https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/surrey-langley-skytrain-construction-highway-closures
UTL is about exploring past, present and future urban technologies in science and fiction, etc...
Tuesday, March 31, 2026
List of crossings of the Fraser River on the South Arm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crossings_of_the_Fraser_River#South_Arm
The Alex_Fraser_Bridge should have opened with 8 lanes with enough width to eventually have 10 lanes. Plus, 2 wide bike lanes and 2 footpaths. A wide emergency lane or wide shoulder that could have eventually become 2 bus lanes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Fraser_Bridge So, instead of an ultimate design of 10 lanes with 2 emergency lanes and a provision for a lower deck, everything was squeezed into only 2 lanes each way. There wasn't even enough planning logic to have a wide shoulder or wide emergency lane on each side in the first phase of construction. It was an instant classic 4 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint.
Fortunately, there was at least a provision for it to eventually accommodate 6 lanes and ultimately, a 7th lane was squeezed in. Its still a far cry from being 12 lanes wide or having a lower deck.
The British_Columbia_Highway_91 should have been properly been built as an effective bypass to the joke that is the 4 lane George_Massey_Tunnel chokepoint. The H-91 and the Alex_Fraser_Bridge should have had 4 lanes each way, plus a bus lane each way. Especially, since there is no train along that corridor and there still isn't enough government interest to have a train next to the George_Massey_Tunnel-Replacement. While the new tunnel will have a bus lane each way, there is no provision for a train tunnel or bridge. This isn't just another case of BC planning shortsightedness, its indicative of the BC Mind Virus.
The BCMV isn't supposed to be real, but something like it always seems to show up whenever there is a chance to build some proper big city size infrastructure.
George Massey Tunnel Replacement
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Massey_Tunnel#Replacement 3 lanes each way and a bus lane each way.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/george-massey-tunnel-new-replacement-potential-cost-increase
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/massey-tunnel-design-team-chosen-1.7273022#
https://www.highway99tunnel.ca Of course the new tunnel is missing the crucial train section.
While a 10 lane bridge would have allowed a provision for a train to eventually run between Richmond and Delta, such a train would go against the congestive planning mentality that is BC.
Of course a train tunnel or bridge will have to eventually link Richmond and Delta, someday. Despite an opportunity to improve regional rail transportation, the BC government just doesn't see it as important enough of a project yet.
Monday, March 30, 2026
The Chicago ‘L’ train is an icon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hdGK2Y_bqc
The $444 Million Reconstruction of Chicago’s State & Lake Station https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNVwnpRgDIs
The Massive Transit Fix Chicago Desperately Needs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WrCsytmZK4U
Its Not Just About Bus and Bike Bridges
Bike bridges might not be able to totally solve the transportation mess that is Vancouver. However, its quite odd how Vancouver Cycling_Infrastructure is missing a crucial bit of transportation infrastructure. Indeed, many cities will build least 1 proper bike bridge. The Vancouver approach is to take traffic lanes away from existing bridges, or not even bother to build a bike bridge next to a congested bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_crossings_of_the_Fraser_River#North_Arm There should have been several bus and bike bridges in just this section alone.
https://bicyclenetwork.com.au/newsroom/2024/08/08/striking-perth-bridge-crosses-key-construction-milestone Unfortunatly, such a nice bike bridge in Perth isn't allowed in backwards Vancouver.
https://www.mainroads.wa.gov.au/projects-initiatives/all-projects/metropolitan/causeway-path/
https://www.wsp.com/en-ca/projects/perths-boorloo-bridge If you are visiting Perth from Vancouver, you might cry when you realize what WA can do, simply because its not influenced or limited by the backwards BC mentality or mind virus.
https://www.destinationperth.com.au/listing/boorloo-bridge/3706 Unlike in backwards Vancouver, many cities build bike bridges so that they don't have to remove traffic lanes.
https://dissingweitling.com/en/project/swan-river-causeway-bridge
https://www.buildingfortomorrow.wa.gov.au/projects/boorloo-bridge Unfortunatly, properly building-for-tomorrow is much more difficult in backwards BC than it is in WA.
A bike+bridge in the right spot can make a huge difference. A bus+and+bike+bridge can be a huge improvement, especially in the case of Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver Region.
The Arthur_Laing_Bridge, Oak_Street_Bridge, Knight_Street_Bridge and the Queensborough_Bridge all could be improved simply by building a bus+and+bike+bridge next to them. These bridges are simply too narrow to accommodate 2 bus lanes, 2 wide bike lanes and 2 wide footpaths.
The narrow North_Arm_Bridge for the very short Canada Line trains, is another lost opportunity. There should have been 2 express bus lanes, since the little train doesn't run 24 hours. There should have been 2 wide bike lanes as well as 2 sidewalks.
Perhaps it was designed to be in the tradition of the narrow SkyBridge between NW and Surrey. Unfortunately, the SkyBridge wasn't designed to help the old Pattullo Bridge by accommodating 2 bus lanes, 2 bike lanes and 2 sidewalks.
While the Pattullo_Bridge_replacement opened with 2 nice bike lanes and 2 footpaths, there was a deliberate decision not to open it with 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes. Especially, no wide emergency lanes or wide shoulders. Its another instant classic BC bottleneck-chokepoint.
Somehow the Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District still hasn't realized that a regional network of bus and bike bridges can really help the region's mostly narrow bridges. Plus, proper big city long trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_Line_(SkyTrain) Only started to run some 5 car trains in 2025.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennium_Line Still usually only 2 car train with the option to run 4 and the potential to eventually run 5 car trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#Canada_Line Despite a building cost cutting measure, this joke of a train and its short stations still could have been designed with enough level clearance to allow for 5 car trains eventually. Unfortunately, this line was designed to ultimately just have 2.5 car, 50m trains. Since 2009, this line is still only running 2 car trains.
Multigenerational congestion planning is all by design in backwards BC.
Is Adelaide Is Becoming Australia’s Most Advanced City?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34Wol0Q3zDg
Still seems pretty small and quaint today. Nowhere close to the scale of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, but a good rival to Winnipeg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide#Economy Its already set to have many more tall buildings than cold Winnipeg.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide#Transport Busses, trams, subways and commuter trains, all can help to provide people with more options than just driving.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramways_in_Adelaide#Mid-century_decline_and_closure
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramways_in_Adelaide#Renewal_and_expansion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tramways_revival_in_Adelaide#Developments_since_the_2018_election
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Railways_in_Adelaide#Lines Wow, perhaps backwards Vancouver might have as many lines, someday.
London just got a new bikes-only bridge
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVIr4faD2ag Sometimes its just better to repurpose an old road bridge to be for bikes.
Sunday, March 29, 2026
New 189-suite Hilton hotel opens in Surrey City Centre
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/homewood-suites-hilton-surrey-health-technology-district
What should have been at least a 65 story tower, or at least 50, is just another 25 story BC stump building.
https://engage.surrey.ca/city-centre-plan
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/city-centre-4-office-tower-surrey-lark-group
https://www.citycentredistrict.com/
https://storeys.com/surrey-centre-block-office-tower While Vancouver still won't permit any office tower to have a 50 floor, Surrey had a chance to have the first 50 story office tower in BC. Now, it might only be 45 stories.
Seattle's 'Crosslake Connection' draws steady crowds on second day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jabSGw2M4tA
Seattle's New Light Rail On a FLOATING BRIDGE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmh5uVguIlM
Seattle's Sound Transit just expanded their Link Light Rail system by running the 2 Line across a floating bridge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmh5uVguIlM&t=2s
Seattle has a good extensive regional train system and its getting bigger and better.
Some years after Montreal and so many years after Perth, but still better than backwards Vancouver.
Perth Narrows_Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrows_Bridge_(Perth)#Railway_bridge:_2005
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:6_car_train_on_narrows.JPG
Unfortunately, all of these nice train and wide highway bridges aren't allowed in narrowminded Vancouver. A congestive transportation approach was implemented decades ago.
How Copenhagen built the metro of the future
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTnu5yUHDps
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Metro#Service
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copenhagen_Metro#Stations "The deep-level stations are built as rectangular, open boxes 60 metres (197 ft) long, 20 metres (66 ft) wide and 20 metres (66 ft) deep."
A ride on Copenhagen's M4 metro line https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1i8G5FhPFY
Copenhagen's Metro system blazed a trail in metro automation, and still stands as one of the best in the world. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sx4BPbOASg
RAPID Regional Transit in the Sea to Sky: Connecting Vancouver to Squamish, Whistler, and Pemberton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OE_W5Vj6OeQ With Greater Vancouver having so many narrow bridges, there must be a regional network of bus and bike bridges, otherwise it all just remains a sad joke.
How bike lanes has affected Vancouver's urban infrastructure https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvkifuIjq9I Many cities don't have to remove traffic lanes, because they build proper bike bridges.
Bike Lanes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oez4TTpIQWg With Vancouver being so obsessed with removing lanes from bridges, it becomes much more difficult to have bus lanes on the narrow bridges.
A bike bridge should be built next to the Burrard, Granville and Cambie bridges. Then there would be enough room for each of them to accommodate 2 bus lanes. Things are so mixed up in backwards Vancouver.
YVR-Canada Line and REM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ouk0VifwM&t=42s Even if the YVR-Canada Line had to initially be built as a symbolically small city train, urban transportation infrastructure can be designed in ways that can double or even triple capacity to meet future demand. Unfortunately, its very difficult to build anything in BC with significant future capacity in mind.
Ultimately, the YVR-Canada Line should have had level station clearances to eventually be able to accommodate 10 car trains. Unfortunately, in typical backwards BC planning the stations weren't even designed with enough level clearance to accommodate 5 car trains. The joke that is the Canada Line only has a level station clearance of 50m to eventually accommodate just a 2.5 car train.
Most other cities actually build long stations to accommodate long trains right in the first place. Or, at least allow for enough level clearance so that the stations can eventually be doubled or tripled in length.
The YVR-Canada Line should have started with the Vancouver & Richmond segment, then the Vancouver and Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal segment. Then finally, the YVR to Delta and the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal.
The SkyTrain Stations in Greater Vancouver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Qg78Bmf1fk
Unfortunately, proper big city transportation planning is very difficult to achieve in backwards BC. So much is watered down in Vancouver.
Montreal’s Biggest REM Expansion Yet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4G1oeIAfxDU&t=106s
The Montreal REM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9O6RzsXIqQ
While the REM was designed to help the Metro, it should have the capability to be gradually expanded. Eventually, REM trains should be lengthened from 4 car trains to 6 and even 8 car trains.
In contrast, every Skytrain line should have been designed with enough level future station clearance to eventually accommodate a train as long as a 152.5 (500 ft.) long Montreal Metro train. The first 2 Skytrain lines have 80m stations and the joke that is the Canada Line only has 50m stations.
While the first 2 lines can accommodate 5 car trains, the C Line wasn't designed to accommodate 5 car trains. Just 2.5 car trains, someday.
Despite there being such a symbolic push for Vancouver to keep having short trains, narrow bridges and stumpy buildings, things are gradually changing in backwards BC. The Vancouver or BC Mind Virus should have been challenged decades ago, but too many loud people wanted to perpetuate the, KEEP THINGS SMALL AND INDEQUATE agenda.
Given how most of the bridges in Greater Vancouver are so narrow, there isn't enough room for proper bus and HOV lanes, or even wide emergency lanes. One would think that at least the trains & stations would have been designed to eventually be doubled or tripled in length. But that would go against the mutigenerational congestive planning agenda. That's why there still is only a 3 lane LGB when there should have been at least a parallel bus, HOV and train tunnel. The Pattullo+Bridge replacement didn't open with 2 bus and 2 HOV lanes, not even wide shoulders or emergency lanes. NW really likes the congestive planning approach. Of course the new tunnel between Richmond and Delta won't have an additional provision for a train tube. This will also help to perpetuate the congestive transportation mandate.
Fortunately, Selective_door_operation technology can eventually allow more sensible transportation planners to enable longer trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_door_operation#International_variations , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdH5d1ZthmM
This means that a 5 car Skytrain (85m) could eventually become a 7 car train, despite the 80m stations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)_rolling_stock#Alstom_Mark_V Thus, an 80m train can become a 117m train.
A two car and 2.5 car (50m) train on the multibillion dollar Canada Line is so absurd and inept! With some slight station modifications, there could be a potential to eventually accommodate three, 20m cars at such short platforms. Then, once 3 car trains could become possible, its just a matter of having an extra 20m car at both ends of each train. A 5 car train of 100m is so much better than a 50m joke of a train.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#Alstom_Mark_V_fleet
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SkyTrain-Canada+Line
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Is Surrey's Bus Network BROKEN?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iC62zzCbzsY Longer vehicles and more frequent bus service is key to mobility.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQdrpK1B1Ac&t=310s Longer trains running at less than 2 minute intervals would greatly help to efficiently move more people around.
The Early Spring in Cold Canada
https://weather.gc.ca/data/wxoimages/wocanmap0_e.jpg
In late March, most of urban Canada is still freezing overnight.
Friday, March 27, 2026
A Penthouse at Vancouver House (Tower)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8dyiJhh_h8
Usually, what's tall by Vancouver standards is small by proper BIG city standards.
Farmland and Food security in B.C.
Most of BC is a vast mountainous wilderness, but good farmland is becoming more scarce and should be protected as much as possible.
Thursday, March 26, 2026
K Line (Los Angeles Metro)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Line_(Los_Angeles_Metro)
https://la.urbanize.city/post/metro-seeks-state-funds-extend-green-line-platforms
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K_Line_(Los_Angeles_Metro)#Rolling_stock
| Car length | 89 ft (27.13 m) |
|---|---|
| Width | 8 ft 8+3⁄4 in (2.66 m) |
| Height | 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m) |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinki_Sharyo_P3010
https://www.metro.net/projects/kline-northern-extension Just like in SD, Seattle, Calgary and Edmonton, their LRT trains are longer than the ones on the first 2 Skytrain lines. Especially, the embarrassing Canada Line.
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2026-03-24/this-rail-line-would-get-you-to-grove-beverly-center-cedars-sinai-is-it-l-a-s-missing-link In backwards BC its like it takes 2 or 3 people to turn a lightbulb than someone in Quebec. An 80m Skytrain on the first 2 lines would have to be about twice as frequent as a 152.5m Montreal Metro train to match capacity. The ridicules 50m maximum allowance for Canada Line trains would have to run 3 times as frequently as a Montreal Metro train.
https://la.streetsblog.org/2026/03/18/metro-committee-again-sides-with-nimbys-postpones-key-north-k-line-rail-decision Unfortunatly, the Vancouver Mind Virus is all about holding back the scale of the city. Thus, anytime that a bridge or street can be narrower, a building kept shorter and especially a train kept short, is all part of the imposed symbolism of refusing to build on a BIG city scale.
Sunny L.A. has been thinking, planning and building like a BIG city for over a century. In contrast, rainy Vancouver has been refusing to think on a big city scale throughout its history. For several decades, all White city counsels kept imposing various restrictions to keep Vancouver on a small scale.
Tuesday, March 24, 2026
CTV News tours Toronto's and Canada's tallest building
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhIgf9wkIsQ , https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=106497
Greater Tokyo has as many people as Canada. https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=12&status=15
Ontario only has a few big cities. Other than the GTA, Ottawa is the only other part of Ontario with over a million people. https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=7&status=15
Monday, March 23, 2026
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Friday, March 20, 2026
Thursday, March 19, 2026
Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Vancouver ranked as Canada’s most congested city in 2025 and was among the top 50 most congested cities worldwide.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-residents-drive-frequently-canadians
Of course as gas prices rise, along with food and general living costs, more people will not bother to have a car or truck. However, the region still needs a series of bus bridges, because most of the existing bridges are too narrow to accommodate proper express bus lanes.
The lack of regional rapid bus bridges, short trains and short stations, all helps Greater Vancouver to perpetually be stuck in its shortsighted planning nightmare of congestion.
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Monday, March 16, 2026
Sunday, March 15, 2026
The Marine Building in Vancouver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfZ96A-iCqo
The Marine+Building should have been twice its height, or at least 1.5 times its height.
https://www.bcmag.ca/visiting-the-marine-building-in-vancouver/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-marine-building-vancouver-british-columbia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_Building
https://forbiddenvancouver.ca/the-marine-building Of course the building had to be half size, because anything big and tall in Vancouver is forbidden!
It wasn't even allowed to be as tall as the former Northern+Life Tower in Seattle.
Northern Life - Seattle Tower
https://www.historylink.org/File/9633
https://pauldorpat.com/2013/02/16/seattle-now-then-the-northern-life-aka-seattle-tower/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Tower
https://www.facebook.com/groups/379569529068459/posts/2551976038494453/
https://www.reddit.com/r/skyscrapers/comments/vzsy3p/the_northern_life_building_seattle_350_ft106_m/
Saturday, March 14, 2026
Friday, March 13, 2026
Queen Elizabeth Park
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queen-elizabeth-park-vancouver-attractions-zipline-canopy
An observation tower that's well above the trees sure would be nice, but some people want the trees to block out the views of the city.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queen-elizabeth-park-zipline-tree-canopy-walk-vancouver
The no fun city types always come out of the woodwork to spread the VMV.
The Dunsmuir Tunnel in Downtown Vancouver, SkyTrain service to be reduced on weekends until June
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-skytrain-service-delays-weekends Had the old railway tunnel been originally designed to be double tracked, it could have been converted into a double level, 4 track LRT tunnel, instead of a 2 track LRT tunnel.
Ideally, if a subway or metro line doesn't have 4 tracks, 3 would be the next best thing. Then, 2 tracks could always remain operational while the 3rd is being repaired. For the most part, Skytrain is just a double track system. Unfortunately, the YVR-Canada Line is even single tracked at the end of the line in YVR and in downtown Richmond.
The Canada Line should have been the 1st phase of an eventual south extension to Delta and the BC ferry terminal. Plus, a north extension from Waterfront_station_in Vancouver to Lonsdale_Quay and the ferry terminal. This would be a vital link between Canada_Line and the two regional ferry terminals. Unfortunately, Vancouver and BC are about maintaining congestion and transportation inefficiency.
Perhaps someday, if Vancouver is ever allowed to function like a proper big city, the Dunsmuir_Tunnel could be extended under Stanley Park and the 1st Narrows to Park Royal and to the ferry terminal. However, what's more likely to happen is that after the Dunsmuir_Tunnel reaches Waterfront_station, the line will continue east.
https://evelazarus.com/the-dunsmuir-tunnel
https://buzzer.translink.ca/2022/04/new-tunnel-technology-will-transform-your-skytrain-trip/
https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/construction-progress-photo-of-cpr-dunsmuir-tunnel-10
https://searcharchives.vancouver.ca/construction-progress-photo-of-cpr-dunsmuir-tunnel-9
Inside Seattle’s $6 Billion Bridge Rebuild
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EwKnXtfsxg
The $5.7 BILLION Struggle To Build Seattle’s Giant New Bridge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbk691UFw3w
Thursday, March 12, 2026
The 50 best cities in the world?
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-best-city-world-timeout
Fortunately, Australia doesn't have half a year of cold, crappy weather. Even the North Island of NZ can avoid the crappy Canadian weather. Unfortunately, if one wants to avoid the harsh Canadian winter, the best locations are in Greater Vancouver and Greater Victoria, or SW BC in general.
Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Vancouver City Council green lights funding to keep Car Free Days afloat
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-car-free-days-funding-city-council
The no+fun+city aspect of the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) isn't suppose to be real, but it occasionally keeps manifesting. Fortunately, these street festivals still have a chance in Vancouver. Just like some truncated summer fireworks still might be possible.
What's really fortunate is that the VMV hasn't spread to Montreal & Toronto, Calgary & Edmonton, or Winnipeg, QC & Halifax. Especially to any of the major cities in Australia & NZ.
Tuesday, March 10, 2026
Montreal vs. New York City
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqfb2qXsTKw
A big city versus a HUGE, expensive city.
Surrey should have more night-bus routes.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Translink/comments/1rop925/thoughts_on_yvr_movenments_idea_of_making_surrey
Alberta has two cities with over a million people each, those being Calgary and Edmonton.
Vancouver has never had 1 million residents, but the Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District has well over 3 million people.
Victoria,_British_Columbia has yet to reach 100K, but the Capital_Regional_District is getting close to half a million.
Surrey has almost 3 quarters of a million people and is expected to be the first city in BC to eventually have a million residents.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey,_British_Columbia#Current_transportation_network
Surrey like Burnaby, will eventually have some of the tallest buildings in BC, that's because they aren't under the extreme height restrictions that Vancouver has.
https://www.surrey.ca/about-surrey
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?cityID=2&status=15 Surrey
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?stateID=1&status=15 BC
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?countryID=1&status=15 Canada
B.C. government agrees to close three problematic SROs on Granville Strip
This type of housing isn't good to be situated in what is suppose to be a tourism and entertainment area.
Safe, temporary housing should be immediately be provided and then determine a more appropriate long-term housing location.
Future of partially built parkade at Vancouver International Airport still up in the air
Such a waste of money, yet the YVR end of the Canada Line is a single track joke.
Monday, March 9, 2026
Expanded Trans Mountain pipeline almost doubles oil exports from Port of Vancouver
Huge increases in crude shipments to China helped propel overall cargo to a new record https://financialpost.com/business/expanded-trans-mountain-pipeline-almost-doubles-oil-exports-from-port-of-vancouver/wcm/4cd769bc-0784-40a0-8cd3-32ba6bf3b701
https://www.portvancouver.com/project/second-narrows-dredging-works
The narrow Pattullo Bridge Replacement
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works Its a nice 4 lane bottleneck choakpoint. There should have been a provision for a lower deck for bus lanes, HOV lanes and LRT, but that would help to alleviate some transportation congestion.
It wasn't designed with that much future capacity in mind, just like the absurd Canada+Line. The SkyTrain-Canada+Line is still only running 2 car trains. The New stal̕É™w̓asÉ™m Bridge is only 2 lanes each way. This is congestive urban planning in BC at its best. Narrow bridges and short trains are some of the best ways to symbolically demonstrate a reluctance to accommodate future growth capacity.
People aren't suppose to wonder where all the money went over the past several generations, because it seems that not enough funds have gone towards proper big city infrastructure.
Repairs on the Ironworkers Bridge
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ironworkers-memorial-bridge-lane-closures-vancouver
Unfortunatly, when this bridge was designed, there was no serious consideration to have 2 wide emergency lanes and 2 wide shoulders. Then, the Iron Bridge could have gradually been adapted to accommodate 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes. At the very least, a bus, HOV and commuter train bridge should have been built next to the inadequate Iron Bridge back in the 20th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironworkers_Memorial_Second_Narrows_Crossing Opened August 25, 1960
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_Street_Bridge Opened February 4, 1954 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/View_of_downtown_Vancouver_from_the_Granville_Street_Bridge.JPG/960px-View_of_downtown_Vancouver_from_the_Granville_Street_Bridge.JPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oak_Street_Bridge Opened June 29, 1957 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5f/Oak_Street_Bridge.jpg/960px-Oak_Street_Bridge.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Street_Bridge Opened January 15, 1974 https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/Knight_Street_Bridge.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Laing_Bridge Opened 27 August 1975
https://evelazarus.com/third-crossing-here-we-go-again Somehow, Vancouver just never got around to building a bus and train tunnel or bridge in between the Lion Bridge and the Iron Bridge. Since Skytrain doesn't run 24 hours, there needs to be 24 hour bus lanes.
https://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/dfhd/page_nhs_eng.aspx?id=11273 Some day, the Lion Bridge could become a nice bus and bike bridge, if a highway tunnel could ever be built under the park and beside the LGB.
Unfortunately, the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) keeps getting in the way of progress. Just look at how short the Canada Line trains are.
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Calls for independent audit of Vancouver Aquatic Centre redevelopment decision with a 25-metre pool
Of course the VMV would manifest to scale back the Vancouver Aquatic Centre. A 25m pool is going backwards for what should be a growing city with a new 50m pool.
The Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) is such a bad thing for the city.
Saturday, March 7, 2026
Burrard Street Bridge closes for Sen̓áḵw crane removal
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/burrard-street-bridge-closes-for-senakw-crane-removal
Several cities have parallel bike bridges, then the city planners don't have to remove traffic lanes.
https://vancouversun.com/news/vancouver-burrard-street-bridge-temporarily-closure
Unfortunatly, the Burrard_Bridge (BB) was hit hard by the multigenerational Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV). The Burrard_Bridge was designed to have a lower level for streetcars or tram-trains, but the city never followed through. Fortunately, the VMV was unable to stop Portland and Seattle from reviving some of their streetcar lines.
The Burrard_Street_Bridge used to have 6 lanes and 2 wide sidewalks. However, since the city has a problem of not building separate bike bridges, 2 potential bus lanes were removed from the Burrard_Bridge. Now, if the city ever wants to have 2 dedicated bus lanes, the BB will only have 1 general lane each way. That's the VMV at work.
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Why the Widest Freeway on Earth still Made Traffic Worse in Houston
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMwKgT4ZUvQ It is utterly foolish to not have enough space for a commuter train to run above, or in the middle or underneath the widest highways.
https://kinder.rice.edu/urbanedge/houstons-15-year-growth-three-charts Simply building wide roads like in Houston, L.A. and Toronto is just as bad as having mostly narrow bridges in Greater Vancouver.
Whether its 10 lanes or 20 lanes wide, there should always be 2 dedicated bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes. While the highway will get clogged up during the day, at least the buses and trains can still get through quickly.
The Pattullo+Bridge+replacement is only 2 lanes each way with narrow shoulders. It should have opened with enough space for 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes, but that would go against the congestive urban planning mentality of BC.
The Samuel-De+Champlain+Bridge in Montreal is just as good as similar wide highway and train bridges in Seattle+and+Perth. All were possible, simply because they aren't limited by anything like the Vancouver and BC Mind Virus.
The narrow-minded Vancouver and BC approach is to try to funnel everything into just 2 or 3 lanes each way. Then there just isn't enough space to have 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes. Greater Vancouver has certainly gone in the extreme opposite direction of Houston, L.A. and Toronto...
A wide Greater Houston highway has lots of space, but without 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes, everything gets plugged up. In contrast, Greater Vancouver has most of its bridges and highways so damn narrow, there isn't enough space to accomodate a proper express bus and HOV network.
This deliberate backwards BC bottleneck-chokepoint planning approach is totally absurd.
There is no commuter train tunnel near the Lions+Gate+Bridge or even for the Massey+Tunnel+replacement. Thus, they are the best examples of BC choke-point urban planning. Despite having twice the lanes as the inept 3 lane LGB, the newer Iron+Bridge never had any emergency lanes. A bus and HOV bridge was never built next to it. Plus, no commuter train bridge. It's another fine example of BC choke-point, bottleneck planning.
A north and south Boundary+Road bridge system would provide direct access between the North+Shore, Richmond+and+Delta, but that's what a proper big city would do. Backwards BC has quite a problem with thinking and building big. The 2 car Canada+Line is another example. Don't build it to at least have a 5 car train, just design it to only have 2.5 car trains, someday.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Houston#Transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interstate_610_(Texas)#Lane_configurations There is a point when simply adding more lanes won't provide long-term improvement. However, when combined with dedicated bus and HOV lanes, other options become available. Especially, if there is rail rapid transit and commuter rail as well.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/METRORail While not as extentise as DART_rail, it still works like a tram-train.
Of course longer streetcars or tram-trains are still slow on the actual surface street segments.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trams_in_Melbourne#System_upgrades
Last week's malfunction of the Second Narrows (rail) Bridge shows how dependent the Prairie economy is on this transportation chokepoint
https://financialpost.com/opinion/opinion-users-need-more-say-about-vancouvers-rail-bridges
The Greater Vancouver Region should have had all of its freight rail bridges at least double tracked by now.
https://www.cn.ca/en/stories/20250429-cn-and-port-of-vancouver-collaborating/
There is a subtle KEEP BC SMALL AND BACKWARDS mentality, but sometimes it's right in your face.
https://financialpost.com/opinion/opinion-vancouvers-port-must-up-its-grain-game
Its as if there is a VMV and the BC Mind Virus. Although no one can actually pinpoint it, the effects of it are quite apparent.
https://financialpost.com/opinion/nutrien-bypass-port-vancouver-underscores-need-change
Despite the size of Canada, it has less than 1% of the world's population.
https://www.portvancouver.com/project/second-narrows-dredging-works
Unfortunatly, by not even keeping up with moderate infrastructure growth demands, Canada keeps falling behind in a world with over 8 billion people.
There should be a way to expand the economy and population, while making things more affordable.
Vancouver keeps holding back the scale of bridges, trains and buildings. This is part of a symbolic mentality and agenda to not think like a proper big city.
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Major expansion of B.C. Highway 1 in Fraser Valley to begin soon
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-highway-1-fraser-valley-expansion Ideally, the section from Horseshoe Bay to Hope shouldn't be a hopeless joke. A main highway in an urban region of over 3 million people should have at least 3 general lanes each way. Plus, a rapid bus lane and a HOV lane each way, but that would be at least 5 lanes each way.
https://transcanadahighway.com/british-columbia/bc-highway-itinerary-horseshoe-bay-to-hope When a highway is only 2-3 lanes each way, it's too damn narrow to accomodate 2 bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_1#Lower_Mainland_section
BC Hwy 1 - Trans-Canada Highway, Vancouver, BC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf9QTmnxkqw
Seattle, Calgary and Edmonton are all allowed to have residential floors higher above the street than what stumpy little Vancouver permits
Seattle's Tallest Luxury Residential Tower: The Residences @ Rainier Square https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i2DivRATcg
2022 OCEA Award Winner - Rainier Square Redevelopment https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HegSZiVNQx0
New Rainier Square Tower becomes Seattle’s second tallest building https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5yKXkCeAGg
At 60-storeys, TELUS Sky is the leading example of a dynamic community of urban living and working. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qWRYwK8z_E
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/sRpGYPQY3RY The 3rd tallest in Calgary
Telus Sky top floors view https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HirkgwyphUk