All that money just to build a bridge without 2 bus lanes, no wide emergency lanes and no provision for a lower deck to accommodate an LRT line.
Showing posts sorted by date for query bus lanes. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query bus lanes. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Partial stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge closure to impact traffic all weekend long
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/riverview-bridge-closures-surrey-new-westminster
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
Major shortening of the 99 B-Line when the Broadway Subway opens
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/99-b-line-rapidbus-renaming-broadway-subway-millennium-line-skytrain
The train isn't a 24hr system, yet there is a desire to reduce Broadway to only 2 lanes each way. 3 lanes each way would allow for more efficient 24hr bus service.
Saturday, October 17, 2026
Doug McCallum dethrones Brenda Locke and reclaims position as Surrey’s mayor
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/doug-mccallum-elected-surrey-mayor-2026-election
Surrey is still set to become the biggest city in BC and Vancouver can't stop it. However, provincial NW stopped Surrey from having a new 6 lane bridge. The stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge should have opened with 2 bus lanes and 2 emergency lanes, or at least 2 wide shoulders. Instead, the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge only opened with 2 general lanes each way, with no provision for LRT and BRT on a lower deck.
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Closures on stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge to impact traffic this weekend for construction
Another classic 4 lane BC bottleneck-chokepoint. No bus lanes, no emergency lanes and no provision for an extra deck to accommodate an LRT crossing.
Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Old Pattullo Bridge arches to come down this Thanksgiving weekend
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/old-pattullo-bridge-arch-deconstruction-process-october-2026
Over a century ago, there was no concept of having bus lanes across a Fraser River bridge between NW and Surrey.
Even with the new bridge, there aren't 2 dedicated bus lanes. That's despite the Skytrain not being a 24hr system. So, busses have to be funneled into only 2 crowded lanes each way. Its been that way since the late 1930s on the old bridge, as well as the new bridge.
Apparently, in the 1930s, there just wasn't any big city vision to build a significantly wider bridge to better handle the future traffic in the 1960s & 70s. The new bridge should have been built in the 1980s or 90s.
Now, little NW is still stuck with a narrow 4 lane bridge that doesn't even have 2 wide emergency lanes, or 2 wide shoulders, & especially no bus lanes.
"A couple of Pacific Stage Lines buses can be seen at the BCER bus terminal." https://archives.newwestcity.ca/Results.aspx?AC=NEXT_RECORD&XC=/Results.aspx&BU=http%3A%2F%2Farchives.newwestcity.ca%2Fsearch.aspx&GI=&TN=internet&SN=AUTO80&SE=555&RN=8&MR=100&TR=0&TX=1000&ES=0&XP=&RF=WebStartDate&EF=&DF=WebFull&RL=0&EL=0&DL=0&NP=255&ID=&MF=GENERICENGWPMSG.INI&DT=&ST=0&IR=4702&NR=0&NB=0&SV=0&SS=0&BG=&FG=&QS=
https://www.surreyhistory.ca/pacificstage.html
Even the old Port_Mann_Bridge wasn't designed to have 2 bus lanes, just 2 lanes each way with no emergency lanes, or wide shoulders.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#Original_bridge Once a 5th lane was squeezed onto the narrow bridge, a parallel 5 lane bridge should have been built. Plus, an extra 2 lane section for express buses and a lower deck provision for future LRT.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#Opposition_to_twinning_plan Unlike in Australia, bridge duplication or twinning is culturally difficult in backwards BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#New_bridge While the new bridge has 10 lanes and can eventually accommodate an LRT line, there should have been a provision for 2 express bus lanes. That's because there is no 24 hour LRT service in Greater Vancouver.
When a train is shutdown for the night, or there is an emergency that stops service, there should always be a high capacity, or rapid bus route in place.
Its very difficult to have a proper regional express bus network in Greater Vancouver. Especially, a proper regional BRT system. That's because most of the bridges are so narrow there isn't enough space for 2 bus lanes.
Since LRT and subways can't cover the entire urban area, the region also needs to have an extensive network of express buses and BRT lines. That can only be accomplished in Greater Vancouver by having a series of bus-bridges.
https://movementyvr.ca/what-even-is-a-brt
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Queensborough Bridge in BC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensborough_Bridge
The Queensborough+Bridge in NW should have opened with 3 lanes each way, with 2 wide shoulders, or 2 wide emergency lanes. It became the main bridge and link between NW and Richmond and then eventually, a link to Delta. Thus, the Queensborough+Bridge should have been designed to ultimately have 8 lanes.
There is still enough space just east of the Queensborough+Bridge for there to be a 4 lane northbound bridge. Thus, two 4 lane bridges would allow for 3 general lanes each way, plus the 4th being an express or BRT lane & route between NW and YVR.
Since there is no direct express bus route between NW, Richmond & YVR, an improved Highway_91A and Highway_91 would be of great regional benefit.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensborough,_New_Westminster
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Queensborough+Bridge+in+BC
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Highway 99 Tunnel Program Update
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvaPpt2R69Y
A parallel bridge or tunnel should have been built decades ago.
There should have been 3 + 1 express bus lane each way, but also a temporary HOV lane each way. Then eventually, becoming 4 general lanes each way with the 5th becoming a totally separate BRT line each way.
Unfortunately, no 10 lane tunnel, just like no 10 lane bridge. Thus, whenever the 8 lane tunnel finally opens, there should be serious planning for a parallel BRT and LRT bridge or tunnel.
An extension of the YVR-Canada Line to the mall and ferry terminal would be of great benefit. However, since BC doesn't have 24hr train service, 24hr BRT can fill in the gaps.
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
HOV Lanes vs Bus Lanes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-occupancy_vehicle_lane
https://vtpi.org/tdm/tdm19.htm
A bus lane will always have more potential to move more people than a HOV lane.
https://www.drivesmartbc.ca/lanes/qa-bus-and-hov-lanes
Even if a vehicle is carrying 4-5 people in a HOV lane, a bus carrying 40-50 people is still much more efficient transportation.
https://www.liveabout.com/high-capacity-articulated-or-double-decker-2798841
https://www.reddit.com/r/fuckcars/comments/w9zja7/whenever_im_riding_the_bus_this_question_keeps/
Monday, August 24, 2026
BRT in backwards BC
Of course Greater Vancouver really needs a big city BRT network, but unless a proper series of bus and bike bridges are built, its all just a Half-A$$ED joke of an attempt.
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/about/projectoverview Of course the new bridge opened without any express bus lanes, especially no BRT corridor. Yet, Skytrain isn't a 24hr system, but a bus can be.
https://www.railforthevalley.com/tag/brt
Reykjavík, Iceland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Reykjavik
The BC part of Canada has more than 10 times the population of Iceland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capital_Region_(Iceland)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk#Roads Once an urban area is busy enough, there should be a 3rd or 4th lane each way, so that there can be a bus lane or express bus lane each way. Of course, a proper BRT system requires its own right of way. Thus, its usually separated from the general traffic lanes.
Reykjavík has some overpasses and a bridge that are at least 6 lanes wide.
A key overpass with four lanes each way. This already has enough space for eight lanes.
This already has the space for three lanes each way. Nine lanes with enough space for 10.
In contrast, the Knight+Street+Bridge between Vancouver and Richmond becomes a classic 2 lane each way BC bottleneck-chokepoint. Unless a parallel bus and bike bridge is built, it will remain as an inefficient crossing. A parallel bridge could have 2 express bus lanes and 2 HOV lanes, plus 2 wide bike lanes and 2 footpaths. Two truck lanes would also be good, since Greater Vancouver is supposed to be a major port region.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keflav%C3%ADk_International_Airport
There is enough space for this to be a big airport, someday.
Saturday, August 22, 2026
The 14 lane George Washington bridge vs...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH6Q8yWjYpM There are wider sections of freeways in the US, but the double deck GWB has the most lanes.
Wow, in backwards Vancouver, or almost anywhere in backwater BC, just having 2 lanes each way is tough enough. A consistent 3rd lane each way could be for busses and a 4th lane for HOVs. Given that Greater Vancouver is supposed to be a major port region, several of the bridges should also have a truck lane each way. However, there is only one bridge in backwards BC that has 5 lanes each way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Mann_Bridge#New_bridge Unfortunatly, it wasn't designed to have a lower deck. Such a lower deck could have had 2 freight train tracks, 2 commuter train tracks and even a provision for 2 BRT lanes.
Essentially, in any proper big urban area, the bridges should not only provide at least 3 general lanes each way, but a bus and HOV lane each way. That's 5 lanes each way, plus on some crossings that are closer to port activity, there should even be a 6th lane each way. That's the case with the Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges. Unfortunately, unlike Queensland, BC has been very reluctant towards bridge duplication or twinning.
https://www.nsnews.com/local-news/bus-hov-lanes-different-2918490
https://www.reddit.com/r/vancouver/comments/1d3fixq/hov_and_bus_lanes_how_to_deter_abuse/
While Australia has Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane as its major Pacific Rim gateways, Canada just has provincial Vancouver, Victoria and Prince Rupert as port gateway cities.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Design
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6e/Gateway_Bridge_aerial4.JPG
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Duplication A 12 lane crossing.
The Port_of_Brisbane and the Brisbane_Airport are excellent port facilities in Queensland.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Brisbane#Facilities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Airport#Rail Far away from the inept transportation planning in Greater Vancouver, Brisbane was able to do things correctly.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airport_line,_Brisbane Unfortunatly, backwards BC just can't seem to properly plan big city type infrastructure.
The YVR-Canada_Line is a total embarrassment!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Stations Not 150 m, not 100 m, only a 50 m level clarence was allowed for the stations. Even the first 2 Skytrain lines only have 80 m stations, when they should have almost been twice as long.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Technology Aparently, the inept planning was due to cost saving measures. Thus, instead of designing the stations to be long enough to accommodate 5 car trains, they were only designed to ultimately have 2.5 car trains. Since 2009, the Canada_Line still only has 2 car joke trains.
The Tilikum_Crossing in Portland vs the North_Arm_Bridge between Vancouver and Richmond. The Tilikum_Crossing accommodates 2 bike lanes, 2 footpaths, 2 MAX-LRT tracks, 2 articulated_bus lanes and even streetcars can cross on it. Such a fine bridge just hasn't been allowed in BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Arm_Bridge#Details This bridge should have been wide enough to eventually accommodate 2 bike lanes, 2 footpaths and especially, 2 BRT lanes, the the Skytrain doesn't run on a 24hr schedule.
Given that most of the bridges in BC are so narrow, there needs to be proper bus, bike & HOV bridges built.
Transportation infrastructure doesn't have to be such a sad joke in backwards BC.
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
Chemtrade and North Vancouver
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Chemtrade+Electrochem+Inc.
By now, there should have been a North Boundary Road bus & bike bridge. Such a bus & bike bridge could be built in a way that isn't too disruptive to Orcas+Snow+Removal and Chemtrade+Electrochem+Inc., or any other businesses.
There should have also been a Willingdon Avenue bus & bike bride over the inlet by now. Instead, a 3 lane each way Iron Bridge is supposed to handle not only the TCH traffic, but regional traffic & truck traffic in what is supposed to be a major port region.
The Iron Bridge is so narrow, because there wasn't any serious consideration to have 2 emergency lanes, 2 wide shoulders and especially no bus or HOV lanes. Of course there should have been a parallel LRT bridge built there several decades ago, as well.
Saturday, August 8, 2026
More bus lanes for Greater Victoria, BC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ2cYBoQXAw
https://transitapp.com/en/region/victoria-bc/bc-transit-victoria/blink-rapidbus-95
https://www.bctransit.com/blink Not simply a B-Link, its a Blink.
Several 4 lane roads and bridges in Greater Vancouver need a similar upgrade. Otherwise, just give up and only strive to have a Half-A$$ED express bus system.
Actual BRT requires its own fully separated lanes, bridges and tunnels. Unfortunately, that type of bus service in BC is still very much in the Half-A$$ED phase.
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Some massive transportation projects in Metro Vancouver
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emSr9NLwfT4
Unfortunately, the Broadway+Subway will only open with the potential of 5 car trains, not 10.
Unfortunately, the YVR-Canada+Line wasn't even designed to have 5 car trains, only a potential of 2.5 car trains, someday.
Of course the Massey+Tunnel+replacement wasn't designed to have an LRT and a BRT section. Thus, in addition to the basic 3 lanes each way, there will only be an express bus lane.
A separate BRT section would be beneficial since BC doesn't want to run 24hr trains. Thus, when the LRT is shutdown for maintenance, a 24hr BRT line could still be running. Unfortunately, part of the BC Mind Virus is backwards thinking and inept infrastructure planning. Of course there is still no official plan to have LRT from YVR to the Tsawwassen Ferry terminal anytime soon.
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Historic photos show Stanley Park more than 100 years ago
https://www.vmcdn.ca/f/files/via/images/historic-images/vancouverarchives/stanley-park-100-years-1920s-entrance.jpg;w=960;h=640;bgcolor=000000 A nice wide public walkway. Unfortunately, due to a lack of a proper big city vision, no 4-6 lane wide right of way was ever established through the park.
https://stanleyparkvan.com/stanley-park-van-road-stanley-park-causeway.html
The 3 lane wide option was never followed-up with a lower 3 lane tunnel. So, instead of 3 lanes each way, everything is funneled into just 3 lanes.
https://council.vancouver.ca/000203/pe3.htm Thus, no need to have a bridge designed to be strong enough to have at least two 3 lane decks.
In Vancouver and backwards BC in general, its very difficult to build infrastructure for long-range future capacity.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/76/Stanley_Park_Labeled_Aerial_Map.png
After several generations, Stanley_Park has remained as a provincial gateway to backwater Vancouver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Park#21st_century
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Columbia_Highway_99#Vancouver
While no one was able to stop the Horseshoe_Bay_ferry_terminal from being built, too many people still don't want Greater_Vancouver to have a proper big city train and highway link between West_Vancouver and Downtown_Vancouver.
Fortunately, the BCMV never made it to Sydney, NSW and SF, CA. Thus, their CBD or downtown has good rail and highway links.
However, it was almost like part of the Vancouver MV made it to Auckland, NZ.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Harbour_Bridge#Clip-ons_(1967%E2%80%931969)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auckland_Harbour_Bridge#Alternate_proposal A parallel bus, bike and train bridge should have been built decades ago. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Harbour_Crossing,_Auckland#2023_Waitemat%C4%81_Harbour_Connections_proposals
https://www.nzta.govt.nz/projects/waitemata-harbour-connections
https://infrastructurepipeline.org/project/additional-waitemata-harbour-crossing
https://www.greaterauckland.org.nz/2026/05/27/build-this-brilliant-bridge
Monday, July 13, 2026
The missing element in urban infrastructure
If a bridge or tunnel is too narrow to accommodate bus and bike lanes, then a separate crossing should be built near it. Many bridges and highway tunnels don't have a provision for LRT or commuter rail, so then a rail crossing should be built near it.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=the+missing+element
Saturday, July 11, 2026
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.
First Nation files court challenge against Burrard Inlet dredging project for oil tankers
Decades ago, there should have already been a North Boundary Road bus and bike bridge beside the Iron-Bridge. Since the Iron Bridge wasn't widened to accommodate 2 express bus or 2 rapid bus lanes, a North Boundary Road bus and bike bridge would have been a huge improvement.
Canada is on the same planet as Australia, but seems to be on a different world. Asia, Europe and the US just don't seem to have the same overlapping restrictions as Canada and especially, BC.
Greater Vancouver should be on a similar city and port level as Brisbane, but the provincial backwater BC mindset keeps holding things back.
If Burrard Inlet isn't a suitable location for the tankers, then another location must be found. BC remains as a provincial backwater on the Pacific Rim and Canada has less than 1% of the worlds population. If it were possible, there are those in Canada who would like to just shut out the world and even shut Canada down.
Australia hasn't been able to do so much more than Canada simply because it doesn't have half of the year stuck in cold, crappy weather.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Story Bridge and Clem Jones Tunnel vs the inadequat LGB
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Story_Bridge 3 lanes each way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clem_Jones_Tunnel (CJT) 2 lanes each way.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clem_Jones_Tunnel#Public_transport
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Story+Bridge
The+Missing+Element in backwards BC.
In contrast, Vancouver is stuck with a 3 lane LGB, with no parallel bus, truck and train tunnels. If visiting Vancouver from Brisbane, or almost any Australian city or town, you will be shocked. While Australia is allowed to have 3 big port cities on the Pacific Rim (Mel Syd & Bris), Canada has taken a Half-A$$ED approach.
While the Port_of_Prince_Rupert has a lot of potential, most of it remains as a watered down front.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_of_Prince_Rupert#Conversion_to_an_intermodal_terminal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Harbour_(British_Columbia)#Facilities
https://gvha.ca/deep-water-terminal/terminal-information/ V-BC has potential, but its also so scaled back or watered down.
Despite Victoria wanting to remain as a quaint provincial backwater, it should eventually become a proper port city like Wellington. https://www.centreport.co.nz/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CentrePort_Wellington#Containers
Port of Vancouver, BC.
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