https://vancouversun.com/news/independent-review-of-north-shore-wastewater-treatment-plant-approved
UTL is about exploring past, present and future urban technologies in science and fiction, etc...
Monday, August 31, 2026
Tuesday, August 25, 2026
New RapidBus ride between Park Royal and Metrotown starts early September
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R2_Marine_Dr Finally, a better connection between Park_Royal_Exchange, Lonsdale_Quay, Phibbs_Exchange, Kootenay_Loop and Metrotown_station.
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/r2-marine-willingdon-rapidbus
https://movementyvr.ca/r2-and-brt/
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/metrotown-to-north-shore-rapid-transit.aspx
Unfortunately, 2 bus lanes weren't added to a widened Iron Bridge, or a parallel bus-bridge. A North Boundary Road bus-bridge over the Inlet and a South Boundary Road bus-bridge to Richmond, would dramatically improve bus connections between the North Shore and Richmond.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RapidBus_(TransLink)
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/rapidbus-projects
Friday, July 24, 2026
Tight security bars public at Metro Vancouver board meeting with CAO absent
With public access restricted and CAO Jerry Dobrovolny absent, Metro Vancouver's board voted to reduce its size from 41 to 34 directors and distribute a $235-million wastewater plant settlement https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/tight-security-bars-public-at-metro-vancouver-board-meeting-with-cao-absent-12589967
A lot of people are PI$$ED-off as to how inept the financial management has gone.
https://globalnews.ca/news/11969430/metro-vancouver-cao-jerry-dobrovolny-could-be-on-way-out/
A North Shore $HIT-BOX with more than a 3 billion dollar overrun is a fine example.
Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Monday, July 6, 2026
Metrotown to North Shore Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/metrotown-to-north-shore-rapid-transit.aspx
Unfortunately, the Second Narrows Crossing wasn't designed to have a lower deck for BRT, or express busses and LRT. The bridge was never widened to 10 lanes, so there isn't enough space to have 2 proper BRT or express bus lanes and no HOV lanes. There was no proper planning to even have 2 emergency lanes or 2 wide shoulders.
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/rapidbus-projects
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/transportation-2040.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RapidBus_(TransLink)
Sunday, June 28, 2026
Saturday, June 27, 2026
How much will Vancouver change by 2036?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJtotvMq2ls
The Lion+Bridge will likely still not have an express bus and LRT tunnel near it. The+Iron+Bridge still might not have a proper BRT and LRT bridge next to it. The OSB and the KSB will likely not have a bus and bike bridge built beside them. There will still likely be no new Fraser Street Bridge for bikes and buses. No Boundary Road bridges to provide a direct link between the North Shore and Richmond for buses, trucks and bikes.
While the first 2 Skytrain lines will have 5 car trains, the stunted YVR-Canada Line will only have 2.5 car trains. Vancouver still might not permit any office tower to have a 40th floor, but might allow some residential towers to be on a Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane & Toronto scale.
However, BIG city thinking and planning in Vancouver has always been so difficult. Boston, SF and the City of Paris are ridiculously small cities like Vancouver with all 3 having a land area of less than 50 sq. mi. or 129.5 sq. km. Yet, Boston, SF and especially the City of Paris, have all been able to fit so much more into the same general space. That's because they aren't bound by anything like the inept and extreme Vancouver type restrictions.
Friday, June 26, 2026
CN Tower celebrates 50 years of being a skyline icon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujWLEBhbdt8
If it were possible today, the KEEP VANCOUVER SMALL AND BACKWARDS people would still not permit any building to be a 3rd of the height of the CN_Tower. (CNT) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CN_Tower#Height_comparisons
The Harbour_Centre opened just over a year after the CNT, and is just under a 3rd of its height. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbour_Centre#Height
Unfortunately, The Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) was able to ensure that the Canada_Line Stations aren't even quite a 3rd of the length of the 152.5 m Montreal Metro stations.
Even the North-Shore mountains aren't allowed to be as tall as the mountains north of L.A.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver)
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c0/LA_San_Gabriel_Mountains.jpg
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gabriel_Mountains#Gallery
Whether you are from Toronto or Chicago, LA or SF, Melbourne or Sydney, you might be shocked as to seeing how scaled down or watered down Vancouver is. Yet, the City of Paris, despite having a slightly smaller land area than Vancouver, can fit so much more inside. Boston and SF are only slightly larger in area than the City of Vancouver, yet they can also fit in so much more.
North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant independent review goes forward
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/06/26/wastewater-plant-review-team-appointed/
How could a project run several billions of dollars overbudget? It was as if there wasn't any proper oversight with the project. A few of those lost billions could have gone towards a bus and train tunnel near the Lion Bridge (LGB). And, a bus and LRT bridge beside the Iron Bridge.
There are always allegations of corruption and financial mismanagement around the world. However, the Greater Vancouver Region has been stuck with several watered down versions of what should be proper BIG city size infrastructure.
Monday, June 8, 2026
The Unusual transportation approaches used in Vancouver
Vancouver is such an unusual and backwards city with its inefficient and congestive approach towards transportation infrastructure.
Getting rid of the streetcars and interurban trams was utterly foolish! Fortunately, such MADNE$$ wasn't adopted in Melbourne, SF, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia and New Orleans.
Just because a no freeways mandate was chosen for Vancouver, the streets should have been kept wide enough for busses as well as other vehicles.
https://movementyvr.ca/the-case-of-vancouvers-nine-missing-bus-lanes
Despite most of the Vancouver bridges being too narrow, some bridge lanes were removed, because the city wasn't interested in building parallel bike bridges.
Since most of the bridges are so narrow, there isn't enough room for proper express bus lanes. Of course the city isn't interested in building parallel bus bridges next to the narrow bridges.
Since Vancouver is supposed to be a major, properly functioning city in Western Canada, the city should have pressed the designers of the first 2 Skytrain lines to make sure that all of the 80 m stations could gradually be extended to 152.5 m, the same as the 500 foot long Montreal Metro stations and trains.
Unlike the first 2 Skytrain lines, the Canada Line was only designed to ultimately have 50 m stations and trains. A 2 billion dollar line to YVR could have been designed in such a way that would have allowed it to look and function like a proper big-city passenger train.
A commuter train to the North Shore keeps taking a long time to be finalized.
https://northshoreconnects.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BIRT-Benefits-Assessment_Final.pdf
Think small and build backwards, or not at all.
Saturday, June 6, 2026
Citizens group renews request for North Shore sewage plant inquiry
The money wasted could have gone towards a bus bridge and a train tunnel, or vice versa.
https://northshoreconnects.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/BIRT-Benefits-Assessment_Final.pdf
https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/letter-a-third-north-shore-crossing-wont-happen-3095100
Thursday, June 4, 2026
North Vancouver mayor seeks a third term, but still no 3rd crossing
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/linda-buchanan-north-vancouver-third-term
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-burrard-inlet-vancouver-third-crossing-bridge
https://evelazarus.com/aborted-plans-a-third-crossing-for-the-north-shore/
https://evelazarus.com/third-crossing-here-we-go-again
https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020TRAN0041-000351
https://council.vancouver.ca/010313/tt2.htm
https://evelazarus.com/saving-history-twinning-the-lions-gate-bridge
https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/letter-a-third-north-shore-crossing-wont-happen-3095100
https://movementyvr.ca/release-the-real-solution-for-metro-vancouvers-most-congested-crossing/
https://movementyvr.ca/r2-and-brt
https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2016/08/26/first-rule-for-a-third-crossing/
Saturday, May 23, 2026
Metro Vancouver’s budgets and financial plans
https://metrovancouver.org/about-us/budgets-and-financial-plans
https://metrovancouver.org/about-us/Documents/financial-plan-2025-2029.pdf
https://metrovancouver.org/services/liquid-waste/north-shore-wastewater-treatment-plant-project
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District#Regional_planning
Friday, May 15, 2026
North Shore CN Rail bridge
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/agriculture-shippers-call-for-replacement-of-north-shore-cn-rail-bridge-12291086 This BC bottleneck-chokepoint mentality is ridiculous!
Unfortunately, due to a lack of properly planning for future infrastructure needs, the Thornton_Tunnel and the Second_Narrows_Rail_Bridge weren't designed to be double tracked.
The New_Westminster_Bridge is also another single track, bottleneck-chokepoint.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster_Bridge#Proposed_changes
https://www.nsnews.com/economy-law-politics/vancouver-council-calls-for-reopening-of-container-truck-entrance-to-port-clark-drive-11231559 More trouble and in efficient B$.
https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1t9pgs8/lions_gate_bridge_at_night_oc The classic 3 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint. No need for a bus and commuter train tunnel around there, because that's what a proper city would do.
https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1teae3s/another_beautiful_post
The Race To Fix The World's Most Isolated Mega-Port https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81CLKTJnw7I
In Melbourne, its just a matter of finally getting around to getting a huge port upgrade accomplished.
Unfortunately, in Vancouver things are more difficult to do. Key freight rail bridges are still only single tracked.
Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Thursday, May 7, 2026
West Vancouver councillors comments
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-politician-visitors-hordes
A multicultural metropolitan region is supposed to be open to people of all colors and cultures.
Perhaps there are some who would like to see all nonwhite visitors to WV be required to have an access permit.
https://www.northshoredailypost.com/cassidy-responds-resignation-petition-ambleside/
Of course that would be so absurd, because the days of WV being a Whiteman's paradise ended decades ago. The KEEP+THEM+OUT mentality and agenda has taken on various forms since the early days of BC.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=West+Vancouver+councillors+comments
Wednesday, April 8, 2026
TransLink's R2 RapidBus to be extended from North Shore to Metrotown this September
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/r2-marine-willingdon-rapidbus-metrotown-bus-route-translink
http://www.transitdb.ca/route/R2
A Boundary+Road Bridge over the inlet could have had a couple of Rapid Bus lanes and relieved some of the traffic on the inadequate Iron+Bridge. Had The+Iron+Bridge been originally designed to have 2 wide shoulders and 2 wide emergency lanes, then it could have been gradually adapted to accommodate 4 general lanes each way and 1 Rapid Bus lane each way. Instead, busses, trucks, cars and motorcycles are all squeezed into 3 lanes each way.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=R2+RapidBus
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Boundary+Road+Corridor
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 accommodate 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 extensive 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
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_streetcar_system
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muni_Metro SF
In the case of backwards BC, the new Richmond-Delta+Tunnel should have been designed to have 8 lanes for the first phase. Then a 2nd phase should have had a 2 lane BRT tunnel, a 2 lane truck tunnel and a provision for 2 LRT tracks. Then the first phase of the new tunnel could be 3 lanes each way, with the 4th being a HOV lane.
Had this new tunnel or bridge been built decades ago, it would have cost half as much. Unfortunately, its like a choice was made for the new tunnel. Two bus lanes, but no HOV lanes and certainly no separate section for BRT and LRT. Apparently, an LRT line between YVR and the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal would have made too much sense.
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Delays out of North Shore continue after truck stalls for hour on Lions Gate Bridge
The LGB bottleneck is indicative of how some people don't want Vancouver to become a properly planned functioning big city.
https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1mehud6/theres_a_single_car_stopped_in_the_only/
Unfortunately, Vancouver still isn't allowed to function like a real proper big city. For several decades, so many key people, especially urban planners don't want to have a wider structural crossing to at least match what Prince George and Kamloops have. Or, to match what Kelowna has and especially don't want to have what Ft. McMurray has.
Indeed, most proper major cities by now would have had a 6-8 lane tunnel right under the park and close to the LGB. Georgia Street is already 7 lanes wide in the first few blocks closest to the park, so the potential for a 7-8 lane tunnel should be possible.
An 8 lane tunnel would be best in that the 3 & 4 lane counterflow on Georgia could easily feed into an 8 lane tunnel. Then once in the tunnel there world be 3 standard lanes each way, plus a bus lane each way.
A commuter train tunnel or an extension of the YVR-Canada Line should also run close to where the LGB is. Unfortunately, some key people for several decades don't seem to want or understand the benefits of having a train connecting YVR with both of the regional BC-Ferries terminals. That's because it could actually help to relieve transportation congestion. https://www.bcferries.com/current-conditions/TSA-SWB
At least by now, there should have been a 2 lane BRT tunnel and a 2 lane truck tunnel, as well as at least a provision for a 2 track LRT tunnel beside that very narrow bridge.
It's always amazing to see what other cities around the world can do, simply because they aren't trapped within the backwards Vancouver mindset or don't have a backwater BC mentality to thwart them.
https://www.th.gov.bc.ca/atis/lgcws/index.html
This has to be one of the worlds best examples of bottleneck-chokepoint planning around.
https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/skytrain A rail rapid transit connection to both ferry terminals and YVR would be a huge improvement, but it's still not likely in the foreseeable future.
Wednesday, February 4, 2026
North Shore of Greater Vancouver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver)
Is North Vancouver the most livable city in Canada? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gX89qkSRBvg
https://www.vancouversnorthshore.com
Unfortunatly, there still isn't a commuter train from the airport to the H Bay ferry terminal.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver)#Access
There isn't even a train tunnel or a bus bridge between Downtown_Vancouver and the North Shore. Inept regional planning has been very slow to build rapid rail transit, or even a proper rapid bus bridge over the Inlet. An inadequate 3 lane Lion Bridge is so narrow that some people have living rooms or swimming pools wider than it. The 6 lane Iron Bridge that's so narrow, there isn't enough room for emergency lanes and no space for HOV lanes. Any attempt of a rapid bus will still have to be funneled into the inadequate single deck crossing.