SkyBridge between NW and Surrey, BC

Unfortunately, due to inept regional transportation planning, the SkyBridge (1990) wasn't built with any extra width for bus lanes, bike lanes and sidewalks. Everything was just expected to be crammed onto the inadequate, 4 lane Pattullo_Bridge, which only had 1 narrow sidewalk. Back in the day, there was no concept of allowing additional future space for 2 wide truck lanes, 2 car lanes and 2 bus lanes on the Pattullo_Bridge_in_1937.

It was as if someone really didn't want to ever have any bus lanes on the Patullo Bridge and the SkyTrain Bridge.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyBridge_(TransLink)#Details 

Then, it was as if someone still didn't want to have any bus lanes on the Stalewasem_Bridge as well. Since the train isnt running 24hrs, a BRT crossing is important.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalewasen_Bridge This new bridge should have opened with at least 3 lanes each way, plus a bus lane each way. However, an 8 lane bridge with 2 wide emergency lanes and 2 wide shoulders would look too much like big city infrastructure. Big city scale infrastructure is difficult to establish in backwards BC. 

New replacement George Massey Tunnel to cost $8.5 billion and opening in September 2031

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/george-massey-tunnel-new-replacement-cost-timeline-update 

Of course with all the extra delays costs, there still won't be an LRT tube and no HOV lanes. While the new tunnel will be 4 lanes each way, there should have been an extra section for 2 LRT tracks and 2 rapid bus lanes. BC has a problem providing 24hr rapid rail transportation, so 24hr BRT is essential. 

A 10 lane version of an Alex_Fraser_Bridge with a provision for LRT, could have been completed a few years ago. However, just because some people didn't want a bridge crossing that part of the river, the plan was scrapped. The result is more cost and delay in what should have been completed a few decades ago. 

If ever a proper LRT and rapid bus crossing can be built parallel to the new tunnel, then that 8 lane tunnel could still have 3 general lanes each way, plus the 4th being an HOV lane. A parallel LRT and rapid bus needs to be built between Richmond and Delta so that there can be an efficient connection between YVR and the 2 ferry terminals.

Something like a Tilikum_Crossing between Richmond and Delta should have already been built decades ago, but there just isn't proper transportation planning in backwards BC.

Either an extension of an improved YVR-Canada Line, or an LRT like the C Train or MAX_Train. Since such a train won't be running 24 hours a day, there would need to be a Rapid bus_crossing as well. Such redundancy is important, especially if there is an occasional problem with the train. A Streetcar_Crossing would also be nice, because the Skytrain, LRT and BRT can't go everywhere. Where as express and local buses and streetcars can fill in the gaps. 

Of course more bicycle and footpaths can be a great improvement. 

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. 

Granville and Broadway

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/loblaws-city-market-south-granville-skytrain-station-vancouver-open 

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

How the Seattle to Vancouver area could become a megaregion

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POcg0oFvVf8 

The larger Portland, Seattle and the Vancouver, BC (V-BC) region has a lot of growth potential. However, Seattle size buildings haven't been allowed in Portland and in Vancouver, BC. Nothing like a 12 lane Ship Canal Bridge has been allowed in Portland and Vancouver. While Oregon and backwater BC haven't been able to thwart the largest city in Washington State, Seattle might eventually become more of a magnet in pulling more people into the area between Portland and V-BC. 

Right now, Vancouver, WA (V-WA) still has a wider bridge than V-BC. Most of the V-BC bridges are so damn narrow that its not possible to have an efficient regional express bus network. As long as there is a refusal to build proper BRT bridges as part of a regional system, it remains a sad joke. 

The Skytrain (LRT) was built with shorter stations than what the underground stations in Seattle and Edmonton are at. Whenever possible, the Skytrain stations are shorter than the C Train stations in Calgary, DART stations in Dallas and even the Max in Portland. 

The biggest mistake of the Skytrain was to not build all of the stations with a future level clearance to eventually have Montreal Metro size stations of 500 feet or 152.5 m. Instead, the first 2 lines only have 80 m stations and the line to YVR (The Canada embarrassment Line) is only 50 m. Backwater BC logic is that a 5 car Skytrain could run twice as frequent as a 9 car Montreal Metro train. Someday, a 2.5 car YVR-Canada Line train could also run much more frequently than a 9 car Montreal Metro train. 

There is just one key problem with that type of BC logic. While initially constructing short stations and having short trains can save money, its not proper BIG city size infrastructure. In the long run, it costs more to try to lengthen stations for longer BIG city type trains. 

Can the SkyTrain in BC, Canada ever become a very high capacity system?

 Why BC, Canada Got it Right With its New SkyTrain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqo_KAEF81k 

The argument is that a mostly elevated train can move more people than an 8-10 lane elevated freeway, at much less the cost. However, any major urban grade-separated LRT system should be designed to eventually become a very high capacity conduit.

The first 2 lines only have 80 m stations, which are just a little more than half the length of a 152.5 m Montreal Metro station. Unfortunately, the line to Richmond only has a designed level clearance for 50 m stations, not even quite a 3rd of the length of a Montreal Metro station platform. 

While it might seem economical to opt for short trains and stations, the Skytrain stations should have still been designed to eventually become more like a proper big city train station allowing for much higher capacity. 

The first 2 lines can run the newest 5 car trains, but the 3rd line can only run 2.5 car trains, some day.

Oakridge Park mall corridor will soon funnel thousands of people past fast food and service-based businesses

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/oakridge-park-mall-skytrain-underground-corridor-entrance-businesses

Metrotown's new pedestrian scramble crossing between mall and SkyTrain station reaches completion

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metrotown-pedestrian-scramble-crossing-skytrain-mall-central-boulevard-complete

The Unusual transportation approaches used in Vancouver

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/5-of-a-kind-unusual-modes-of-transportation-used-or-nearly-used-in-vancouver-12388220 

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. 

2 out of 3 is bad, but 4 bridges?

 Apparently, 2 of the 3 Skytrain bridges were never designed to also accommodate bikes.

1 https://www.google.ca/maps/place/North+Arm+Bridge/@49.2028331,-123.1189681,1005m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x548675f84f6c0721:0xbea3ccce242f45a8!2sMarpole+Bridge!8m2!3d49.1995219!4d-123.1268811!16zL20vMGZqMjYx!3m5!1s0x548675e222b072f3:0x1f4afd8a052e9fba!8m2!3d49.2030206!4d-123.1176091!16zL20vMGc1anZj?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDYwMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

Unfortunately, all 3 Skytrain bridges weren't designed to have any express bus lanes, never mind any for a proper rapid bus network.

2 https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Middle+Arm+Bridge/@49.1956263,-123.1347899,597m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x548675e70cc6d0d1:0x203a51fa759dab7e!8m2!3d49.1957207!4d-123.1351442!16zL20vMGdna3px?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDYwMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D   

In the 1980s, once it was revealed that Skytrain wouldn't be providing a 24 hour service, there wasn't a serious effort to convince the public of the importance of having a 24 hour regional express bus network. Transportation redundancy is difficult to grasp in backwards BC.

3 https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Marpole+Bridge/@49.2048651,-122.8949547,729m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m7!3m6!1s0x548675f84f6c0721:0xbea3ccce242f45a8!4b1!8m2!3d49.1995219!4d-123.1268811!16zL20vMGZqMjYx?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDYwMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D 

All 3 of there's transportation bridges should have had enough future space for at least a 3rd track. Upon opening, each bridge should have had 2 bus lanes that also could be for emergency vehicles. Each bridge should have had 2 bike lanes and 2 sidewalks. 

https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Marpole+Bridge/@49.1996678,-123.1276435,848m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x548675f84f6c0721:0xbea3ccce242f45a8!8m2!3d49.1995219!4d-123.1268811!16zL20vMGZqMjYx?hl=en&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDYwMy4xIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D This was allowed to fall apart and eventually catch fire. It was never doubletracked and the interurban trams were phased out by the 1950s. Yet, most of the highways and general road system in SW BC cities are just 2 lanes each way. It was as if there was no need to have a 3rd lane for trucks and a 4th or 5th lane for buses & HOVs. 

https://stevestonheritage.ca/2024/06/21/marpole-cp-rail-bridge

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

The transportation infrastructure was set up for congestion, right from the start. Having a short Skytrain & small stations might have made economic sense in its initial phase. However, there was a failure to not design it to eventually become a proper big-city size train with much longer stations.

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

SkyTrain YVR-Canada Line

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#Canada_Line , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxTEBfxYH0g

https://buzzer.translink.ca/2010/08/canada-line-and-the-olympics "For the 17-day Games period, the Canada Line carried over 3,881,986 passengers, with the most ever riding on Friday, February 19: 287,000 riders!" 

https://www.bcaviationcouncil.org/canada-line-continues-to-break-records-translink/

TransLink's Hyundai Rotem EMU cars have been operating since 2009 and have played a massive role for the City of Richmond, Vancouver and YVR. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1ouk0VifwM   

https://archive.news.gov.bc.ca/releases/news_releases_2005-2009/2009tran0002-000047.htm "During the Olympic Games, there were approximately 230,000 daily trips on the Canada Line." 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/short-platforms-and-trains-is-the-skytrain-canada-line-under-built-and-nearing-capacity

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1eu70hl/skytrains_canada_line_marks_15th_anniversary/ 

https://francesbula.com/uncategorized/is-the-canada-line-at-maximum-capacity-no-will-it-be-in-a-decade-depends-on/ 

https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/5t97h9/this_is_why_the_canada_line_has_been_far_less/ 

https://globalnews.ca/news/90468/canada-line-races-toward-capacity/

https://www.reddit.com/r/askvan/comments/1fsfptv/why_are_the_current_canada_line_cars_designed_the/ 

SkyTrain Millennium Line

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#Millennium_Line

SkyTrain Expo Line

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SkyTrain_(Vancouver)#Expo_Line 

https://www.translink.ca/about-us/about-translink/operating-companies/british-columbia-rapid-transit-company

https://www.facebook.com/groups/VanPoli/posts/27826596723622482/

 https://www.translink.ca/transit-fares/pricing-and-fare-zones

TransLink offers cyclists a lift to BC Ferries, but on weekends only

 https://www.nsnews.com/2026-world-cup/translink-offers-cyclists-a-lift-to-bc-ferries-weekends-only-12332483 

Unfortunately, due to the decades of inept regional transportation planning, no bus bridge or BRT tunnel was ever built next to the D Island Tunnel. While the new tunnel is supposed to have 2 bus lanes, there won't be any HOV lanes and especially no provision for LRT. 

Ultimately, the YVR-Canada Line should be extended to Ladner and the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal. A special train bridge or tunnel should be built with a provision for 2 BRT lanes, since BC doesn't seem to want a 24hr Skytrain. 

Loblaws City Market opens this month at South Granville SkyTrain station tower

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/loblaws-city-market-south-granville-skytrain-station-the-stories-west-broadway-opening-date

Yaletown–Roundhouse station's fare gate capacity increased by 66%

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-yaletown-roundhouse-station-additional-fare-gates-completed 

The Canada line is such a watered down version of what should have been a proper big city airport and ferry rapid transit link. Just because this infrastructure project had to be scaled down during its first phase, the stations still could have been designed to eventually accommodate 5-6 car trains. Unfortunately, the stations were only designed to accommodate a 2.5 car train. While this perfectly fits in with the inept urban transportation mentality and especially fits in with the BC congestive transportation agenda, this is another sad result. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-yaletown-roundhouse-station-fare-gate-expansion

Despite being downtown with several condominiums around, the Yaletown-Roundhouse_station is too small for an inner-city station.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yaletown-Roundhouse_station#Station_information 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f4/Yaletown_Roundhouse_Stn.jpg/1280px-Yaletown_Roundhouse_Stn.jpg 

There is barely enough level clarence beyond the short platform for another car. To remedy this inadequate situation, this line needs to have three full-size cars, not just some eventual 2.5 car joke of a train. 

https://www.eke-electronics.com/automatic-selective-door-operation-asdo 

Then eventually, once people got used to a 3 car train, an extra car could be added at each end, resulting in a 5 car train. Its a workaround that can eventually enable the 3rd line or the C Line to run 3-5 cars trains to meet demand. 

Then the Exp. Line and Mil. Line, or what could become A & B lines with standard 5 car trains. However, during the busy times, a 7 car train could be possible with selective-door-operation technology. 

It would have been better to have just built all of the Skytrain stations long enough for 5 car trains in the first place, with enough level track clearance for 10 car trains eventually.

Vancouver 450 ft and Fahrenheit 451

Was a 450 foot height restriction just by chance, or was it intentionally made to be very close to 451 Fahrenheit? Despite being around the same size as Paris, Boston & SF, Vancouver remains as a very restrictive city. 

Any tall building in SL City is under 450 feet. Honolulu is still stuck around the 450 foot maximum, while San Diego is stuck at 500 feet. Even Rio DeGennaro still has shorter buildings than Vancouver, BC. Washington, DC has strict height limitations like Paris. However, W,DC could eventually set up their own equivalent of La_Defense. Its a fine example of allowing tall buildings just beyond the city limits.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451 (1953) By the 1950s, so many things were already banned, watered down or scaled back in provincial backwater Vancouver. Generations later, there was the No Fun City mind virus that further tried to cancel out things in such a small city with so much red tape and other ridiculous obstacles.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451_(1966_film) By the mid and late1960s, the city made sure that its first office tower to have more than 29 floors wouldn't be until the 1970s. Its highly doubtful that Vancouver will have an office tower at, or over 40 stories by 2030. However, Burnaby and Surrey could, because they aren't under the extreme restrictions of the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV). 

It wasn't until 1973 when Vancouver allowed its first building to be taller than the Los_Angeles_City_Hall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Angeles_City_Hall 

The Scotia_Tower (stump) is a good reference point to visualize the small scale of backwater Vancouver, as its about the same height as the Los_Angeles_City_Hall at 453'. 

https://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/scotia-tower/4396 453'

https://skyscraperpage.com/b65/vancouver/the-scotia-tower 452' 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_Wall_Centre It opened in 2001 at 157.8 m (518 ft). Its 49 feet shorter than the Philadelphia_City_Hall.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_City_Hall Opened in 1901 at 548 ft (167 m).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451_(2018_film) By 2018 it was quite apparent that Vancouver was in the process of allowing for more buildings over 450 feet. However, nothing has been permitted to reach 700 feet, so far. A tower over 1000 feet would help to water down its provincial mindset. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/14/Vancouver_panorama_%2849988799796%29_%28cropped%29.jpg/3840px-Vancouver_panorama_%2849988799796%29_%28cropped%29.jpg

SF, Sydney & Auckland are just as scenic as Vancouver & warmer throughout the year. They all have taller building than what Vancouver currently permits. Seattle is just as scenic as Vancouver, but its allowed to function like a proper big city, because it doesn't have the imposed restrictions like Vancouver has. While its cold, damp & depressing like Vancouver during the fall & winter, Seattle usually gets noticeably hotter summers than Vancouver, BC. The tallest building in Seattle is the 76 story B of A office tower. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/LA_Skyline_Mountains2.jpg/1280px-LA_Skyline_Mountains2.jpg While the L.A. City Hall looks like a stump there, in Vancouver it would still be one of the prominent buildings.

Everything is so small or scaled back in Vancouver. Even the Greater Vancouver mountains aren't allowed to be as tall as the ones in L.A. While the San_Francisco_Bay & Port_Phillip Bay by Melbourne are big next to their cities, English_Bay in_Vancouver is so much smaller. Its even smaller than Elliott_Bay by Seattle. 

Vancouver really needs to have bus and HOV bridges built next to its mostly narrow & congested bridges. Only a 5 car Skytrain is the max on the first 2 lines and ultimately, just a 2.5 car joke of a train on the YVR-Canada Line. 

Selective+Door+Operation can allow a short train to have an extra car at each end, despite a shorter platform. 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Vancouver_sunset_%28J%29.jpg/3840px-Vancouver_sunset_%28J%29.jpg 

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/69/Los_Angeles_with_Mount_Baldy.jpg/3840px-Los_Angeles_with_Mount_Baldy.jpg

Australia like the USA, has some big & tall cities on the Pacific Rim. However, Vancouver symbolically kept watering down its size, because that's how you demonstrate a reluctance towards proper urban planning & growth. 

Oddly enough, the imposed small scale Vancouver mentality & agenda wasn't adopted by most cities around the world. Officially, there is no Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV), but somehow something like it keeps manifesting, just like the BCMV. 

Despite its size, Canada has less than 1% of the worlds population. Its been difficult enough just for Canada to even have half of 1% of the worlds population. 

One expects Melbourne and Sydney to be proper big cities. However, Australia has big stuff at both ends of the country. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Design Its a 12 lane crossing in Brisbane. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narrows_Bridge_(Perth) 10 lanes with 2 commuter train tracks in the middle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Skytower It has 90 floors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q1_(building) Almost has 80 floors.

Perth Central_Park_(skyscraper) at 51 floors and 108_St_Georges_Terrace at 50. Very restrictive Vancouver still won't permit any office tower to have a 40th floor. Calgary and Seattle each have a few over 50 stories.

So far, provincial Halifax hasn't been allowed to be on a similar scale as Boston and Montreal. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_L._Macdonald_Bridge 3 lanes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A._Murray_MacKay_Bridge 4 lanes. 

The scale of Vancouver is kept below that of Calgary & Seattle or even Auckland, in some ways.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lions_Gate_Bridge A classic 3 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint. No parallel bus and truck tunnels and especially, no LRT tunnel. 

Provincial backwater Victoria isn't allowed to be on a similar scale of Wellington, NZ.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_Street_Bridge Another BC 3 lane wonder.

First train now rolling on Broadway Subway for active testing ahead of late 2027 opening

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/broadway-subway-millennium-line-skytrain-extension-train-testing

Nothing like testing with trains from the 1980s in the 2020s.

 https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/broadway-subway-project-first-run-vancouver-2026-12350017 

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

Could Skytrain be the Perfect Metro system?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUXSomjE1OU 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP4RUBp1Ucw history 

All of the stations should have been designed to be at least 80 m with the potential to gradually have 160 m long platforms.

New Westminster business community concerned 3 months after stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge opened

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/05/25/new-westminster-businesses-concerned-3-months-after-stal%c9%99was%c9%99m-bridge/ 

BC bottleneck-chokepoint planning is out of control. This new bridge not only should have had 2 wide emergency lanes, 2 wide shoulders and especially 2 bus lanes, since the Skytrain isn't a 24 hour system. Congestive transportation planning is absurd and of no benefit to anyone. However, as a symbolic demonstration of a reluctance towards proper big-city infrastructure, its right on the mark for backwards BC. Of course the bridge wasn't designed for a future lower deck, because properly planning for the future is very difficult in backwater BC. 

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2026/05/25/new-westminster-businesses-concerned-3-months-after-stal%C9%99was%C9%99m-bridge/

https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/about/projectoverview/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stal%CC%95%C9%99w%CC%93as%C9%99m_Bridge