Saturday, April 4, 2026
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Major upgrades to busy Queensborough Bridge will close lanes until 2027
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queensborough-bridge-upgrades-lane-closures-new-westminster-richmond
When the Queensborough_Bridge opened in 1960, there wasn't any serious consideration for future capacity. The QB should have had 2 wide shoulders and 2 wide emergency lanes. Then, by the 1980s 2 bus lanes could have been opened. Then, by around 2000 the QB could have had 3 lanes each way, plus 1 bus lane each way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensborough_Bridge Unfortunatly in 2026, the QB remains as a 4 lane funnel. Just 2 lanes each way as its another classic BC bottleneck-chokepoint, by design. There is enough space east of the bridge for a new northbound bridge to be built.
New_Westminster has always been a small city, because it never absorbed what would become the Tri-Cities. Thus, a narrow QB fits in with such a little provincial backwater. However, as part of the BC Lower_Mainland its part of a region with over 3 million people. This puts NW in the position of being a regional hub city.
https://604now.com/queensborough-bridge-upgrades-richmond-new-westminster-2026-2027/
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/queensborough-bridge-upgrades-new-westminster-richmond
https://www.patrickjohnstone.ca/2013/07/alas-queensborough-bridge-works.html
http://archives.newwestcity.ca/permalink/24422 , http://archives.newwestcity.ca/permalink/99415/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensborough,_New_Westminster , https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/rte/122554-QB.PDF
Bike+bridges aren't a problem in many Australian cities and around the world. However, as usual, its more difficult to get such things done in backwards BC.
https://www.newwestcity.ca/database/files/library/Q2Q_Bridge_Brochure_2015_02_02.pdf
https://www.patrickjohnstone.ca/2013/07/connecting-qb-to-quay.html There should have been a proper bike and foot bridge between Queensborough and downtown NW, decades ago.
https://www.newwestcity.ca/planning-building-and-development/projects-on-the-go/articles/3475.php
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Queensborough+Bridge
The Pattullo Bridge replacement, so far
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/bridge-opening/
There are still months of finishing touches.
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works/
Over the course of the year, many more people will start to realize that despite there being adequate bike lanes, there are no bus lanes, no wide shoulders and especially no emergency lanes. Its currently still too narrow for all of that.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SurreyBC/comments/1omufv6/the_new_pattullo_bridge_will_gradually_open_to/
In fact, the bridge was deliberately designed to be so narrow that there is only enough future deck space for either 2 bus lanes or 2 emergency lanes, but not both. For now, its just another 4 lane BC funnel.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/New+Westminster,+BC
No lower deck for a potential truck connection between Surrey and Front Street and especially, no lower deck for a future LRT crossing.
It seems that whenever its possible, a 4 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint is all that's necessary.
https://www.reddit.com/r/SurreyBC/comments/1rb4nmd/bus_connect_surrey_and_coquitlam/
It really would be a good idea to eventually have a couple of bus lanes on that bridge, especially since the Skytrain doesn't run 24 hours a day.
Its still amazing how the SkyBridge (1990) was never built with 2 bus lanes, 2 bike lanes and 2 sidewalks. Such is the narrowminded planning methodology that is backwards BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyBridge_(TransLink)#Details
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge+replacement
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Queensborough+Bridge
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.