transportation 

Even if the excuse of a limited budget is used at the time, the YVR-Canada-Line should have been designed with at least roughed-in 100 m stations, right from the start, with enough clearance to eventually become 160 m. 

https://thecanadaline.com/station-guides/yvr-airport 

Its like there was no concept to eventually connect both ferry terminals with the YVR-Canada-Line.

https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/skytrain?page=1#canada-line 

Indeed, the YVR-Canada-Line should have been envisioned to be a long-range high capacity rapid transit corridor. A 40-50 m joke of a train can't do the job of a 150-160 m train. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-line-skytrain

Short trains and mostly narrow bridges are a multigenerational way of life that was planned for SW BC. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-burrard-inlet-vancouver-third-crossing-bridge

Who knows where so much of the money went, because it sure didn't go towards proper big city size infrastructure. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-future-station-locations


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=YVR-Canada-Line

Toronto Pearson International Airport Train

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Pearson_International_Airport#Train 

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

Car length85 ft (25.91 m)

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/UP_at_Bloor.jpg While a 2 car joke of a train is only about 170 ft or 52 m, a 3 car train is about 255 ft or 78 m. Unfortunatly, the embarrassingly short train to YVR was only designed to have 164 ft or 50 m stations. The YVR-Canada-Line was deliberately constructed to not allow for enough clearance to eventually double the length of each station. Thus, any underground station can't be extended from the absurd 50 m to 100 m. 

Depending upon the busy and general demand times there are three-car and two-car train sets.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Pearson_Terminal_1_station

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pearson_Express#Rolling_stock 

"Seven trains comprise the fleet of Union Pearson Express (UP Express), grouped into 4 three-car and 3 two-car train sets (for a total of 18 cars)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Sharyo_DMU#Union_Pearson_Express

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_rail_transit_in_Canada#Existing_systems

Heat and humidity set to return to the GTA starting Friday

 https://toronto.citynews.ca/2025/08/07/toronto-weather-gta-heat-humidity

While Toronto & especially Montreal, can have cold winters, they're always set to have hot summers. In contrast, Vancouver sort-of has a summer that's more like spring or fall at  times.

New gates at the Montreal Trudeau airport probably won’t have ‘significant’ environmental impact

 https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article1084656.html

Handling of environmental-impact consultation for Trudeau airport expansion is ‘scandalous,’ activist says https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article1058167.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9seau_express_m%C3%A9tropolitain#Stations

https://rem.info/en/airport , https://rem.info/en/map  

https://rem.info/en/travelling/stations/yul-aeroport-montreal-trudeau Length of each platform: 80 m

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9seau_express_m%C3%A9tropolitain#YUL%E2%80%93Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_Airport_branch

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/montreal-rem-vancouver-skytrain-comparison Montreal built a Metro with 152.5 m stations & a commuter rail system, then eventually the REM. 

Vancouver & BC should have designed the SkyTrain to initially have all of its stations at 100 m with the capability to be expanded to at least 155 m. Unfortunatly, the first 2 lines only have 80 m stations & the YVR-Canada-Line only has 50 m stations. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_rail_transit_in_Canada#Existing_systems

Wednesday, August 6, 2025

9 options for a new Vancouver Canucks practice facility

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/canucks-hockey/9-options-for-a-new-vancouver-canucks-practice-facility-11040991

Vancouver fourth most expensive city worldwide

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/06/vancouver-fourth-most-expensive-city-worldwide-report

You always pay more for less. Short, congest trains and mostly narrow and congested bridges, because that's all part of the pay more for LE$$ agenda in backwards BC. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-impossibly-unaffordable-housing-market

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/video/2025/08/05/new-report-shows-top-reasons-why-b-c-residents-are-choosing-to-leave/

Victoria sur le Parc

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_sur_le_parc

 https://www.guidehabitation.ca/fr/9606/victoria-sur-le-parc/

https://forum.agoramtl.com/t/victoria-sur-le-parc-58-etages-2024/174

https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=115682

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=109775715&page=22

https://dailyhive.com/montreal/tallest-building-montreal-victoria-sur-le-parc

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232780&page=2

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=22&status=15

900 Saint-Jacques Montréal

 https://chevaliermorales.com/projets/900-saint-jacques

https://www.architexgroup.com/projects.asp?id=84

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/900_Saint-Jacques

https://imtl.org/image.php?id=23855 , https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=107840 

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=109775715&page=24

https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=22&status=15

Why are British Columbians looking to leave the province?

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/05/bc-business-council-why-are-british-columbians-leaving/

Partial demolition underway at Burnaby's landmark Telus 'Boot' office tower on Boundary Road

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-tel-telus-boot-office-tower-burnaby-demolition-redevelopment

Third crossing between the North Shore and Vancouver should have been a necessity by now

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-burrard-inlet-vancouver-third-crossing-bridge

Tuesday, August 5, 2025

Notable impacts that the FIFA World Cup will have on Vancouver

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fifa-vancouver-impacts-aug-2025

The lack of proper urban planning is astounding. The Canada+Line should have connected YVR with both ferry terminals by now. None of the regional bridges have had bus and HOV lane bridges built next to them.

Friday, August 1, 2025

Five-tower 'Georgetown West' project planned for Surrey City Centre

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/georgetown-west-surrey-city-centre-anthem-properties

1 in 3 Metro Vancouver workers don’t make enough to cover essentials

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/01/metro-vancouver-workers-dont-earn-enough-to-cover-essentials/

Surrey opens new Nicomekl River Bridge, completing 152 Street corridor widening

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/new-nicomekl-river-bridge-152-street-corridor-widening-surrey-complete

The B intersection

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaverton,_Oregon , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaverton,_Oregon#Transportation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookline,_Massachusetts , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookline,_Massachusetts#Transportation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California#Transit

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington,_Ontario , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington,_Ontario#Public_Transit

The Burnaby Mountain Gondola Saga

https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/burnaby-mountain-gondola

While winter is only a few crappy months out of the year, SW BC still gets cold, damp & depressing.

 https://www.burnaby.ca/our-city/projects/burnaby-mountain-gondola 

Special mountain climbing busses, or in this case, a big hill known as Burnaby Mountain always needs good hill climbing busses during the winter.

https://vancouversun.com/news/translink-100-buses-winter-tires

A gondola would really improve transportation there. 

https://the-peak.ca/2024/10/what-grinds-our-gears-winter-commutes-to-burnaby-mountain

https://www.sfu.ca/gondola.html

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sfu-top-universities-global-rankings There should be a crappy winter transportation award for SFU.

https://www.sfu.ca/srs/announcements/archive/be-prepared-for-winter-on-burnaby-mountain.html

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sfu-burnaby-mountain-gondola-translink-delays

https://buzzer.translink.ca/2022/11/shuttle-buses-during-snow-days-explained/

Two weeks in February 2025 almost had 24hr freezing. One week in January 2024 had a week of almost 24hr freezing. Almost, because some of the days actually might have gotten to 1 or 2C, but the nights were always freezing. Nothing melts under such horrible conditions. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/translink-plans-winter-2017-2018-1.4385226 Unfortunatly, the #0 Not in Service is common during the winter.

Of course winter in Australia is mild when compared to Canada. Most of Canada has winters with -5C days and -10C nights. Some parts get the -10C days & the -20C overnight option & anything colder than that, you might as well just give up.

It's amazing that Australia doesn't have 14 million more people than Canada, but it's the other way around. http://www.bom.gov.au/places/

Thursday, July 31, 2025

August forecast for Vancouver

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-august-forecast

Wow, there still might be about a dozen days that are at least 25 C. Most places won't even call anything a heatwave until its at least 30 C, some might even say 35 C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286

Unfortunatly, by September there might not even be 10 days reaching 20C. Usually, by the last week of September, that's it for Vancouver having any days at or above 21 C or 70 F until mid or late April.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2025

By October, Vancouver is hard-pressed to even have one 20 C day.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/october-weather/53286?year=2025

It took until the 3rd week of April for Vancouver to have its first day of at least 20 C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/april-weather/53286?year=2025

From late September to late April is 7 months without a 21 C or 70 F day in Vancouver.

Tuesday, July 29, 2025

HWY 99 northbound offramp to Steveston HWY in Richmond reopens

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/07/29/steveston-nb-offramp-closed-hwy-99-richmond

The H-99 corridor is such a transportation joke. No bus and train tunnels were ever built next to the LGB. The narrow tunnel between Richmond & Delta won't have any bus lanes until 2030 & still no train bridge or tunnel between YVR & the ferry terminal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99#Route_description

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/province-considering-filling-george-massey-tunnel-with-sand-8777369

https://www.richmond-news.com/search?search=on&q=George+Massey+Tunnel

Major mixed-use residential, commercial, and industrial expansion of Marine Gateway

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/marine-gateway-phase-2-vancouver-pci-rezoning-application-proposal

Marine+Gateway area has the Marine_Drive_station, which all links with Bridgeport+Station , Capstan+Station , Aberdeen Station , Lansdowne+Station and Richmond-Brighouse

Unfortunately, being backwards BC and not Oregon, there was no vision to design the North_Arm_Bridge to be as good as something like the Tilikum_Crossing in Portland.

https://structurae.net/en/structures/north-arm-bridge

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/North_Arm_Bridge_shot_from_SkyTrain_3622.JPG It should have been designed in a way that it could be widened to accomodate 2 bus & 2 HOV lanes, especially since the train isnt a 24hr service. 
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/NorthArmBridge.jpg A train & bike bridge, but no provision for bus & HOV lanes. WTH? There should have been 2 bike lanes & 2 sidewalks, but this is watered down Vancouver.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Tilikum_Crossing_-_bicycles_4.jpg

The Tilikum_Crossing isn't just a bus and bike bridge, it's a MAX-LRT and streetcar bridge. 

Of course the Middle_Arm_Bridge between YVR and the main part of Richmond has no bike or bus lanes. 

Why some folks from the USA prefer to fly from Vancouver International Airport

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-airport-south-border-states

Landmark tower with condos and a major hotel proposed next to Robson Square

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/807-815-hornby-street-vancouver-robson-square-hotel-tower-reliance-properties

Saturday, July 26, 2025

One Bloor West is Canada’s tallest building at over 300 metres

 https://dailyhive.com/toronto/tallest-building-canada-toronto

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Bloor_West 308.6 metres (1,012.4 ft)

https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2025/05/1-bloor-street-west-toronto-tallest-canada/

New pedestrian and cycling upgrade to Granville Bridge opens to public

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11304598/54m-pedestrian-and-cycling-upgrade-to-granville-bridge-opens-to-public/

Once again Vancouver gets its wrong, at least the Burrard Bridge is a better example, despite the loss of 2 lanes..

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-bridge-walking-cycling-pathways-open-complete

For a bridge that was 8 lanes wide with 2 narrow sidewalks, there should have been a bike lane & a wide sidewalk on both sides. The decision was to have 2 bike lanes on the west side of the bridge with a wider, uneven sidewalk & a slightly wider sidewalk on the east side of the bridge.


The City of Surrey is expanding 72 Avenue from 152 Street through to 176 Street

 https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/vote-on-16m-contract-for-work-on-72-avenue-192-street-before-surrey-council-monday-8156221

Metro Vancouver Regional District delays review of North Shore wastewater treatment plant project until legal battle resolved

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-wastewater-treatment-plant-project-review-delayed

So much money has been wasted that could have otherwise have gone towards a train & bus bridge or a tunnel across the inlet. 

The+Ironworkers-Bridge will still have to be upgraded or rebuilt and it should be on the scale of the New Samuel-De_Champlain_Bridge. The New_Champlain_Bridge_in Montreal has 4 lanes each way, plus 2 train tracks. More things are possible in Montreal and Quebec, simply because they don't have anything like Vancouver's restrictions & the backwards BC B$ mentality to thwart them.

https://www.samueldechamplainbridge.ca/traffic-and-detours/

https://www.samueldechamplainbridge.ca/pedestrians-and-cyclists/

https://www.arup.com/projects/samuel-de-champlain-bridge-corridor/

Portion of Highway 1 closes near Lytton, Boston Bar after semi truck blaze Friday

 https://fraservalleytoday.ca/2025/07/25/video-portion-of-highway-1-closes-near-lytton-boston-bar-after-semi-truck-blaze-friday/

Friday, July 25, 2025

New Metro Vancouver report shows extent of eastward migration

 https://vancouversun.com/news/new-metro-vancouver-report-shows-extent-of-eastward-migration

https://fraservalleytoday.ca/2025/07/25/abbotsford-rolls-out-new-master-plan-for-city-centre-park/

Pedestrian struck by C-Train in northeast Calgary

 https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/pedestrian-struck-by-c-train-northeast-calgary

Who controls the 3 lane Lions Gate Bridge?

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/who-controls-the-centre-lane-on-the-lions-gate-bridge-1.7589996

The LGB has to be the worst or at least one of the worst traffic bottlenecks & chokepoints on the planet. Over the course of the past several decades, there should have been a bus and HOV tunnel and then a train tunnel close to the alignment of the LGB. 

Seven lanes of Georgia+Street funneled into a 3 lane LGB is nuts! The LGB is already a nice bike bridge, with sidewalks, but it should also be a bus bridge. That would be possible if a proper big city tunnel was built. An eight-lane-tunnel would really help the LGB.

Of course in both cases, the Lion Bridge was never expanded, twinned or duplicated & the M Tunnel (H-99) wasn't replace with a 10 lane bridge. Unfortunatly, no serious consideration for rail rapid transit was considered for both crossings. It was as if the regional & BC governments just didn't think it was that important to have a train from the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal and the Park+Royal+Shopping+Centre to Vancouver-International-Airport. Just like not having a train from the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal and Tsawwassen+Mills to the airport. 

Despite Richmond,_British_Columbia having YVR, its as if no one really considered that Richmond should be a major intermodal transportation hub. Proper Transportation Planning has always been lacking in backwards BC.

https://www.theprogress.com/news/province-receives-business-case-for-new-massey-crossing-1911335

https://www.highway99tunnel.ca While an 8 lane tunnel is a good start as the first phase, eventually there will have to be a train, bus & bike bridge (or tunnel) next to it.

https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/project-overview-frt Then the H-99 tunnel could be 3 lanes each way with the 4th as a HOV lane. A new parallel bridge (or tunnel) could then have 2 rapid bus lanes, as well as 2 wide sidewalks & 2 wide bike-lanes. Extra width could allow for eventually 2 tracks, 2 HOV lanes, in addition to the 2 bus lanes. That would enable the H-99 tunnel to ultimately have 4 general lanes each way in a later phase. Of course it would have been better to do things correct right from the start, but that goes against the backwards BC mentality.

Granville Bridge's new wide, safe pathways for walking and cycling now open

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-bridge-walking-cycling-pathways-open-complete

Its OK, but it could have been better.

Had there been a nice bike & foot bridge built next to it, the Granville Bridge could have had 3 general lanes each way & the 4th as a bus lane. Just like the Burrard Bridge should have had a bike & foot bridge next to it. Then, the BB could have had 2 bus lanes as well as 4 general lanes. Taking lanes away is absurd for a city that already has such a narrow road system. Yet, a proper regional bus & bike bridge system wasn't implemented.

It seems that the public wasn't properly informed decades ago that Greater Vancouver wasn't going to have a 24hr train system. All the more important for the GV Region to have a network of bus & bike bridges. Several the regional bridges are so narrow that there isn't enough room to accomodate 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes.


A new forest boardwalk attraction called Squamish Canyon is opening

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/squamish-canyon-opening

Major development proposal for North Vancouver’s Lynn Creek

 https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/major-development-proposal-incoming-for-north-vancouvers-lynn-creek-10989150

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/city-of-north-vancouver-meets-95-of-annual-housing-target-10988231

Australia's housing crisis

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

https://www.fresheconomicthinking.com/p/australias-housing-crisis-was-just

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq5wlevy647o

https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/population-clock-pyramid Still under 28 million in mid 2025.

https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-welfare/housing-affordability

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-07-01/home-values-hit-record-highs-june-property-prices/105477426

https://www.globalpropertyguide.com/pacific/australia/price-history#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20latest%20data%20from%20the,compared%20to%20the%20same%20period%20in%202023.

https://population.gov.au/population-topics/topic-population

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia#Cities

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cities_in_Australia_by_population#Significant_Urban_Areas_by_population

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/17/melbourne-overtakes-sydney-as-australias-most-populous-city


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

Canada's rising home prices and rents

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-immigration-home-price-rent-increase-impact

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_and_dependencies_by_area#Countries_and_dependencies_by_area Despite Canada being the 2nd largest country in overal area, it has less than 1% of the world's population. 

https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=1710000901 Still less than 42 million in mid 2025.

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

https://www.biv.com/news/retail-manufacturing/strong-vancouver-data-helps-bc-top-canada-for-retail-sales-growth-10988450

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_City-Windsor_Corridor


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

Four lanes or 6? MLA comments reignite Pattullo Bridge debate

 https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/four-lanes-or-6-mla-comments-reignite-pattullo-bridge-debate-8151111

Two bike lanes & 2 sidewalks are great, but the government really tipped their hand with this. Despite the SkyTrain not running 24hrs, the new bridge won't open with any bus lanes & no HOV lanes. Despite Greater Vancouver being a port region, there won't be any dedicated truck lanes & worst of all, no emergency or breakdown lanes. 

Since there was such a push to only have 2 lanes each way, the new bridge still should have opened with 2 wide emergency lanes & 2 wide breakdown lanes. Thats 6 lanes already in place, with a provision to eventually add 2 more. However, that would go against the congestive planning agenda that is Greater Vancouver & backwards BC.

It's one thing to say or pretend to support bus & HOV lanes, but opening this new bridge without such additional lanes all fits in with the congestive planning agenda. Just like a 5 car SkyTrain squeezed into an 80 m station, is a far cry from a 9 car Montreal Metro train with 152.5 m stations. Thinking, planning & building big in BC goes against the congestive planning agenda.

Symbolism is very important in backwards BC. Thus, half-size infrastructure is one of the best ways to demonstrate an ongoing reluctance to accommodate growth & efficiency. There have been several decades, even generations where funding has only created half-size & HALF-A$$ED infrastructure. So the big question is, where did so much of the money go, when BC still needs proper size infrastructure?


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

Thursday, July 24, 2025

B.C. government forces West Vancouver to densify Park Royal and Ambleside areas

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-government-housing-directives-west-vancouver-oak-bay-density

41st Avenue and Arbutus Greenway intersection in Kerrisdale

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/arbutus-greenway-west-41st-avenue-kerrisdale-intersection-new-design

Traffic is so bad that the North Shore is contemplating its transportation future, again

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11302770/north-shore-traffic-museum/

A bus and train tunnel should have been constructed almost directly under the Lions+Gate+Bridge several decades ago, at the very least. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/north-vancouver-lane-change-1.7336664

https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/did-the-lower-lynn-improvement-project-improve-north-van-traffic-8789544

https://www.nvchamber.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/North-Shore-Transportation-Study-NV-Chamber-Resolution-Final-2018.pdf

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/traffic-congestion-is-affecting-tourism-and-business-on-north-shore-says-bia-1.5253528

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/driving-and-transportation/reports-and-reference/reports-and-studies/lower-mainland/highway-1-99-north-shore-corridor-study.pdf

https://globalnews.ca/news/3765300/little-hope-of-third-crossing-to-north-shore-as-traffic-woes-worsen/

https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2016/08/30/north-shore-congestion-another-view/

Tuesday, July 22, 2025

City of Burnaby switches to height-based building policies, abandoning density limits

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burnaby-height-based-development-framework

Fortunately, Vancouver can't stunt and stump Burnaby anymore than it could with Parramatta, NSW. Vancouver is trying its darndest to prevent any buildings from rising above 200 m. Unlike Vancouver, Burnaby doesn't try to look for any excuse to hold its city back.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=building+shadowing+policies

Kits Pool ruling leaves people frustrated

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/kits-pool-decision-vancouver

More overlapping rules, more permits required and more regulations to maintain and enforce the B$ bureaucracy of backwards Vancouver. Officially, Vancouver isn't supposed to be a NO FUN CITY. However, various people through the years like to perpetuate the NO FUN mentality.

Monday, July 21, 2025

Building shadowing policies could kill many downtown Vancouver projects

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-building-shadowing-solar-access-policies-development-impact

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-building-shadowing-solar-access-guidelines-updates

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-tower-building-shadowing-solar-access

 

https://jf-databits.blogspot.com/search?q=building+shadowing+policies

Surrey Unveils New Land Use Plan For City Centre And Central Business District

 https://storeys.com/surrey-city-centre-plan-update-2025

Delta auto terminal project creates Richmond marine terminal opportunity

 https://www.delta-optimist.com/local-news/delta-auto-terminal-project-creates-richmond-marine-terminal-opportunity-10964896

Trams and Streetcars

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhQxNHrD6fA

https://www.railforthevalley.com/latest-news/zweisystem/tram-streetcar-lrt-why-the-confusion

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

Call it a lack of vision or a lack of proper urban transportation planning. There were just too many key people who never wanted Vancouver to be on a similar scale as Melbourne, Toronto and SF.

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

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


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Trams-Trains+and+Streetcars

Saturday, July 19, 2025

Building shadowing policies for downtown Vancouver peninsula

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-building-shadowing-solar-access-guidelines-updates


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=building+shadowing+policies

CN Rail to end lease on Sea to Sky corridor railway through Whistler, opening the door for rail public transit

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/cn-rail-sea-to-sky-railway-corridor-lease-termination-whistler-passenger-rail

Vancouver To Transform Development Process With Standardized Residential Zones

 https://storeys.com/vancouver-standardized-residential-apartment-zoning-districts/

No-swimming advisories for 9 Metro Vancouver beaches likely to last all weekend

 https://globalnews.ca/news/11294472/vancouver-e-coli-beaches/

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/kitsilano-beach.aspx

So far there hasn't been any momentum to rename Kits Beach into $HIT$ Beach.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/video/2025/07/19/e-coli-halts-swimming-at-metro-vancouver-beaches/

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/e-coli-vancouver-beaches-july-18-1.7589185

Fortunately, Australia, Hawaii, California & Florida realize that crappy beaches are bad for residents & tourism. 

https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality#overview

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

https://www.destinationvancouver.com/inspirations/beaches

It's so much easier for several other cities to do things better than backwards Vancouver.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches

Friday, July 18, 2025

The Waterfront SkyTrain Station stench

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/waterfront-station-vancouver-stench-smells

This, along with the E.coli beaches could be a part of a crappy Vancouver marketing opportunity. 


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches

Disneyland Resort Debuts ‘Walt Disney – A Magical Life’

 https://secretlosangeles.com/disneyland-resort-debuts-walt-disney-attraction-to-honor-70th-anniversary/

Several Metro Vancouver beaches closed to swimming due to E. coli

 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-beaches-e-coli-1.7588222

https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Beach_(Vancouver)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Beach_(Vancouver)

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

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

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

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_Bay,_Vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_Beach , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wreck_Beach#Swimming_and_ocean_water_quality


Its imarapartive that an urban beach be reasonably clean, especially the water.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alki_Point,_Seattle , https://visitseattle.org/neighborhoods/west-seattle

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

https://thecapetownblog.com/best-beaches , https://www.go2africa.com/african-travel-blog/cape-towns-best-beaches

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coney_Island , https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/beaches/3

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana,_Rio_de_Janeiro

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-beaches-in-france , https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2016-07-27/the-best-beaches-in-france

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Mile,_Durban

https://www.visitmelbourne.com/regions/melbourne/see-and-do/nature-and-wildlife/beaches-and-coastlines

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miami_Beach,_Florida , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Beach_(Miami_Beach) , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunny_Isles_Beach,_Florida

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica_State_Beach , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Monica,_California#Climate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surfers_Paradise,_Queensland

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadbeach,_Queensland

WaikÄ«kÄ« beach https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waik%C4%ABk%C4%AB  ,  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waik%C4%ABk%C4%AB#Water_quality  ,

https://www.cnn.com/2015/08/25/us/hawaii-waikiki-beach-closed-sewage/index.html


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+beaches

Thursday, July 17, 2025

Ice given access to Medicaid data in move critics call a privacy betrayal

Officials let Ice access health data to locate migrants, alarming experts who warn of civil rights and health risks https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/17/ice-access-medicaid-data-personal-information

No-swimming advisories at several Metro Vancouver beaches due to E. coli (WTH?)

 https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/video/9.6835823

https://globalnews.ca/news/11293631/metro-vancouver-beaches-closed-ecoli/

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/no-swimming-at-5-metro-vancouver-beaches-due-to-e-coli/

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-beaches-ecoli-advisories-july-2025

https://www.vch.ca/en/service/public-beach-water-quality

There really should be a concerted effort to clean this situation up. This isn't good for the residents or for the tourists.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver+beaches

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+beaches

ICE Is Moving Immigrants Arrested On The US Mainland To Honolulu

 https://www.civilbeat.org/2025/07/ice-moving-immigrants-arrested-mainland-to-honolulu/

As the world becomes more digitized, various countries could take more of a rounding-up approach towards undocumented people & illegal residents and visitors. While wearable_technology could be useful to better identify and monitor the human herd, it could easily become like something out of a dystopian Sci-Fi story.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_technology#Use_in_surveillance 

A more interconnected world means that most people will be almost instantaneous trackable.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/ice-may-deport-migrants-countries-other-than-their-own-with-just-six-hours-2025-07-13/

Monday, July 14, 2025

Anarchy in Europe...

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPqSFuz9HSo

The objective of any thriving nation or region is to mostly attract upper and middle income people who can bring more wealth and skills into a country. Unlike Australia & Canada, the US had a tremendous amount of immigration in the 1800s & 1900s to really grow their country. Today, Texas has more people than Australia & California has more people than Canada. 

Today, if there are too many refugees and migrants and not more of a much higher percentage of upper & middle income people, there will be a tremendous strain & overload on the system. An effective formula needs to be established for each nation or region to accommodate refugees and migrants, vs. those in a higher income bracket. 

Multiculturalism should be a blend of one being able to celebrate their culture within the larger context of diversity. 

The situation at Kits Pool

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-kits-pool-covid-concerns

As a backwards city so full of its own multigenerational B$, red-tape & so many hoops & hurdles, Vancouver continues to crawl along.

Construction starts on new Listel Hotel and rental housing tower on Robson Street

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/listel-hotel-vancouver-robson-street-redevelopment-construction

As a small-minded city, Vancouver just hasn't had the same interest or motivation to encourage or allow big & tall hotels to be built.

https://www.biv.com/news/real-estate/vancouver-needs-10k-more-hotel-rooms-says-report-10508458

Proper big cities that really want to capitalize on tourism will allow hotels with 1000, 2000 or even 4000 rooms.

https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-major-hotel-policy-overhaul-room-shortage

It's been very difficult for Vancouver to have a single tower hotel with at least 700 rooms.

https://retail-insider.com/retail-insider/2025/04/vancouver-needs-10000-new-hotel-rooms-by-2050-new-report-outlines-roadmap-for-growth-jobs-and-city-building/

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/04/09/vancouver-needs-10000-more-hotel-rooms-by-2050-tourism-organization-says/

https://storeys.com/vancouver-hotel-development-policy-changes/

https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/council-approves-new-policy-address-vancouvers-hotel-room-shortage.pdf


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=hotel+rooms

Vancouver could become a better cycling city, but the metropolitan region lacks a proper network of bus and bike bridges

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-cycling-city

Removing traffic lanes from bridges doesn't improve things as much as constructing a series of bike, bus & HOV bridges would. 

the land assemblers

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-land-assembly-speculation-middlemen-developers

Skyline (Honolulu) Rapid Transit

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu) Only 4 car trains? At least it's not a 2 - 2.5 car joke of a train that is the Canada embarrassment Line in backwards Vancouver.

Fortunately, it's a walkthrough train and with SDO, it could eventually become a 6 car train, if there is ever a need to increase capacity by 50%.

https://honolulutransit.org/about/route-map , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Wq3THzQZr0

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Rolling_stock

https://www.honolulu.gov/dts/skyline/home/

Hawaii's $10BN Railway Nightmare Explained https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xnrhm1KcB4


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Selective+Door+Operation

Saturday, July 12, 2025

theme parks

 https://ktla.com/news/theme-parks/

Vancouver's forgotten streetcars and interurban trams

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/transportation-old/interurban-streetcar-hydrogen-rail-line-fraser-valley-bc-1942783

Fortunately, Toronto, NO, SF and Melbourne never got rid of all their streetcar and tram lines.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-false-creek-streetcar-route-map

While backwards Vancouver wanted to be among the first cities to get rid of them, Vancouver will likely be one of the last cities to bring them back.

https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2021/04/06/a-bump-in-the-road-kits-points-hidden-streetcar-line/

Atlanta, SD, LA, Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle & Portland brought back some of their trollies in the form of modern LRT or tram-trains.

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

The sad irony is that Vancouver, Burnaby & NW really could have benefitted from following the Toronto, SF and Melbourne examples. 

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/last-ride-oak-streetcar-vancouver-1937040

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128486813979056/posts/1968090176685368

 https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/bcer/

https://humantransit.org/2010/02/vancouver-the-almost-perfect-grid.html

There used too be a streetcar route along Robson St., Denman St. & Davie St. A revived version of this could provide a nice downtown transit loop. However, that would go against the backwards mentality of Vancouver. Fortunately, the Vancouver mentality never made it to Atlanta & Dallas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Streetcar#Downtown_Loop_route_funded

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

Unfortunatly, Vancouver & BC are all about congestive planning.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2026-fifa-world-cup-vancouver-1.7559067

With less than a year to go, its impossible to revive any streetcar lines, because that can take 5-10 years. There isn't even a network of regional bus bridges. Such inept transportation planning means that busses have to squeeze onto bridges that are mostly just 2 lanes each way. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-rising-costs-fifa-2026-world-cup-1.7573669

Despite the first SkyTrain line opening in 1985, it took until 2025 to start having5 car trains. The 2nd & 3rd lines are still only running 2 car trains.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-short-on-hotel-rooms-silent-on-safety-costs-for-2026-world-cup/

Of course the city is decades behind in keeping up with having enough hotel rooms.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-hotel-shortage-2026-world-cup-1.7117696

https://vancouverfwc26.ca 

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/vancouver-host-seven-matches-canada-stadium-bc-place


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Trams-Trains+and+Streetcars

The best beaches in Vancouver, BC

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-beaches-vancouver

Summer is so damn short in Vancouver. Only June, July & August are usually the hottest months, because by the 2nd week of September things start to cool down. 

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/june-weather/53286?year=2025 There were only 5 days in June that got above 25C.

 https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/kitsilano-beach.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/beaches.aspx

https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-gardens-and-beaches.aspx


https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/july-weather/53286 Wow, there might actually be one day in July that could reach or exceed 30C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286?year=2025 No 30C days in the August forecast. 

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2025 No 25C days are in the September forecast. Then, for the 2nd half of the month it will be tough enough just to reach 20C.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/may-weather/53286?year=2025 Back in May, only one day got above 25C.

Hot weather kept bypassing Vancouver and went up to Alaska & Yukon.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BC+beaches

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Kitsilano Pool

 https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/debate-rages-over-covid-19-era-reservation-system-at-kits-pool-in-vancouver/

A bigger and better pool should be open access just like the beach. 


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=+Kitsilano+Pool

How Bike Lanes have affected Vancouver's urban infrastructure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvkifuIjq9I The BSB was a 6 lane crossing that even had a provision for a lower deck intended for streetcars. Eventually, 2 lanes were removed & the lower deck was never completed. However, Vancouver was unable to prevent Seattle & Portland from reviving some of their streetcar routes.

The problem isn't bike lanes, it's the lack of interest to build a proper regional network of bus & bike bridges. Thus, if a proper bike bridge was built next to the Burrard+Street+Bridge, then 2 of its 6 lanes could have been for buses or at least HOV lanes. The lower deck could have still been for streetcars or tram-trains going between Vancouver & Richmond. The irony of backwards Vancouver is that it was one of the first cities to get rid of its streetcars & will likely be one of the last to bring them back.

The Fraser River Tunnel Project https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWhHJWKa6CQ Unfortunatly, this will still be a chokepoint or congested crossing.

Of course the new Richmond-Delta+Tunnel wasn't designed to be part of a rail link between the airport and the ferry terminal. There should have been 2 HOV lanes, as well as 2 bus lanes, but that would be a big-city 10 lane crossing. Instead, just an 8 lane tunnel with no train component. Eventually, a train and HOV bridge or tunnel will have to be built next to it. 

At least the first SkyTrain line can now have 5 car trains. However, the 2 car joke of a train still exists between Vancouver & Coquitlam, as well as between Vancouver & Richmond. The Montreal Metro can have 9 car trains and BART in SF can have 10 car trains. Such things are possible because they don't have a congestive BC panning mentality.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Bike+Lanes

Vancouver pushes for social housing high-rises across the city

 https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vancouver-pushes-social-housing-highrises-across-city

https://vancouversun.com/opinion/columnists/vancouvers-opulent-curv-tower-gets-away-with-switching-out-of-below-market-housing

The Kitsilano Pool Is Nearing Its End. What Comes Next?

 https://thetyee.ca/News/2025/07/11/Kitsilano-Pool-Nearing-End

It should be covered & heated so that people can enjoy it throughout the year.

https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/kits-pool-replacement


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=+Kitsilano+Pool

College Park Project To Be Finish 100 Years Later

 https://storeys.com/gwlra-college-park-redevelopment/

The Rise and Fall of an Awkward Dining Trend

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgejGeLwrj4

The Space_Needle became an instant Seattle landmark since the early 1960s. The same for the Calgary_Tower by the late 1960s.

https://www.spaceneedle.com , https://www.calgarytower.com

Both were possible, because Seattle & Calgary aren't under anything like Vancouver's imposed restrictions.

The H._R._MacMillan_Space_Centre opened in October 1968, some 4 months after the Calgary Tower & 6.5 years after the Space Needle. Of course Vancouver was behind, as usual. The first thing that you notice is that there is no tower. It's a classic stump of a building. 

https://thecdm.ca/partners/industry/the-hr-macmillan-space-centre

https://www.spacecentre.ca/celebrating-55-years

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/qhnz76/tbt_vancouver_planetarium_1968

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/SpaceNeedleTopClose.jpg The Tower
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/Museum_of_Vancouver.jpg The Stump

The movie Final_Destination_Bloodlines provides a CGI depiction of what an actual tower, not a stump would look like. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Final_Destination_Bloodlines#Plot

While Final_Destination_Bloodlines was filmed in Vancouver, it was set in New York State. 

Something peculiar happened in Seattle in 2025.

https://people.com/space-needle-crack-glass-floor-absolutely-safe-11770526

https://wrif.com/2025/07/08/crack-space-needle-glass-floor/

https://cryptogmail.com/is-the-space-needles-glass-floor-cracking-heres-the-real-story/

https://komonews.com/news/local/space-needle-assures-safety-amid-viral-video-of-glass-floor-crack-glass-rotating-floor-redesign-architects-washington-tourism-visit-iconic-landmark

 Final Destination: Bloodlines Movie Clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iQhOmebDqo


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

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

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

City of Vancouver to explore new density and uses to revive Railtown district

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/railtown-vancouver-revitalization-redevelopment-planning

Port of Vancouver advances $2.2 billion expansion

 https://splash247.com/port-of-vancouver-advances-2-2bn-expansion/

Thursday, July 10, 2025

SkyTrain enters its Mark V era with 5 car trains

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/skytrain-mark-v-first-new-train-service-translink-expo-line-july-2025-10927323

With such a high capital construction cost, its foolish and very short sighted that Vancouver & BC never allowed for enough clearance to eventually have 10 car trains.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mark-v-skytrain-train-enter-service-design-translink

At least the first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that can accomodate a 5 car train. Unfortunatly, the joke that is the Canada embassament Line never allowed enough level clearance for 5 car trains, only a 2.5 car train. Combine short trains with mostly narrow bridges and no interest to build a series of bus-bridges and you have a fine example of congestive planning. Of course no one seems to know where the funds that should have gone towards big city infrastructure went. 

Downtown Vancouver office space vacancy rate sees notable increase

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-downtown-office-market-q2-2025

Unlike Seattle and Calgary, Vancouver never permitted any 50 story office towers. Indeed, no office building in Vancouver is even allowed to have a 40th floor. However, BC still might eventually have a couple of office towers over 40 stories, just not in restrictive Vancouver.

The Milizie Bridge in Italy and the Windan Bridge in W, Australia and The Cushing Bridge in Calgary, Alberta

 https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/fotografie/schede/IMM-5w050-0000107/

It used to be like a narrow 4 lane Vancouver bridge.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdL1nsrfQlu2fehTGEprH7FGBsYGcr_TPyqucsA-EWRJdwwHCROFB-V_oTimMt3jA863q25r8g5pY83s0yOUppOM1EuVsBaGO4kc846blp-xCt8G3xQs7Srg2Ro9nPKPom-V5YOdCRm1bM/s1600/PontiMilizie-NotizAtmMarApr74-ridotto.jpg

https://milanoneisecoli.blogspot.com/2014/10/lo-scomparso-torrione-fascista-di.html

Eventually, the Ponte+Delle+Milizie was rebuilt to have 2 bus lanes as well as 4 general lanes.

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ponte+Delle+Milizie

Something like the 6 lane Windan_Bridge and the double track Goongoongup_Bridge, just aren't allowed in Vancouver. The city should do something similar like the Cushing+Bridge+in+Calgary.

Unfortunatly, the backwards Vancouver approach is to take lanes away, while pretending to be building an efficient regional rapid bus network. 

The Arthur+Laing+BridgeOak+Street+Bridge and Knight+Street+Bridge only have 2 lanes each way in the middle and there was no provision to have 2 bus lanes. Thus, unless a 2 lane bus-bridge is built next to each of them, the regional express bus network will remain a sad BC joke.

There should also be a 6 lane Boundary+Road+Bridge crossing Burrard_Inlet and another one crossing the Fraser_River

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

New push to redevelop 11.5-acre City of Vancouver-owned site at Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-innovation-hub-false-creek-flats-feasibility-study

Redevelopment of McDonald's restaurant next to Main Street-Science World SkyTrain station approved by Vancouver City Council

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/mcdonalds-restaurant-redevelopment-approved-1527-main-street-vancouver

The short buildings should have been designed to eventually have a 20-30 story addition.

TransLink buys Fraser River waterfront property for Vancouver bus depot use

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-vancouver-transit-centre-bus-depot-acquisition-expansion

Of course there still seems to be no plan to build a bus and bike bridge next to the Arthur+Laing+Bridge

Unfortunatly, the embarrassment that is the Canada+Line wasn't designed to eventually have 10 car trains, not even 5. It's stations can only accommodate a ridiculous 2.5 car train, some day. Thus, any bridge to and near the airport should be augmented with a bus and bike bridge. Especially since the C Line isn't open 24 hours. Apparently, it's better to just cram everything into the ridiculously narrow 4 lane bridges. 

Monday, July 7, 2025

Midweek showers sandwiched by sunny days in Metro Vancouver

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/metro-vancouver-forecast-midweek-showers-sun-july-2025-10912705

Summer is only a 3 quick months in BC, so when crappy rainy fall like weather shows up, it shortens the number of summer days even more. At least half of the year is cold & damp in Vancouver. Yet once again, Vancouver is so far behind. There is the RESO or Underground_City in_Montreal and the Path_in Toronto. While Vancouver doesn't get as cold as Chicago during the winter, or as hot as Dallas and Houston during the summer, there still should have been a proper effort to have a key part of the downtown interconnected with tunnels. There is just something about Vancouver & BC that always opts to take a Half-A$$ED approach to things.

Sunday, July 6, 2025

SkyTrain's Rupert and Renfrew stations

 https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouver-neighbourhood-next-broadway-plan-treatment

Most of BC is wilderness and there are only a handful of potential big urban areas in BC.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rupert-and-renfrew-station-area-plan-vancouver-final

The Greater Vancouver Region has been held back for several decades. Of course affordable housing should be part of the overall growth plan. All of  BC still has less people than just the Greater Toronto Area & Canada has yet to have even just 1% of the world's population.

The 3 lane Lions+Gate+Bridge and the 2 car joke that is the Canada+Line are fine BC examples of the reluctance to build proper big city size infrastructure. There should have been at least 2 bus tunnels & 2 HOV tunnels near the LGB. If the C Line couldn't have 10 car trains, the stations should have at least been designed to accomodate 5 car trains, not an eventual 2.5 car joke of a train. There also should have been a train tunnel near the LGB by now, but that's what a proper big city would have done.