Showing posts sorted by date for query transit bridges. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query transit bridges. Sort by relevance Show all posts

Monday, October 27, 2025

Honolulu’s Skyline Rail Expands to West Honolulu, and to a New Airport Station

 https://www.travelandtourworld.com/news/article/honolulus-skyline-rail-expands-to-west-honolulu-bringing-faster-more-sustainable-public-transit-to-oahu-with-a-new-airport-station 

Even if the widest parts of the H-1 could be 10 or 12 lanes, it would still get plugged up. Nevertheless, being from Vancouver, it's quite impressive to see such a wide H-1 by the airport. If you visit Vancouver from Hawaii, you might think that Vancouver is a big city like Sydney, SF or Seattle. Then you discover that the roads & bridges are much narrower than what's in those cities. The real big surprise is that Vancouver not only has shorter trains than Sydney, SF & Seattle, but even Edmonton. Fortunately, the Skyline to the airport isn't a 2 car joke of a train like Vancouver's airport line is.

https://honolulutransit.org/about/route-map , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Route

https://www.honolulu.gov/dts/skyline


The Airport Segment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Segment_2:_Airport 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lelepaua_station If only Vancouver's line to the airport could have opened with 4 car trains, then with Selective_door_operation, eventually 6 car trains. Unfortunatly, backwards Vancouver has been stuck with a 2 car YVR train since 2009, but it has the potential to become a 2.5 car joke of a train, someday.  


Downtown Honolulu.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Segment_3:_City_Center 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Ala_Moana_extension 


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skyline_(Honolulu)#Rolling_stock "The line uses 256 ft (78 m) four-car train sets, each with the capacity to carry nearly 800 passengers..."  "Each car is 64 ft (20 m) long, weighs 72,000 lb (33,000 kg), and has 36 seats with a listed total capacity of 195 people, and sits on standard-gauge (1,435 mm) rails." 

While the Skyline cars are similar in length to the YVR-Canada-Line cars, they are of a heavier construction. Plus, the trains are twice as long as any on the embarrassingly short Canada+Line trains.

While it took a long time to get the Skyline to the airport, at least the stations were all initially built to accommodate 4 car trains. Unfortunatly, the joke that is the SkyTrain-Canada+Line is still only running 2 car trains and wasn't designed to eventually have 5 car trains. Its difficult to understand why the joke-line stations are only designed to accommodate a 2.5 car train, someday.

Honolulu like Brisbane, are very far away from the Vancouver Mind Virus (VMV) and much warmer. Thus, they are able to have longer trains to the airport, because they can build on a proper big city scale.  


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Brisbane+Airport+Railway+Line 

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=the+airport+train

Friday, September 19, 2025

The Best fix for North Shore traffic is to upgrade or replace both bridges

 https://www.nsnews.com/opinion/letter-best-fix-for-north-shore-traffic-is-to-upgrade-or-replace-both-bridges-11233455 

When there is a refusal to build bigger and better bridges, there still should be a regional network of bus and train bridges. However, the gridloc planning agenda keeps winning out.

Unfortunatly, after decades of inept transportation planning and then so much money wasted down a $HIT-PIPE, the North Shore keeps getting hit hard from the $HIT-BOX planning mentality. 

The Tilikum+Crossing in Portland is a fantastic example of modern infrastructure planning and development. It allows for the MAX-LRT, the streetcar, the bus, bikes and pedestrians to conveniently get across. The nice thing about the TC is that no lanes had to be removed or repurposed on the other Portland bridges. Perhaps that's why something like the TC isn't allowed in BC, because it could actually help to improve transportation efficiency. 

The Washington+Avenue+Bridge is another example of what's not allowed in Greater Vancouver or anywhere else in the BC part of Canada. After all this time, Greater Vancouver is still so lacking in a regional network of transit+bridges


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=transit+bridges  

Thursday, August 7, 2025

YVR-Canada-Line

 https://www.yvr.ca/en/passengers/transportation/public-transportation 

Even if the excuse of a limited budget is used at the time, the YVR-Canada-Line should have been designed with at least roughed-in 100 m stations, right from the start, with enough clearance to eventually become 160 m. 

https://thecanadaline.com/station-guides/yvr-airport 

Its like there was no concept to eventually connect both ferry terminals with the YVR-Canada-Line.

https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/skytrain?page=1#canada-line 

Indeed, the YVR-Canada-Line should have been envisioned to be a long-range high capacity rapid transit corridor. A 40-50 m joke of a train can't do the job of a 150-160 m train. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-line-skytrain

Short trains and mostly narrow bridges are a multigenerational way of life that was planned for SW BC. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-burrard-inlet-vancouver-third-crossing-bridge

Who knows where so much of the money went, because it sure didn't go towards proper big city size infrastructure. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-future-station-locations

If ever some serious improvements can be made to the Canada+Line, it should be renamed, the YVR-Canada-Line or SkyTrain-Canada+Line. With some proper upgrades it could almost become like a proper airport+line

Saturday, July 12, 2025

Vancouver's forgotten streetcars and interurban trams

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/transportation-old/interurban-streetcar-hydrogen-rail-line-fraser-valley-bc-1942783

Fortunately, Toronto, NO, SF and Melbourne never got rid of all their streetcar and tram lines.

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/downtown-vancouver-false-creek-streetcar-route-map

While backwards Vancouver wanted to be among the first cities to get rid of them, Vancouver will likely be one of the last cities to bring them back.

https://viewpointvancouver.ca/2021/04/06/a-bump-in-the-road-kits-points-hidden-streetcar-line/

Atlanta, SD, LA, Edmonton, Calgary, Seattle & Portland brought back some of their trollies in the form of modern LRT or tram-trains.

https://montecristomagazine.com/community/vancouvers-forgotten-streetcars

The sad irony is that Vancouver, Burnaby & NW really could have benefitted from following the Toronto, SF and Melbourne examples. 

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/last-ride-oak-streetcar-vancouver-1937040

https://www.facebook.com/groups/128486813979056/posts/1968090176685368

 https://maps.nicholsonroad.com/bcer/

https://humantransit.org/2010/02/vancouver-the-almost-perfect-grid.html

There used too be a streetcar route along Robson St., Denman St. & Davie St. A revived version of this could provide a nice downtown transit loop. However, that would go against the backwards mentality of Vancouver. Fortunately, the Vancouver mentality never made it to Atlanta & Dallas.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Streetcar#Downtown_Loop_route_funded

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

Unfortunatly, Vancouver & BC are all about congestive planning.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/2026-fifa-world-cup-vancouver-1.7559067

With less than a year to go, its impossible to revive any streetcar lines, because that can take 5-10 years. There isn't even a network of regional bus bridges. Such inept transportation planning means that busses have to squeeze onto bridges that are mostly just 2 lanes each way. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-rising-costs-fifa-2026-world-cup-1.7573669

Despite the first SkyTrain line opening in 1985, it took until 2025 to start having5 car trains. The 2nd & 3rd lines are still only running 2 car trains.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouver-short-on-hotel-rooms-silent-on-safety-costs-for-2026-world-cup/

Of course the city is decades behind in keeping up with having enough hotel rooms.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-hotel-shortage-2026-world-cup-1.7117696

https://vancouverfwc26.ca 

https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/vancouver-host-seven-matches-canada-stadium-bc-place


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Trams-Trains+and+Streetcars

Wednesday, July 9, 2025

TransLink buys Fraser River waterfront property for Vancouver bus depot use

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-vancouver-transit-centre-bus-depot-acquisition-expansion

Of course there still seems to be no plan to build a bus and bike bridge next to the Arthur+Laing+Bridge

Unfortunatly, the embarrassment that is the Canada+Line wasn't designed to eventually have 10 car trains, not even 5. It's stations can only accommodate a ridiculous 2.5 car train, some day. Thus, any bridge to and near the airport should be augmented with a bus and bike bridge. Especially since the C Line isn't open 24 hours. Apparently, it's better to just cram everything into the ridiculously narrow 4 lane bridges. 

Thursday, June 26, 2025

SkyTrain's Commercial-Broadway Station escalators fully reopen after replacement work

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-commercial-broadway-station-escalators-fully-reopen

This is going to be a major transit intersection, whenever the east-west line from Coquitlam to UBC is completed. Especially when the line from downtown Vancouver to Langley is completed. Unfortunatly, only the Expo_Line will have 5 car trains at some point in 2025. 

The Millennium_Line will try to only run a 2 car joke of a train for as long as possible. At least there is a potential to eventually have 5 car trains.

Unfortunatly, the joke that is the Canada_Line was deliberately designed to have stations that can only accomodate 2 2.5 car train, not a 5 car train.

Considering that Greater Vancouver mostly has narrow roads & bridges, one would think that the trains would be the longest in Canada, not the shortest. 

Thursday, June 12, 2025

Vancouver never properly planned for High Density Mass Transit like Toronto and Montreal did

 https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2025/06/12/cartoon-ucs57-vancouver-plans-for-high-density-1-mass-transit/

1950s Toronto and 1960s Montreal were able to have 152.5m or 500 foot long TTC subway and STM metro stations. The 1970s underground Edmonton LRT stations were built to be 120m-130m long, because unlike backwards Vancouver, Edmonton planned for significant future capacity, just like Seattle would also do. Unfortunatly, backwards Vancouver only has 80m stations for the first 2 Skytrain stations. The 3rd line or the Canada (embasement) Line, only has 50m short stations. Vancouver has had generations of watered down infrastructure. Who knows where so much of the money went, because it sure didn't go towards proper big city trains & express bus bridges. 

Wednesday, May 21, 2025

Metro Vancouver's public transit ridership growth

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-ridership-statistics-2024

A longer train helps to reduce the under capacity issue. SkyTrain should be called, SHORT-TRAIN. 

https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/rapidbus-routes-move-thousands-around-metro-vancouver-some-cities-balk

No matter how many bus routes, unless there is a series of bus-bridges for the region, everything gets funneled on-to mostly narrow, inadequate bridges.

Tuesday, May 20, 2025

TransLink to extend North Shore RapidBus route to Metrotown starting in 2027

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/r2-rapidbus-north-shore-metrotown-burnaby-route-extension

https://aquilinidevelopment.com/community/kwasen-village

https://kwasenvillage.com 

The Kwasen Village & BCIT area is becoming a new intersection of housing & shopping, as well as education. So, hopefully starting in 2027, there will be an express bus from Metrotown_to_West-Vancouver. It will run along Willingdon Avenue providing a rapid bus link between Metrotown and Brentwood-Town-Centre-Station. Then onto N.Vancouver & W.Vancouver. This is being done, because backwards Vancouver refuses to build a rapid bus tunnel under or near the absurd, 3 lane Lions_Gate Bridge. Plus, the BC Government isn't interested in extending the SkyTrain on a bridge or through a tunnel to W.Vancouver. Thus, the inept, 3 lane Lions-Gate-Bridge remains as one of the worst bottlenecks or chokepoints in the world. 

Perth, WA built a 10 lane bridge with double train tracks in the middle of it.

Seattle, WA did something similar, but their 3 section bridge or crossing has 4 lanes each way & a double track middle section.

Montreal also did something similar to Seattle & Perth.

Being from backwards Vancouver & backwater BC, it's always amazing to see what other places can do, simply because they aren't in BC.

Fortunately, Perth, Seattle & Montreal don't have to contend with anything like the inept Vancouver & BC transportation mentality. It's mindboggeling that in 2025, Vancouver is still only running 4 car trains to Surrey & only 2 car trains to Coquitlam & Richmond. This, combined with several narrow bridges, makes it one of the most congested cities in the world. It's a sad & pathetic situation, because things in BC should be designed for proper future capacity expansion.


A ‘Bus priority system’ at traffic signals reduces delays in Dubai, but not in Vancouver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubai Unlike Vancouver, when there are extra lanes, it's so much easier to have proper bus lanes & even HOV lanes. It's just a matter of efficiently using that wider road-space. The backwards Vancouver & backwater BC approach is to try to funnel everything into 2 lanes each way whenever possible. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emirate_of_Dubai Whether its a hot climate or a cold climate, people aren't going to be walking or biking around in 40 to 45C or in -30 to -40C weather.

 https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/transport/dubai-bus-priority-system-traffic-signals-cuts-delays?utm_medium=recommended-inarticle-dt&utm_source=art-rcmd-api

https://www.dubai.ae/web/dubai.ae/city-of-future

Unless backwards Vancouver & backwater BC build a proper system of bus & HOV bridges & have longer SkyTrain station, it all remains a sad joke. The Iron Bridge replacement, if it ever happens, must not only have 3 general lanes each way, but an extra 2 lanes each way for Rapid Bus Transit & HOV. A 10 lane bridge with a provision for a lower deck, is what a proper big city would do, but Vancouver only wants to be a toy city or a movie set full of fake props.

Friday, April 11, 2025

Metro Vancouver defers $1.1Billion in spending

 https://www.biv.com/news/economy-law-politics/metro-vancouver-defers-11b-in-spending-warns-of-tighter-water-use-10507478

So much money has be wasted over the years and a good part of it should have gone towards proper regional transportation planning & development.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11123828/metro-vancouver-cost-savings/

Crucial funds that could have gone towards a train tunnel by the LGB and the new D Island Tunnel. 

https://vancouversun.com/news/metro-vancouver-board-begins-spending-review

A regional network of bus-bridges still isn't part of any official transit plan. Apparently, its better to just funnel buses onto the existing narrow bridges in the region.

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/02/21/metro-vancouver-regional-district-22m-budget-cuts

Despite most of the bridges being too narrow & inefficient for public transit, the SkyTrain was deliberately built to have stations that are much shorter than the Montreal Metro & TTC Subway stations.  

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-governance-review-provincial-government-1.7447724

BC has such a reluctant mentality towards thinking big. Thus, a chokepoint or congestive planning mentality has been firmly entrenched.

https://www.coastalfront.ca/read/metro-vancouver-freezes-staff-travel-amid-outrage-over-spending-and-tax-hike

Long trains & bridges wide enough to properly accommodate bus lanes & HOV lanes would actually help to reduce transportation congestion. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/metro-vancouver-public-engagement-2025-budget-nswwtp-1.7308921

Who knows where all the billions of dollars went over the past several decades, because not enough funds went towards a proper level of transportation infrastructure.

https://metrovancouver.org/about-us/budgets-and-financial-plans

Of course Greater Vancouver was one of the first urban regions to get rid of its streetcars & interurban tram-trains & it will likely be to be one of the last cities to bring them back.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metro+Vancouver

Thursday, April 3, 2025

From the old and inadequate Fraser Street Bridge to the inadequate KSB

Somewhere in between 1950 & 1960, the old Fraser_Street_Bridge (FSB) should have been replaced with a new 4 lane bridge, with 2 very wide sidewalks for bikes & a future provision for 2 bus lanes. Vancouver needs a street and transit connection with No. 5 Rd. in Richmond. Unfortunatly, backwards Vancouver has always been a city without a proper big city transportation vision.

https://evelazarus.com/the-fraser-street-swing-span-bridge

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fraser_Street_Bridge_(1894)#Provincial_government_headache

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/photos-and-video-was-this-the-unluckiest-bridge-between-richmond-and-vancouver-4475444

https://search.nbca.unbc.ca/index.php/fraser-st-road-bridge-in-vancouver-bc-1 In the late 1800s, just being able to have a bridge roadway width of 2 wagon-roads in backwater BC was amazing. Then, decades & even several generations later, any BC bridge that could provide 2 wagon-roads each way was even more amazing. 

https://structurae.net/en/structures/fraser-avenue-street-bridge

As usual, Vancouver & BC lost & messed up an opportunity to have 2 great new bridges.

https://structurae.net/en/structures/knight-street-bridge (KSB)

https://evelazarus.com/the-knight-street-bridge-part-2

Once again, the lack of a proper big city vision resulted in the inadequate design for the 4 lane Knight+Street+Bridge (KSB). However, it makes sense from a bottleneck congestive planing mentality. Despite Vancouver being part of what is suppose to be a major port region and in need of proper transportation corridors, the Knight_Street_Bridge is a classic chokepoint.

https://www.richmond-news.com/local-news/work-on-knight-street-bridge-in-richmond-below-deck-as-well-7319230

Just because the Knight_Street_Bridge started out as a 4 lane joke, there immediately should have been 2 wide shoulders, which could have eventually become 2 extra bus lanes. Plus, there should have been a future provision to add 2 HOV lanes. Two wide sidewalks & 2 wide bike lanes. However, that would go against the congestive planning mentality of Vancouver & BC.

Indeed, by deliberately planning the KSB to be a 4 lane chokepoint and not building a new Fraser+Street+Bridge, there clearly was no interest to have proper dedicated bus lanes in that part of the Greater Vancouver Region. With so many inadequate, narrow bridges, there should be bus & HOV lane bridges to help improve regional transportation.

A regional express bus system or a rapid bus network requires dedicated lanes. The LGB should have 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes in a tunnel near it. The Iron Bridge, OSB & KSB, all should have a 4 lane bus & HOV bridge next to them. That would allow for a rapid bus lane each way & a HOV lane each way.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges

Friday, March 28, 2025

Maple Ridge planning transit-oriented development around future Bus Rapid Transit line

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/lougheed-transit-corridor-area-plan-maple-ridge-translink-brt

The Golden_Ears_Bridge should have been built with 2 wide shoulders, which could have eventually become 2 bus lanes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_Ears_Bridge

The Pitt_River_Bridge also should have had 2 wide shoulders, so that they easily could have become bus lanes.

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

Most of the existing bridges are too narrow, so there needs to be a regional framework of bus-bridges.

Sunday, March 23, 2025

Public transit advocates to rally Sunday to save BC Lower Mainland bus routes

 https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/03/22/lower-mainland-public-transit-rally-burnaby-metrotown/

The region is already thwarted with short trains & a lack of bus-bridges. Of course the next best thing to increase urban congestion & degrade public transit, is to cut some bus routes.

The Guess Who - Bus Rider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcWQ0utym4I

Saturday, March 15, 2025

B.C. government to abolish its carbon tax after 17 years

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-carbon-tax-abolish

The carbon tax was mostly another sad B$ joke in the history of backwards BC! Such a carbon tax should have gone towards the transportation infrastructure in the most populated parts of BC. Backwater BC has been so far behind in resolving transportation bottlenecks for several generations. Thus, an infrastructure carbon tax could have really improved things.

Instead, after 17 years, Greater Vancouver is still struggling to have a proper regional network of bus+lanes. In order the have such a proper regional BRT network, there has to be a series of bus-bridges and that hasn't happened yet. Most of the existing bridges are so narrow that there was no consideration for bus lanes, let alone HOV lanes.

The two SkyTrain bridges don't have 2 bus-lanes, despite the lines not being open 24-7. The first SkyBridge doesn't even have 2 sidewalks & 2 bike-lanes. However, the 2nd bridge has a shared bike & footpath, but there should be 2 of each. 

The first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that are barely half the length of a Montreal Metro station. The Canada embarrassment Line only has 50m station vs. the 152.5m Montreal Metro stations. Having half-length & one 3rd length stations is not indicative of planning for high volume rapid transit. But this is half-assed BC, so apparently its OK.

Where did all the money go? Evidently, not enough of it went towards the transportation infrastructure, because almost everything is still half-size, or worse.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025

10 busiest of the 145 bus routes that could be cut without new TransLink funding

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-fiscal-cliff-bus-routes-at-risk

This is so stupid! Why even bother to have a BC carbon tax, if it's not going towards improving public transit in BC? Busses & routes should be increased, not reduced. There should be a regional network of bus-bridges, which can bypass the congested narrow bridges. There should be long trains that are part of a long-term, high capacity plan.

Saturday, March 8, 2025

Vancouver, BC makes list of world's worst cities for traffic

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-worlds-worst-cities-traffic

After several decades of Vancouver & the metropolitan region trying to keep most of the roads & bridges as narrow as possible, the ineptness of such an agenda is really showing. While there was a legitimate concern for the region potentially being overrun with various freeways & expressways between the 1950s & 1970s, a few key things were ignored.

https://www.tomtom.com/traffic-index/vancouver-traffic/

A network of bus bridges was never implemented. There wasn't a proper regional HOV system either. Instead of proper long-range, high-capacity rapid transit planning, the first 2 SkyTrain lines have stations that are barely more than half the length of the 152.5m Montreal Metro stations. The shortsighted Canada embasesment Line was only designed to have 50m stations.  

https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/02/22/vancouver-traffic-worst-north-america/

Such inept urban planning is a Vancouver, a regional & a BC problem. Fortunately, most major cities around the world aren't interested in following the backwards BC example. Where did all the money go over the coarse of several generations, because what was built is just a bunch of half-size infrastructure?

https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vancouver-among-worst-cities-for-rush-hour-traffic-in-north-america-6596249

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TomTom#Traffic_services

Tuesday, March 4, 2025

No funding in B.C. government’s new budget to avoid TransLink's service cuts

 https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-operating-funding-fiscal-cliff-bc-budget-2025

This all fits in with short trains & no express bus bridges. Apparently, short trains & mostly narrow bridges helps people to get around. Its too bad that some of the climate taxes can't go towards big city infrastructure. 

https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-metro-vancouver-transit-service-cuts-risk

Wednesday, February 19, 2025

The South Bow River Bridge in Calgary

https://www.alberta.ca/south-bow-river-bridge Being from backwards Vancouver, its difficult to grasp how Calgary was able to twin the South-Bow-River-Bridge. Not only are there 8 lanes, but at least 2 emergency lanes. 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stoney_Trail#Lane_count In BC, it was tough enough just to have 2 waggon roads side by side. Then to eventually have a bridge the width of 4 waggon roads or 4 carriageways, was amazing. Fortunately, Calgary has progressed so far beyond the 1800s & the early 20th century.

https://www.alberta.ca/calgary-ring-road , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dhrataYz5E

https://majorprojects.alberta.ca/details/Stoney-Trail-SE-Bow-River-Bridge-Widening-Pedestrian-Bridge/4312 There have been a lot of complaints as to why it took so long to compleate this project. While backwater BC notoriously takes longer to get things done than Alberta usually does, there might have been an issue with the river. Still, after any environmental assessment, the construction project should have gone faster.

https://www.on-sitemag.com/bridges/alberta-to-spend-70m-to-replace-south-bow-river-bridge-in-calgary/1003970064/

https://www.renewcanada.net/south-bow-river-bridge-project-receives-70-million/

https://www.on-sitemag.com/construction/alberta-awards-contract-for-final-277m-segment-of-calgary-ring-road/1003968938/

https://westringroad.ca/bow-river-bridge , https://calgaryringroad.com/tag/alberta-highway-201

A fantastic foot and bike bridge is close by and unlike in Vancouver, lanes were added, not removed. Indeed, the Calgary footbridge and The+Helix+Bridge in Singapore were never used as an excuse to remove any lanes from other bridges. The same for the Jubilee+Bridge.

https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/frt-current-work The environmental assessments while necessary, have pushed this BC infrastructure project to at least 2030. https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/project-overview-frt Several decades ago, another tunnel or bus & bike bridge should have already been built. https://www.highway99tunnel.ca/transit-cycling Unfortunatly, when the first tunnel was built, there was no concept to have 2 bus & 2 bike lanes with 2 protected walkways. No need to have 2 wide emergency lanes with a future clearance to allow for 2 truck lanes, given that this is supposed to be a major seaport region. Just funnel everything into 2 lanes each way, whenever possible.


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

https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=bike+and+pedestrian+bridges

Tuesday, February 18, 2025

REM’s snow struggles persist in Montreal

 https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article760907.html

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstom_Metropolis_Saint-Laurent

Train length38.1 m (125 ft) per unit
Car length19.05 m (62 ft 6 in) over coupler faces

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alstom_Metropolis_Saint-Laurent#Design_and_construction Two 125 foot trains = 250 feet, or half the length of a 9 car Metro train.

An 8 car [19.05 m (62 ft 6 inch)] REM train version of this would be great for Vancouver, but an improved Skytrain could be just as good. Unfortunatly, BC has a tough time thinking big for the future.

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2025/02/18/rem-service-disruptions-continue/

However, any elevated line or exposed rapid transit train in Montreal, is always potentially disrupted during the winter.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-rem-out-of-service-1.7461000

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9seau_express_m%C3%A9tropolitain#Future_sections

The genius of the Montreal_Metro trains is that they are all underground.

https://montreal.citynews.ca/2025/02/17/stormy-weather-continues-in-montreal/

Vancouver & BC always have a difficult time in properly planning & building infrastructure for significant future capacity. Thus, just because the SkyTrain is considered to be a Light Rail Vehicle, it still should have been designed to eventually have (152.5m) long trains, like the Montreal Metro has. If you are visiting from Montreal or Toronto, you will be shocked as to how short the Vancouver SkyTrains & stations are. 

It's not that BC is in some kind of a timewarp, it's just that there has been some kind of a strange multigenerational mentality or agenda. Since the BC part of Canada doesn't have the authority or the technology to generate a force_field around its perimeter, the next best thing was to have very restrictive laws. That's especially the case for Vancouver & Victoria. Plus, a general encouragement to symbolically think small & backwards. 

Having short trains, narrow bridges & mostly short buildings, all fits in with the symbolism of a reluctance to accommodate significant urban growth. Canada it self is also part of this larger predicament. Despite its size, Canada is nowhere close to containing even just 1% of the worlds population. Given that most of the human population is non-white, this poses an interesting dilemma. 

Of course during tougher economic times, immigration is generally frowned upon. However, even during various economic boom-times, Vancouver & Victoria continued to lag behind with the scale of its infrastructure development.


https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=REM+Train