The George Washington Bridge is the world's busiest motor vehicle bridge,[5] carrying a traffic volume of over 104 million vehicles in 2019,[6] and is the world's only suspension bridge with 14 vehicular lanes. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Bridge
Friday, April 19, 2024
The 13 Lane Bridge
The double-deck bridge carries 13 lanes of Interstate 278: seven on the upper level and six on the lower level. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verrazzano-Narrows_Bridge
The 12 Lane Bridge
The Ship_Canal_Bridge is an impressive structure. Its like the upper 8 lane deck is the Seattle part of bridge and the 4 lane lower deck is the Vancouver, BC bridge. Imagine if everything was funneled into a 4 lane Vancouver bridge there. Fortunately, its a 12 lane bridge. Perhaps some day 1 of the express lanes might accommodate a bus lane. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle#Transportation
The Van_Brienenoord_Bridge sure is nice and wide. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Brienenoord_Bridge#History Its really two 6 lane bridges.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotterdam#Transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges Fantastic 6 lane duplication or twinning to become a 12 lane crossing. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Design
The 6 Lane Bridge
The 6 lane Aurora_Bridge is a block east of the 4 lane Fremont_Bridge_(Seattle). The wider bridge is more for regional traffic, where as the narrower bridge is more for the general neighborhood. In contrast, the Vancouver, BC approach is to funnel everything into a single point crossing. Then refuse to build a bus & HOV lane bridge next to it.
The 4 Lane Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_Bridge_(Seattle) WA
https://www.historylink.org/File/20389
The 2 level, 12 lane Ship_Canal_Bridge is right next to it.
The north end of the Montlake_Bridge is close to the University_of_Washington_station. The 380-foot-long (120 m) station_layout is almost as long as any underground LRT station in Edmonton. In contrast, the first 2 lines of the Vancouver Skytrain only have only 80 m stations. The 3rd line is a joke that is the Canada Line. It was only designed to have 50 m stations. The Montreal Metro & TTC Subway were designed to have 152 m. Unlike Seattle & Edmonton & especially Montreal & Toronto, building for longer trains isn't a problem. That's because they don't have anything like a backward BC mentality or a water it down, because its Vancouver, approach to things. Being from Vancouver, it's always amazing to see what other cities are able to do, simply because they don't take a backwater BC approach to things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fremont_Bridge_(Seattle)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballard_Bridge (Seattle)
MONTREAL
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Bizard_Bridge Even a backwater part of Montreal will get an upgrade from a 3 lane joke to a 4 lane bridge with wider sidewalks. https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/bridge-construction-causing-travel-nightmare-for-ile-bizard-residents-1.6564161
https://www.westislandtoday.com/post/the-construction-of-l-%C3%AEle-bizard-s-bridge-is-well-underway
- Expanding to 4 traffic lanes, 1 more than the existing bridge
- Building a wider two-way bike path and sidewalk
- Complete redevelopment of the road, water and sewer mains and street lighting system
- Refurbishing electrical networks and wiring
https://montreal.ca/en/articles/building-new-bridge-pont-jacques-bizard-26379 Fortunatly, no one from Metro Vancouver was able to stop this Greater Montreal improvement. The backward BC mentality is terrible. It would be devastating if Quebec had ever started to emulate the BC approach to things.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10180724/new-jacques-bizard-bridge-west-island-traffic Unfortunatly, the new bridge won't have a couple of bus-lanes. https://www.ebcinc.com/en/2022/04/05/new-jacques-bizard-bridge A 6 lane bridge would have allowed for that. Perhaps a parallel bus-bridge might eventually be built there, someday. That's what Calgary eventually did with the the+Cushing+Bridge upgrade.
The 3 Lane Bridge
A 3 lane bridge, viaduct or tunnel can be great if its for one direction. However, if it's for 2 way traffic, it can easily get very congested, unless its in a rural area.
The Johnson_Street_Bridge in Victoria, BC & the Lions_Gate_Bridge in Vancouver, are quintessential 3 BC lane bottlenecks. How is this possible? Make sure that a bus & HOV tunnel or bridge isn't built next to them. Especially make sure that a heavy rail or a light rail tunnel or bridge isn't built close to them. Thus, both crossings are fine examples of BC congestive planning. It's also crucially symbolic, as BC has been refusing to keep up with urban transportation needs. Thinking big & building big in Texas is no problem, because it's so far away from the backwater BC planning mentality. However, even Alberta & Washington State never seemed interested in taking a backward BC approach to things as well.
If you are from Montreal & haven't visited Vancouver or Victoria, nothing can prepare you for the shock, if you ever do. As preparation, it might be good to drive over to Jacques+Bizard+Blvd and then over the 3 lane Jacques_Bizard_Bridge. Of course this is in a backwater part of Montreal. However, imagine if this 3 lane bottleneck was at one of the main crossings in Montreal. Well, that's what you would have to prepare yourself for, if you visit Vancouver or Victoria. Whether its a low level bridge or a high level bridge, as long as it's a 3 lane chokepoint, it meets the BC standard. Fortunately, Montreal was able to build a new bridge there, simpy because it doesn't have a Vancouver like mentality. https://montreal.ca/en/articles/building-new-bridge-pont-jacques-bizard-26379
The Windsor+Bridge is a backwater, 3 lane Sydney crossing. Just imagine if that was on the edge of the CBD. Well, if you are from NSW & you visit BC, nothing can prepare you for such narrow bridges, short trains & stumpy buildings. Fortunately, nothing like the BC mentality was allowed to take over NSW.
If you are from New_Haven,_Connecticut, you might be shocked if you visit the 2 largest urban areas in the BC part of Canada.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ted+Smout+Memorial+Bridge,+Brisbane,+Australia
"The bridge features
- 3 traffic lanes (originally 2 for regular traffic and a T2 (bus, taxi and vehicles with more than 2 occupants) lane, but the T2 lane has now been converted to a regular lane).
- A 4.5 m (15 ft) wide pedestrian and cycle path that connects footpath and cycle networks on either side of Bramble Bay. The path is separated from traffic by a concrete barrier." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Smout_Memorial_Bridge Of course after duplication, it became a 6 lane crossing.
Thursday, April 18, 2024
Burnaby Hospital
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/burnaby-hospital-redevelopment-bc-cancer-centre
Hospital expansion has been so slow in BC for several decads.
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
Canadian-born family shares why they're moving to Malaysia
https://dailyhive.com/canada/canadian-family-move-malaysia
Unless all goods & services in Canada are made available for all income levels, more people will more away. It's absurd to have so many things set at a luxury or deluxe price range.
Some of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_oldest_continuously_inhabited_cities
https://history.howstuffworks.com/world-history/oldest-city-in-world.htm
https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/16/whats-the-oldest-city-in-the-world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/article/ancient-city-damascus
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
The $2Billion Megaproject Under Vancouver, Cabada
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4YFFtTEUQc
Why "Nobody" Lives In The VAST MAJORITY Of British Columbia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdeZV_caT78
Monday, April 15, 2024
Much more home construction and infrastructure in Metro Vancouver is urgently needed
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-housing-starts-construction-statistics-2023
After Vancouver & the metropolitan region kept imposing so many restrictions for decades, BC is compelled to upgrade & build more infrastructure.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-pre-sales-april-2024
The KEEP THEM OUT symbolism has been perpetuated for well over a lifetime. Especially with short trains & narrow bridges & only a half-assed bus lane network. The Cushing+Bridge in Calgary is a fine example of a new bus-bridge next to a narrow Vancouver type of bridge. The+Tilikum+Crossing+in+Portland is also a great example of the type of transit bridge that should be built next to almost all of the narrow bridges in Metro Vancouver. Fortunately, the backward BC type of planning mentality never caught on in Calgary, Edmonton, Portland, Seattle & Montreal.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-development-permits-changes-2024 Speeding up the permits & rate of construction is a good slap in the face towards the KEEP THEM OUT agenda. It was hoped so many decades ago, that by gradually imposing so much municipal red tape & BC B$, that would help to stunt BC growth. It also helped the old colonial mentality to see less non-white people moving into BC.
It's not that BC isn't multicultural, it's just that by slowing down the growth of the 10 largest BC municipalities, that becomes a perpetual excuse to not keep up with building more infrastructure.
The area of Switzerland or the Netherlands could fit into BC 23 times. Yet, BC doesn't even have half the population of the Netherlands. Indeed, BC doesn't even have the population of one Switzerland.
If Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna & BC in general, would ever allow a proper scale of infrastructure, things would gradually improve.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Switzerland
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges
The proposed plan to redevelop Metropolis at Metrotown mall
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metropolis-at-metrotown-mall-redevelopment-master-plan-concept
No chance now of BC ever having a mall as big as the West_Edmonton_Mall. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Edmonton_Mall#Future_developments
However, Burnaby will gradually get to have a dense downtown core with potentially some taller buildings than Edmonton.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Edmonton_Mall#West_Edmonton_Mall_Transit_Centre
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis_at_Metrotown#Transportation Perhaps the WE Mall might eventually become like a 2n core for Edmonton. However, since Vancouver won't permit buildings to be taller than the tallest in Montreal, Calgary & Edmonton. Thus, Burnaby, Coquitlam & Surrey will have to take on that roll.
Metrotown_station will become the key downtown core stop in Burnaby.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_shopping_centres_in_Canada
For most of Canada's history, it was about keeping out or at least slowing down the influx of non-white people. Then in more recent years, its been about using environmental concerns to keep Canada in a perpetual slow growth mode, except for a few cities. Canada still doesn't even have half of 1% of the world's population. Yet, it's the 2nd or 3rd largest county in overall area. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2018005-eng.htm 41 million people. How is it that so many other countries can accommodate more people? Better urban planning can make all the difference.
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/subjects-start/population_and_demography
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population , https://www.census.gov/popclock/world
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/population-by-country/
https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-projected-reach-98-billion-2050-and-112-billion-2100
The City of Vancouver simplifies more permitting to reduce timelines and costs
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-development-permits-changes-2024 For too dam long its like there is a diffrent set of physics in Vancouver & BC in general. Things take longer or just seem to be more difficult.
Vancouver has been under a multigenerational stunting & thwarting agenda that just never caught on with Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg & Halifax. They all have much larger municipal boundaries than Vancouver. No building in Vancouver is permitted to rival the tallest in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary & Edmonton. No underground train station in Vancouver has been built to be as long as any underground train station in Toronto, Montreal & Edmonton or any future underground stations in Calgary. Vancouver has so many narrow streets & bridges, making it difficult to have a proper bus-lane network. Indeed, several cities around the world established bus-lanes before Vancouver got around to it.
Saturday, April 13, 2024
Metro Vancouver renters are spending more than 60 per cent of salary on rent
Greater Vancouver is still like a toy city with mostly narrow roads, short trains & short buildings, but very expensive.
Toronto is a genuine BIG city like Chicago and Melbourne, but without any 100 story buildings, as of yet.
https://currencymart.net/toronto/which-city-is-more-expensive-toronto-or-vancouver/index.html
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
Sunday, April 7, 2024
SUPERMAN and LOIS at its LuthorCorp location in Downtown Vancouver
https://hollywoodnorthbuzz.com/2024/04/superman-lois-at-its-luthorcorp-in-downtown-vancouver.html
Another Vancouver building that might be impressive, if it had been at least 50 stories, but it wasn't even permitted to have 25 floors.
Saturday, April 6, 2024
4.8 magnitude earthquake in New Jersey, aftershocks felt across NYC and Tri-State Area
If there is ever a very strong earthquake in that part of the world, a lot of older buildings could be seriously affected.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/05/us/earthquake-nyc-nj-northeast/index.html
Earthquakes and aging buildings in NYC
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/earthquake-new-york-city-aging-buildings/
So many older NYC buildings just weren't constructed to modern earthquake standards.
Fortunately, this was nowhere as intense as what can happen in Taiwan, Japan, NZ or California.
Unfortunately, urban earthquakes can strike at any time without warning.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-world-s-10-most-earthquake-prone-countries.html
The SkyTrain - Canada Line in Richmond to close early for seven weeks due to construction
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-canada-line-capstan-station-spring-2024-service
An entire section of the line has to close early, due to a new station being added. If or whenever all the stations are lengthened, the entire system might have to close early.
Fortunately, all the underground stations in Toronto & Montreal & even Edmonton, were built to be much longer, in the first place. Fortunately, any new underground C-Train stations in Calgary won't be Vancouverized. They will be as long as any underground LRT station in Edmonton.
The biggest mistake for the Skytrain was not building 152 m or 500 ft long stations. Then as longer trains are required, the longer stations would already exist.
The 3rd line or the Canada+Line, is such a fine example of BC congestive planning. Why bother to have long big city trains? https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-line-skytrain
Aparenty, short trains help to match the many narrow bridges in BC. Of course narrow bridges make it tougher to have bus & HOV lanes.
"The five busiest stations have platforms 50 metres (160 ft) long, while the rest of the stations have 40-metre (130 ft) platforms that can be easily extended to 50 metres." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada_Line#Stations
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-canada-line-rebuilding
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-burrard-innlet-rapid-transit-brt-translink
Greater_Vancouver has been stunted or thwarted for several decades, in so many ways.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SkyTrain-Canada+Line
The sad joke that is Vancouver and BC, Canada
Talk about a city that continually refuses to live up to its potential. Vancouver is an incredibly small city in total area. [ 123.63 km2 (47.73 sq mi) ]
The Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District_of_BC is more comparable to some of the larger cities on the planet. [ 2,878.93 km2 (1,111.56 sq mi) ] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metro_Vancouver_Regional_District
The Lower_Mainland_of_BC is more comparable to some of the larger urban & suburban regions of the world. Thus, there is a lot of potential for growth.
| Area | |
|---|---|
| • Total | 36,303.31 km2 (14,016.79 sq mi) |
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lower_Mainland
Yet, somehow so many things are continually underbuilt, as if to signify & perpetuate a KEEP THEM OUT agenda. Indeed, if you can't build a wall or generate a Star Trek or Star Wars like forcefield around BC, then you build a symbolically stunted transportation infrastructure. This helps to create more congestion & frustration. Of course one has to wonder where all the money has gone over the past several decades?
How did the KEEP THEM OUT agenda ever get started? How did the KEEP BC SMALL mentality become so firmly entrenched? That remains partially a mystery, but it's as if some kind of a vibe or energy has been continually been tapped into over the course of several generations. Somehow this thwarting force or mentality, never seemed to catch on with Alberta, Washington_(state), Ontario & Quebec...
1886 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver#Incorporation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1886_Vancouver_anti-Chinese_riots (1886) A classic case of government & corporate mentality of the day, using one group of people over another.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/12/03/questions-and-answers-migrant-worker-abuses-uae-and-cop28#:~:text=Even%20though%20migrant%20workers%20primarily,Rights%20Watch%20has%20extensively%20documented. Unfortunately, this still happens all over the world.
Unlike so many big cities, Vancouver seemed to have a reoccuring backwater mentality right from the start. While Vancouver & Canada in general have become multicultural over the recent decades, a provincial backwater mentality was ideal for Vancouver, back in the day. The old White colonial mentality just didn't see indigenous & other non-white people as that important or even necessary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Oriental_riots_(Vancouver) 1907 https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/settlement-immigration/the-lessons-of-the-anti-asiatic-riot
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komagata_Maru_incident (1914)
Of course Canada, Australia & other White European colonies eventually had to accept that most of the world is non-white. Thus, maintaining a White Only Policy didn't fit in with the world's demographics.
https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/settlement-immigration/not-just-immigrants
https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/books/harriet-s-legacies
However, suppose that a gordian knot of overlapping restrictions, red tape & other B$, could gradually be imposed throughout the White BC of the 1950s & 60s. Then even more Vancouver & BC restrictions in the 1970s & 80s, in spite of multicultural immigration. Of course Southern Ontario & Southern Quebec grew rapidly, because that's where most of the urbanization-and-industry is in Canada. Then by the 1990s, Vancouver should have been building things to the scale of Montreal in the 1970s & 80s.
Instead, the first 2 Skytrain lines were built to only be about half the length of a Montreal Metro station & the 3rd line (the Canada+Line) with only 50 m stations. No bus bridges were ever built next to the existing narrow bridges. It's all about creating congestion, instead of properly planning to handle more capacity in BC.
"One was that superhighways created new traffic as much as they relieved old bottlenecks; by 1972 bypass highways like the 401 were multi-laned traffic jams of bumper-to-bumper vehicles at first during rush hours and eventually for almost the entire day.
Improving connections between the city and its outskirts only prompted more people to move away or use the roads more frequently.
The other problem was that freeways constructed in populated areas could be built only by tearing down existing housing and devastating neighbourhoods. An extended period of Toronto opposition finally managed to stop construction of a projected expressway in 1971, which brought to a symbolic end the period of unrestricted and unplanned expansion in the city. In Vancouver at about the same time, proposals to extend the Trans-Canada Highway into the city’s centre, virtually demolishing many neighbourhoods — including the traditional Chinatown district — were fought to a standstill. https://www.canadashistory.ca/explore/arts-culture-society/home-sweet-suburb
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/800-granville-street-vancouver-proposal-office-cancelled Yet, once again, another project was cancelled, due to the slow planning & processing pace of the city.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=SkyTrain-Canada+Line
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
Canadians slam Loblaw CEO Per Bank after discovering he was paid $22 million in 2023
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canadians-react-per-bank-loblaw
The US is still a lot less expensive, in some ways.
Toughest time ever to afford a house in Vancouver, Canada
If developers were allowed to build, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane size towers, as long as they also built some commonly affordable rental buildings, that would be an incentive. Sure, developers can build sky-high in Dubai, NYC & Chicago, but that's usually just for luxurious condo suites.
If developers in Vancouver & BC in general want to build much taller towers, they should also build a lot of low to mid-rise commonly affordable condominiums & rental units. Thus, by doing that in tandem, would allow them to build, Toronto, Melbourne, Sydney & Brisbane size towers.
Unfortunately, unless the very strict Vancouver height limitations are updated to proper big city standards, semi-tall luxurious condo towers will be built, but with no incentive for developers to build a lot of affordable housing for a much larger market.
More people left B.C. for other provinces in 2023 — mostly Alberta
https://globalnews.ca/news/10398435/people-left-bc-provinces-alberta-stats-canada/
Fortunatly, Alberta was never absorbed by BC.
Monday, April 1, 2024
Stumps and Towers in various cities
Every city starts out with stumps and several cities eventually have some tall towers.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Brisbane#Timeline_of_tallest_buildings
https://mapfight.xyz/compare/queensland-vs-us.fl
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Brisbane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane_Square At 151 m (495 ft) it's just another Vancouver like stump, especially, AMP_Place.
Queensland & especially Florida have grown substantially over the decades. A year round warm climate is certainly part of the big attraction. Something that Canada just doesn't have.
The Southeast_Financial_Center and One_Biscayne_Tower in Miami.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Brisbane
Another Vancouver type stump is the Miami_Center, which is 484 ft (148 m) tall and has 34 floors. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Miami#Tallest_buildings
One_Biscayne_Tower contains 39 floors and is 492 ft (150 m) tall. Today it's just another Vancouver stump size building in downtown_Miami.
The Miami_metropolitan_area, like Brisbane and the Gold_Coast, have been able to grow & flourish on a large scale, because they aren't under anything like the very restrictive Vancouver & BC limitations.
The BC part of Canada is very mountainous like Switzerland. Usually, SW BC is the most mild part of Canada during the winter. Thus, it's the best place to avoid most of the harsh Canadian winters. Yet, there has been quite a lacking approach to building & expanding infrastructure. Combined with very strict zoning & a haft-assed approach to urban planning, one can clearly see a much larger scale of things in Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton & Portland.
https://mapfight.xyz/map/ch 23 Switzerland's can fit into BC. Yet, BC has yet to reach the population of 1 CH.
Jean-Drapeau station (1967)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Drapeau_station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellow_Line_(Montreal_Metro)#Opening_for_Expo_67
The MPM-10 consists of 9 articulated cars per train. Indeed, why just have a 3 coch joke, when you can have a 9 car train? If only Vancouver would have such forward thinking & planning.
| Train length | 152.43 m (500 ft 11⁄8 in) |
|---|
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPM-10#History Unlike Vancouver, Montreal planned for 500 foot long stations right from the start. 9 car trains are great, but ultimately there should be 10-12 car trains.
Friday, March 29, 2024
The Stumps of Vancouver, Canada
If you are from Prince_George, Kamloops, Victoria or Kelowna, you might think that Vancouver is a big & tall place.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Vancouver#Tallest_buildings
However, it's all on a much smaller scale than real big cities around the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Vancouver#Under_construction
Seattle & Calgary never fell into the Vancouver trap.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_buildings_in_Vancouver#Approved_and_Proposed
Simply because they aren't under the Vancouver type restrictions.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Kelowna-Victoria-Prince+George-Kamloops
BC TransLink's busy No. 2 bus route sees upgrades with articulated buses for more capacity
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-no-2-bus-route-articulated-buses-upgrade
Get people so frustrated for taking the bus, only to start driving more on the inadequate BC roads & bridges.
Expo_86 should have had a sub-theme of showing the world how Vancouver & BC would continue to take an inept approach for several decades. In contrast, the World_Expo_88 in Brisbane is a place where transportation infrastructure isn't thwarted by any Vancouver or BC type restrictions.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brisbane#Rail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Busways_in_Brisbane Of course Brisbane would get moving on better busways several years before slow-moving Vancouver would.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Road_transport_in_Brisbane
Hilton Hotel with nearly 400 rooms to be built at future Oak-VGH SkyTrain station
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/hilton-hotel-888-west-broadway-vancouver
This is part of the southern extension of downtown Vancouver, yet it has to be shorter than the 103 m, 340 ft Old_City_Hall_in_Toronto. Even shorter than the 92 m (302 ft) Brisbane_City_Hall. Those are both little buildings by today's standards. Yet, in certain parts of the Vancouver core, they would be consider to be too tall. It even has to be shorter than the 245 ft (75 m) King_Street_Station in Seattle. Fortunately, these 3 cities will never be Vancouverized. This, keep Vancouver small & stunted mentality really sucks, but it's all part of the KEEP THEM OUT agenda.
Such restrictive & congestive planning helps Vancouver & BC maintain, the keep it small symbolic approach to things.
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Burnaby vs. Vancouver's stumps
This illustration shows Vancouver stumps next to some Burnaby towers. https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/bc-tel-boot-redevelopment-burnaby-1500-homes-900-rentals-towers-up-to-64-storeys-7957610
The eastern part of False Creek is slated for major transformation, although progress has been slower than anticipated.
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/vancouvers-plan-to-turn-no-mans-land-into-a-destination-waterfront-park Slow-moving Vancouver, as usual.
https://vancouversun.com/feature/broadway-plan-vancouver-greatest-streets The narrowminded agenda to create more narrow & congested streets.
BC Government housing near Nanaimo Station in E. Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/3805-3919-nanaimo-street-vancouver-coromandel-bc-government-housing
Proper big planning should have been implemented at least a few decades ago. Now people have finally been bought out so that denser housing can be put in.
https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/grandview-woodland-community-plan.aspx
The Broadway Station area remains a constipated mess. Stubborn people refuse to accept or be bought out, because NIMBY is the perpetual way to be in BC. Nevermind a magnificent 80 story tower, even 40 floors is too much for this constipated part of Vancouver.
The intersection of 2 Skytrain lines, but no Brentwood size towers.
The trench or cut at Commercial_and_Broadway could easily be covered over, so that big towers can go up. However, the constipated NIMBYs refuse to receive an urban enema & be pushed out. They don't want growth, because that means more non-white people in their neighborhood. But as long as they don't set up a bunch of KEEP THEM OUT signs, their agenda remains strong.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial%E2%80%93Broadway_station
https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/station/commercial-broadway/map
Vancouver & the metropolitan region remains very stunted when compared to Toronto & Montreal. At least Burnaby, Coquitlam & Surrey are starting to allow a larger scale.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
MBTA removes seven safety speed restrictions on Orange Line
Boston has some of the oldest sections of subway in the USA. It's taken quite a while to make various improvements.
How safe are bridges at Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach?
Of course there are bridges in and around Greater LA Area. However, it most an urbanized land mass.
Cities like Seattle, Portland, SF, NYC, Montreal, Boston & Vancouver require an extensive bridge & or tunnel system to keep each region effectively connected.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-lions-gate-ironworkers-bridge-ship-collision-collapse-risk
Vancouver & the metropolitan area already has a deficit of adequate bridges. There should have been about a dozen bus & bike bridges over the past few decades. Improved existing bridges to allow for HOV lanes, but Vancouver & the greater region are too afraid to go beyond the chokepoint mentality. Apparently, congestive planning is always the best way to go in BC. There isn't enough bridge redundancy, so if anything goes wrong, the region will only get more blocked up.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ironworkers-memorial-bridge-replacement
Baltimore bridge collapse shares eerie similarities with Tampa Bay’s Skyway disaster
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2024/03/26/florida-sunshine-skyway-bridge-disaster-collapse/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge#1980_collapse There is always the potential to improve safety standards.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Summit_Venture#1980_Skyway_incident
Of course the Tampa+Bay+Sunshine+Skyway+Bridge returned in a new & better structure.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge#Replacement_bridge
Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapses after being struck by cargo ship
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/francis-scott-key-bridge-baltimore-collapse-container-ship/
The Francis_Scott_Key_Bridge_in_Baltimore is a high & narrow structure.
https://www.cnn.com/2024/03/26/us/baltimore-key-bridge-collapse-tuesday/index.html
Unfortunately, there is always a potential for a ship to crash into a bridge.
https://www.wbaltv.com/article/baltimore-bridge-collapse-key-bridge-video/60304085
Thus, its essential to have an extensive bumper or barrier system around the pillars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Scott_Key_Bridge_collapse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Dali#2016
But sometimes a bridge will collapse without being hit by something.
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-deadliest-bridge-collapse-in-modern-history
https://www.history.com/news/deadly-bridge-collapses
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=Francis+Scott+Key+Bridge+in+Baltimore+collapses
Thursday, March 21, 2024
How technology changing the way to experience cities
Are people becoming like mice in a maze? Some say that the urban environment has been like a rat cace for the past several decades.
Some Circular and Oval Towers
https://www.rediff.com/business/slide-show/slide-show-1-worlds-most-amazing-circular-buildings/20110720.htm It certainly makes for an interesting architectural shape.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitol_Records#Headquarters
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sevilla_Tower
https://newatlas.com/architecture/dubai-downtown-circle-znera-space
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/most-beautiful-skyscrapers-world
Wednesday, March 20, 2024
Federal, provincial funding to support addition of bus lanes
When so many BC bridges are narrow, they have to be widened, twinned or duplicated in order to have effective bus & HOV lanes.
BC government study identifies potential extension and regional rail options between Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fraser-valley-metro-vancouver-regional-rail-west-coast-express
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-ttc-stm-federal-funding-request-2024-budget
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=Vancouver
Monday, March 18, 2024
Futuristic skylines and totalitarian control stories
https://medium.com/@ejasp2/metropolis-v-s-blade-runner-1982
http://www.visionsofthecity.com/alphaville.htm
There are certain Sci-Fi and noir_films that really provide interesting and concerning scenarios.
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=Futuristic+skylines+and+totalitarian+control+areas
Vancouver neighbourhoods are divided between, High-density housing vs. better amenities
The keep Vancouver small & backwards mentality has been firmly entrenched for most of its existence. Calgary & Seattle both have permitted residential floors higher than what is allowed in Vancouver.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/the-aster-349-east-6th-avenue-vancouver-social-housing-brightside
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=High-density+housing
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Saturday, March 16, 2024
Bus Rapid Transit, Cushing Bridge, Calgary
Vancouver needs bus-bridges as much as Calgary, but of course Vancouver is slow to the party, once again. The 4 lane bottleneck, AKA the Cushing+Bridge in Calgary could have gotten the Vancouver Chokepoint Award. There aren't any HOV lanes or even emergency lanes, just 2 lanes each way. However, what transformed this BC type bottleneck in Calgary into a semi-decent crossing, was the simple addition of a bus & bike bridge. The Greater Vancouver Area should have had bus & bike bridges built next to all of the regional crossings decades ago. However, that would go against the congestive planning approach, which is so intertwined within backwards BC, but not in Alberta & Washington State.
The new Pattullo+Bridge shouldn't require a bus & bike bridge to be built next to it, but it might eventually. If only it could have been properly designed in the first place to not just have 2 lanes each way, but a bus & HOV lane each way as well. Plus, built high & strong enough with a provision to allow LRT on a lower deck.
Unfortunately, no one seriously planned to have an LRT line between NW & Surrey, because the Skytrain isn't a 24hr system. Overnight buses can't go on the Skybridge, because no one allowed for a provision to have a couple of bus lanes on it. Thus, the old & the new Pattullo Bridge will have no bus or emergency lanes. Even if someday the new Pattullo+Bridge is widened from 4 to 6 lanes, there still won't be any emergency lanes.
Light_rail_in_Sydney, NSW. Once again, BC falls so far behind. BC was so quick to get rid of its streetcars before the 1960s. Where as NSW has been gradually reinstating a modern version of their old tram lines.
New Tramways_in_Paris have been gradually added, but not in backwater BC.
Unlike NW & Surrey, Portland_has_Streetcars & the MAX train which cross the river. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8JvGTx4ufFo
https://www.travelportland.com/plan/portland-streetcar
32-storey West End rental housing tower approved by Vancouver City Council
So many rental towers could be much taller, but the, keep Vancouver short & small mentality remains so firmly entrenched. A mixed income tower approach can offer more floors & suites for various income levels. However, curtailed buildings will simply just be more limited as to what they can offer.
BC is mostly mountainous, yet Vancouver is continually held back, due to the extreme building height restrictions.
Thursday, March 14, 2024
Port Moody is now a transit-oriented development city
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/port-moody-is-now-a-transit-oriented-development-city
Port_Moody is very small, 25.85 km2 (9.98 sq mi) and isn't much larger in area than NW.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Moody#Transportation
Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Tuesday, March 12, 2024
Surrey, BC
https://vancouversun.com/news/metro-vancouver-projected-to-hit-three-million-residents-this-year
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey,_British_Columbia
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-population-growth-immigration-2024-report
https://www.surreynowleader.com/local-news/surreys-population-1054376-by-2046-7312331
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-population-forecast
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220209/mc-a002-eng.htm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surrey,_British_Columbia#Current_transportation_network
B.C.'s city planner shortage could slow housing progress
Almost 2 dozen Switzerland areas can fit into BC. Yet, BC hasn't reached the population of one Switzerland.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Switzerland
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=BC
Monday, March 11, 2024
The Vancouver Cruise Ship Season
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Vancouver+Cruise+Ship+Season
Seattle is always able to do more, simply because its not under any Vancouver type restriction or limitations.
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Future-plans of-Burnaby-forests-tree-urban-forest-management-strategy
Most of BC remains as a wilderness. Indeed, there are only a handful of major urban areas, so the wilderness isn't going away. Almost 2 dozen Switzerland's can fit inside of BC, yet BC has yet to reach the population of one CH.
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Monday, February 26, 2024
Vancouver's Arthur Erickson Place achieves zero-carbon building certification
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/arthur-erickson-place-vancouver-zero-carbon-building
This could have been the first office tower in Vancouver to have at least 40 stories, but it wasn't even permitted to have 30 floors, due to imposed height limits. Calgary & Seattle never have had to endure such restrictions.
Thursday, February 22, 2024
OpenAI's "World Simulator" SHOCKS The Entire Industry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH9FU7Gd6v8
https://openai.com/sora#capabilities
https://openai.com/research/video-generation-models-as-world-simulators
Sora AI’s Problems [And Solutions] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRmPlFidVkk
https://therabbitportal.blogspot.com/search?q=Simulation+Theory
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
The Vancouver Auto Show is returning after a four-year hiatus
https://www.straight.com/just-announced/vancouver-auto-show-2024
Well, the cancel (car) culture hasn't been able to ban such vehicles from Vancouver & BC in general, so far.
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Living in Australia
Living+in+Australia has so many perks and advantages. However, the cost of living isn't one of them.
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