https://vancouversun.com/news/floatplane-crashes-in-vancouver-harbour
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/seaplane-crash-vancouver-coal-harbour-1.7229406
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Two people hospitalized in floatplane crash with boat in Vancouver harbour
Thursday, June 6, 2024
How the Coming Population Collapse Will Change Society Forever
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZORu7EkpyM
Population control and reduction was the goal for some of those in world management. However, a new trend might very well be taking shape.
The median strip of a highway with a train line
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Median_strip#Railway_use
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Mitchell_Freeway_112_N_Gwelup_Karrinyup_Rd.jpg
An 8 lane section of freeway, but with 2 sets of tracks in the middle. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Mitchell_Freeway_147_N_Walter_morning_peak.jpg Once again, Perth, WA gets it right and BC gets it wrong.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/transportation-projects/fraser-valley-highway1 Instead of building an 8-10 lane freeway with at least 2 tracks in the middle, BC takes the half-assed approach, again.
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/23/langley-hwy-1-summer-expansion Just like not desiging the Canada Line stations or any of the other SkyTrain stations, to not be able to accomodate 8-10 car trains, BC keeps dropping the ball.
People just don't understand that there has been a multigenerational agenda to hold BC back. Keep everything small & backwards. If BC had been allowed to really grow back in the 1960s & 70s, that would have meant more non-white people moving into a thriving region. Then even more restrictions were established in the 1980s & 90s, as the city councils & provincial government was predominantly of European ancestry. The British colonial mentality went right through the 20th century. Thus, it took a long time for BC to really accept international diversity. You have to build up the infrastructure for everyone, instead of refusing to do so.
Despite there being more diversity in various parts of BC over the past few decades, so many of the restrictions have remained. Vancouver has been trapped in a gordian knot of restrictions that hold it back. Victoria is nowhere as big as Quebec City, Winnipeg or especially Edmonton.
The one card left, is that someday Canada might have to say that it has to keep people out, because it's good for the environment. Meanwhile, several other countries with less land area are able to properly build up the infrastructure of their cities.
Surrey like Burnaby, isn't under the excessive Vancouver restrictions, so they will have taller buildings & some wider highways. Unfortunately, not longer trains, but that must eventually be changed. Short trains & narrow bridges has been a strong symbolic way of BC refusing to build up proper size infrastructure. Then Vancouver, NW & Victoria keep trying to hold back their growth.
Wednesday, June 5, 2024
North Shore-Metrotown SkyTrain Line
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-metrotown-skytrain-brt-lrt-planning
Since this won't be a 24hr line, as the SkyTrain isn't a 24hr system, a couple of dedicated bus lanes are just as important. Thus, both modes would be very beneficial.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/translink-ceo-kevin-quinn-interview
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/Transperth_B-series_train_on_the_Mandurah_Line_in_Como%2C_Western_Australia%2C_March_2022_05.jpg Unlike Vancouver, Perth is allowed to have long trains, wide bridges & roads & taller buildings. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandurah_line
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=North+Shore-Metrotown+SkyTrain+Line
Seattle vs. Vancouver, BC Weather
You get cold, damp crappy fall & winter weather in both cities, simple as that.
"Vancouver’s annual average rainfall is 57.3 inches (1455 mm), while it’s 39.3 inches (998 mm) in Seattle.
It means 168 days of rain in Vancouver in an average year, and 150 days of rain in Seattle."
Tuesday, June 4, 2024
Richmond, BC hospital-redevelopment-price-doubles
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/06/04/richmond-hospital-redevelopment-price-doubles/
All regional hospitals should be designed where its easy to add on floor & expand horizontally.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10545864/richmond-hospital-cost-increase/
Once again, BC is behind.
Another revision for the Safeway redevelopment size at Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain Station
Big metropolitan areas around the world have a lot of diversity. For most of Vancouver's history, it was just another British colonial outpost & backwarter. Hence, the short trains, narrow bridges and small buildings. Vancouver & the greater region are just starting to become a major urban area. BC has less people than Switzerland & Canada has less than 1% of the world's population.
The KEEP THEM OUT mentality & agenda has been firmly entrenched for generations.
Perth & Brisbane gave up on being provincial backwaters decades ago. Melbourne & Sydney were never stunted by anything like Vancouverization or the backwater BC mentality. Even Adelaide is emerging as a fine state capital, instead of just being like another provincial backwater.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-housing-supply-act-update-spring-2024
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-fraser-valley-home-sale-statistics-may-2024
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/canada-housing-starts-construction-worker-productivity
The Sun Belt region of the USA
Its difficult to grasp the Sun_Belt from a SW BC perspective.
https://www.thoughtco.com/sun-belt-in-united-states-1435569
Unlike mild BC, the Sun_Belt wasn't ever under the overlapping restrictions & limitations that holds BC back.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Sun-Belt As long as there is proper planning for growth, popular regions can become very densely populated.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/08/moving-south-sun-belt-housing-economy/675010/
The irony is that while cold & damp BC will likely never run out of water, so many people keep moving to the much dryer Sun Belt.
https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida/2022/05/26/florida-other-sunbelt-states-grow-as-cities-like-new-york-and-chicago-decline If one has the money or the desier to avoid the winters in Chicago & NYC, they will.
Alberta vs. Florida
Despite Alberta not being able to warm winters like Florida, Alberta continues to thrive.
Most of Canada's economic & population growth is in the colder parts of the country. That of course is because Canada has cold winters.
Stubborn provincial BC wants to keep Vancouver & especially backwater Victoria as thwarted & stunted as possible, for as long as possible.
https://www.budgetyourtrip.com/compare/florida-vs-alberta-4155751-5883102
Edmonton Oilers gearing up for Stanley Cup final against Florida Panthers
One would have to go far back into modern history to see a time when Edmonton was just another Canadian provincial backwater.
https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/edmonton-oilers/latest-news/oilers-break-multiple-nhl-records-with-win
It's been since at least the early 1960s that Edmonton knew it wasn't going be be just another northern backwater town like Prince-George. Indeed, PG has yet to reach 100K, while the Edmonton_Metropolitan_Region has 1.5 million people.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10542696/edmonton-oilers-fans-playoffs-2024/
Of course Edmonton has very cold winters, in contrast to mild Victoria. Yet, Edmonton is a growing mighty northern capital, while temperate Victoria remains as stunted BC provincial backwater.
Monday, June 3, 2024
Sunday, June 2, 2024
Saturday, June 1, 2024
Hot summer temps starting next week in B.C.
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/31/bc-preparing-for-heat-wave-next-week Seems almost like a sad joke, because it's been cold & damp in Vancouver for most of the spring. An attempt of a hot summer always goes by so quickly. Then it's back to half the year of more cold & damp depressing weather.
Friday, May 31, 2024
District-of-North-Vancouver-considers-skytrain-rapid-bus-expansions-to-ease-congestion
A proper bus & train bridge should be built, along with a bridge with HOV & truck lanes. All that in addition to the 6 congested lanes. So much of BC is about funneling everything into just 2 or 3 lanes each way.
BC unveils-240-language-racism-reporting-helpline
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/b-c-unveils-240-language-racism-reporting-helpline-1.6906991 Too little too late?
So many restrictions were imposed in Vancouver (V-BC) during the 1960s & 70s, then also during the 1980s & 90s. This was a time in which there was still mostly White people imposing so many of the overlapping restrictions. Indeed, for most of Vancouver's history, there was a, keep it White & small mentality. That's because if enough key people could stunt & thwart the growth of Vancouver, the same would happen for BC in general.
It is important to note that a slow growth initiative isn't necessarily of a racist nature. However, since most of the people on the planet are non-white, anything to slow down the growth of Vancouver, also slows down the growth of BC. Just look at Alberta & Washington State to see how much larger Seattle, Calgary & Edmonton have become.
Of course over the past few decades, BC started to become more diversified. However, many of the restrictions from the days of the mostly White councils & governments, remain. There has been a multigenerational reluctance to build proper size infrastructure in BC, because that means building for non white people. It's an unfortunate & terrible echo from the old colonial days.
Now that BC has had several years of growing diversity, there is still another agenda that could slow down the growth of Greater Vancouver & BC at large. Environmental restrictions could be used to hold BC & Canada back. It could be a clever way to continue the, KEEP THEM OUT agenda going. BC doesn't even have the population of 1 Switzerland. Canada is nowhere near containing even just 1% of the world's population.
If Canada were to officially say that it's good to keep out most of the world, because it's good for the environment, there would be several challenges. How can so many countries with a smaller land area contain more people? Even if Canada had a dozen cities between the size of Montreal & Toronto, there would still be vast undeveloped areas.
Even if BC planned & properly built up half a dozen big cities, there would still be so much wilderness left.
Why "Nobody" Lives In The VAST MAJORITY Of British Columbia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DdeZV_caT78
Certainly the housing shortage & the lack of building up a good level of infrastructure, has called for a reduction of immigration. While that might work for a while, at some point Canada might have to explain why its not even able to contain 1% of the world's population? Of course most of humanity happens to be non white, but that's not suppose to be an issue these days.
Hot Singapore & dry Dubai have been able to build up big & tall, because they aren't bound by Canadian & especially, BC type restrictions. Those cities and many more, would collapse if they were somehow Vancouverized. Short trains, narrow bridges & stumpy buildings, would tremendously impede those modern, dynamic cities.
Of course Mumbai & Lagos are HUGE 3rd world cities with major transportation issues. Yet, they have the Third_Mainland_Bridge & the Mumbai_Trans_Harbour_Link.
Indeed, most real cities couldn't properly function with so much crammed into the 3 lane joke that is the Lions_Gate_Dridge. Bus & train tunnels should have been built there decades ago. Hower, the inept Lions-Gate-Bridge has become an enduring symbol of the reluctance of Vancouver & BC to properly plan & build for the future. Even a new or improved Iron_Bridge wont be enough.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport_in_Mumbai#Rail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mumbai#Cityscape Most cities around the world refuse to become Vancouverized. Especially a modern place like Singapore, a big city in a small area.
Switzerland is about a 23rd of the size of BC. Yet, BC doesn't even have the population of one Switzerland.
An immigration plan to attract the more wealthy people can really help to build wealth for a nation. Provided that the infrastructure is properly upgraded. Too many refugees can be a strain on a nation, thats why its imperative to mostly attract the more well off people. Unfortunately, a non-white wealthy person in Canada might cause some jealousy. So at one end of the spectrum are the wealthy immigrants & the refugees at the other. There is a middle area of migrants with general skills that can also expand the economy, but again, some people might become jealous of them.
At the end of the day, Canada still has hardly any of the worlds population & someone seems to like that.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges
Thursday, May 30, 2024
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
Is it Time to Stop Building Highways?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN5EJDmPQ04 Some people would like to go back to the horse & carriage days.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za56H2BGamQ (induced demand) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wlld3Z9wRc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S76lKWeU_xc LA
It's not about going back to the horse & waggon, but using highways & roads more efficiently. Thus, there is still a need to have good roads, bridges & tunnels.
Tuesday, May 28, 2024
Toronto's MA$$IVE Transit Transformation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufgQdU5DUI8
How Toronto Got Addicted to Cars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkO-DttA9ew
Surrey mayor disappointed by delays to Pattullo Bridge replacement
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/28/locke-unhappy-with-delays-to-pattullo/
Of course a bridge with at least 2 bus & HOV lanes, plus 3 general lanes each way should have been built decades ago. Apparently, its better to cram everything into just 2 lanes each way & not have a couple of emergency lanes. That way its even more likely to jam up the new bridge. Even if it open with 3 lanes each way, there should have also still been a couple of emergency lanes as well as 2 bus lanes. However, that would go against the BC bottleneck planning agenda.
NW like Vancouver can't stop Surrey from growing into the largest city in backward BC.
https://www.surrey.ca/news-events/news/statement-mayor-pattullo-bridge
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge A 4 lane bottleneck of conjestion.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge+replacement Still, a 4 lane chokepoint.
Vancouver wants to decarbonize its large buildings. Some owners may not be able to afford it
New law requires large-building owners to report emissions, with plans to reduce greenhouse gas limits by 2040
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-bylaw-decarbonize-buildings-1.7206506
New replacement Pattullo Bridge with four lanes is too small for growing Surrey
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-replacement-crossing-capacity-small
Indeed, why build a bridge with 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes & even 2 emergency lanes? Just cram everything into only 2 lanes each way. This is the epitome of BC bottleneck planning. It's also another symbolic example to water down the scale of the infrastructure. Building big & wide is indicative of planning for growth, but BC has been under a multigenerational slow growth agenda.
Bus & HOV lanes should be standard on any new bridge in Greater Vancouver. A 4 lane bridge is just another sad BC joke. Make sure that the bridge isn't designed to accommodate a future deck for LRT, because Surrey & NW won't ever need another rapid transit crossing. Properly planning for growth means thinking big, but this is small minded backwater BC.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge+replacement
Five of Ontario's top 10 worst roads are located in the Greater Toronto Area
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/five-of-ontario-s-top-10-worst-roads-are-located-in-the-toronto-area-1.6903196 Of course its a good idea to make sure that the roads & streets are as smooth as possible.
The Greater_Toronto_Area is gradually becoming a vast urban region like the Chicago_metropolitan_area. So many more modes of transit must be provided for the GTA. IE, trains, HOV, bus & bike lanes.
https://www.insauga.com/one-of-ontarios-worst-roads-is-among-the-busiest-streets-in-mississauga
Being from the BC Lower_Mainland, it's hard to believe that Canada's GTA is on its way to becoming like another Chicagoland. But then I always remember that Ontario, like Quebec & Alberta aren't under anything like the BC mentality & all of its restrictions.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/worst-roads-ontario-2024-1.7215979
In effect, the Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway went from a BC like 4 lane bridge to an 8 lane Ontario crossing in the mid 1980s. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway#1985_twin_bridge
https://burlingtontraffic.ca/qew-burlington-bay-james-n-allan-skyway The 4th lane each way could eventually become a bus & HOV_lane.
The 4 lane Burlington_Canal_Lift_Bridge is more like a narrow Vancouver bridge. Just 2 lanes each way with no space for an emergency lane or bus & HOV lane. That's why the Burlington_Bay_James_N._Allan_Skyway crossing is still better than any bridge within the Vancouver city limits. The skyway crossing combined with the lift bridge, provides 12 lanes, because the emergency lanes usually aren't counted. Just imagine if all that was funneled into a 4 lane Vancouver bridge. Fortunately, the backward BC bottleneck mentality has never taken over Ontario.
While Oak Street in Vancouver has 6 lanes, the Oak_Street_Bridge was only designed to have 4 lanes. Thus, it's a fine example of the BC mentality and the multigenerational Vancouverization agenda. Vancouverization is all about watering things down & creating bottlenecks or chokepoints.
The narrow 4 lane bridge should have been designed with a provision to eventually be at least 8 lanes wide. 3 lanes each way, plus a bus & HOV lane each way, but that would conflict with the narrow mindedness of Vancouver. It's sad that at least a bus & bike bridge wasn't built next to it, but that would conflict with the BC bottleneck planning approach to things.
https://images.drivebc.ca/bchighwaycam/pub/html/www/70.html A 6 lane street funneled into a 4 lane bridge. WTH?
The Oak_Street_Bridge really should have been opened as a 10 lane bridge. Yet, Oak_Street has only 6 lanes. A 10 lane OSB could have not only allowed for 3 lanes each way, but a bus & HOV_lane each way. Then the 5th lane each way could have been an emergency lane.
At the very least, a HOV, bus & bike bridge should be built next to the OSB. However, the multi generational backward BC mentality just doesn't care.
The 4 lane joke that is the George_Massey_Tunnel, should have had a HOV, bus & bike bridge built next to it several decades ago. But that would have actually created better mobility & less congestion.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Massey_Tunnel#Replacement Of course just like with the old tunnel, the new tunnel won't have a provision for LRT & emergency lanes. Thus, a LRT bridge would eventually have to be built next to it. Apparently, having a train from the Tsawwassen_ferry_terminal to the airport still doesn't make sense. That's just the backward BC way.
If you are from Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, the Pacific NW, Australia or just about anywhere, the watered down BC infrastructure will surprise you.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=old+and+new+narrow+bridges
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=bus+and+bike+bridges
The North Shore-Metrotown SkyTrain Plan
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-skytrain-burrard-inlet-rapid-transit-brt-lrt-study
The North+Shore has been neglected for generations.
https://www.cnv.org/Streets-Transportation/Transportation-Planning/North-Shore-Transit-Plan
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/north-shore-city-councils-rapid-transit-translink-approval-plan
The Arbutus Greenway
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/arbutus-greenway-public-street-vancouver
The streetcar line was decommissioned in the 1950s. Perhaps a modern tram-train or LRV, might be built there before the 2050s. The 2 coach Canada Line is such a sad joke. It's barely a train as some streetcar & tram trains are longer, but not faster.
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/arbutus-greenway.aspx
https://www.letsgobiking.net/beginner/143-arbutus-greenway/
https://vancouver.ca/streets-transportation/explore-the-arbutus-greenway.aspx
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/arbutus-greenway
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/skytrain-expansion-program/skytrain-fleet-expansion All the SkyTrain stations should have been designed to eventually be able to accomodate 8-10 car trains.
Monday, May 27, 2024
The big TO and Canada in general
Of course big cities & nations change over the decades & sometimes people just leave. However, there are various reasons overall that might cause people to move away. A country can be progressive & advance its living standards. However, when a country no longer listens to its citizens & newcomers, that's indicative of a stubborn and restrictive agenda. An agenda that seems to be the opposite of what the people want.
Why are so many immigrants leaving Canada? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBDlcxyZ4fo CTV
WHY People are Fleeing Canada as Fast as They Can... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3B_crKgV3rs
Why are so many people LEAVING Canada lately? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pVKJt1Uh9E
Why No One Wants To Live In Canada Anymore https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDzme7W7Fy8
Is Canada Is Becoming a Dystopian Nightmare? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChKwUpWNMSQ
Why Are People Leaving Canada? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kohSD5unJ3Q
Why are many Canadians deciding to live abroad? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWkOq60kP10
Cost of living and Software Engineer Salaries in Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqyRp6pAwu8
Canada sees drop in citizen applications from permanent residents | BBC News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3SFZdZFHxs
Sunday, May 26, 2024
The Pattullo Bridge replacement now delayed by 1 year
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-construction-opening-delay-2025
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pattullo-bridge-delays-1.7215198
https://www.pattullobridgereplacement.ca/construction/current-works/
The new PB should open with 6 lanes with a provision to have at least 8 lanes. A 4th lane each way could be a nice bus & HOV corridor. But once again, everything will be funneled into a 4 lane BC bottleneck.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10523439/broadway-subway-pattullo-bridge-delay/
Since the Skytrain isn't open 24hrs, 2 bus lanes should have been part of the bridge right from the start. Its sad that the multigenerational BC mentality never allowed for a much wider SkyBridge. Fortunately, Oregon was able to build their fantastic Tilikum_Crossing, because it doesn't have anything like the BC mentality to thwart it.
Of course the Skybridge was never designed to have bus & bike lanes, but that's something Portland would eventually do. The extremely narrow SkyBridge should have been designed to not only have 2 bike lanes, but 2 bus & 2 HOV lanes to take some of the pressure off the old PB, as well as its replacement. But that would conflict with the narrow minded, multigenerational backward BC mentality.
After all these decades, backward BC still wants to make sure that there is no provision for a streetcar or a tram-train between Surrey & NW. That's despite Surrey eventually becoming the largest city in BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skybridge_(TransLink) The narrow minded BC joke of a transit bridge.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilikum_Crossing Perhaps, the most amazing bridge in Oregon. https://trimet.org/tilikum
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Pattullo+Bridge+replacement
Edmonton vs. Vancouver, BC
https://versus.com/en/edmonton-vs-vancouver
In some ways you can win in Alberta & in some ways win in BC. It all depends upon what you want or what you can afford & if you like -25C for a few months of the year.
Saturday, May 25, 2024
The need to protect Alberta's affordability advantage
Don't ever allow the BC mentality to takeover Alberta. If Alberta was under anything like the BC restrictions, Alberta would have collapsed years ago.
Being from the BC part of Canada, it's always amazing to see what Alberta & Washington_(state) are allowed to do, simply because they have no backward BC mentality to contend with.
Saskatchewan has the potential to become like a smaller Alberta, as long as it isn't taken over by anything like the BC mentality.
Seattle and Vancouver, BC
Seattle is about the size of Burnaby, NW & Vancouver, combined.
https://www.movingwaldo.com/where-to-live/seattle-vs-vancouver-where-should-i-live/
https://versus.com/en/seattle-vs-vancouver
https://www.globe-gazers.com/vancouver-vs-seattle/
Friday, May 24, 2024
Victoria, BC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria,_British_Columbia It's taken a long time just to reach a population of 100K.
Greater_Victoria eventually obtained a population of 400K.
The Capital_Regional_District has around 415K in 2021.
https://www.citypopulation.de/en/canada/britishcolumbia/admin/5917__capital 439,950 Population [2022] – Estimate
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Island#Demographics
Of course in Australia, Victoria_(state) is a mighty place, far from the provincial backwater BC mentality.
Prince George, BC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_George,_British_Columbia
While Edmonton has easily surpassed a million people, PG has been struggling just to have 100K people.
The Calgary–Edmonton Corridor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary-Edmonton_Corridor
Area 38,323.18 km2 (14,796.66 sq mi)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calgary-Edmonton_Corridor#Growth 3,230,150 as of 2021.
Calgary-Edmonton Commuter_Train_Corridor , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQG2CTW_Cg RM Transit
More Canadians are choosing to move to Red Deer and Alberta, in general
https://www.reddeeradvocate.com/local-news/more-canadians-are-choosing-to-move-to-red-deer-7363004
Red_Deer,_Alberta is a nice place for those who want to live in-between Calgary & Edmonton. Perhaps some day Red+Deer might become like a smaller Edmonton or Calgary.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Deer,_Alberta#Infrastructure
The Riverlands+Pedestrian+Bridge is great for those that don't want to cross the river on one of the regular road bridges.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/alberta-population-records-2023-to-2024-data-1.7157110
Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Monday, May 20, 2024
A millennial moved from Australia to Canada for her career.
She said the people in Vancouver are welcoming, but the cost of living is high. https://www.businessinsider.com/moving-from-sydney-australia-to-canada-pros-cons-2024-5
Friday, May 17, 2024
Canada is seeing one of the worst standard-of-living declines in 40 years
https://dailyhive.com/canada/canada-worst-standard-of-living-declines-four-decades
Ontario and Quebec have been long established areas of growth and there is always room for improvement. Alberta and BC have the potential to be the western counterpart.
A Calgary to Edmonton line would make a lot of sense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQQG2CTW_Cg
Thursday, May 16, 2024
Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Golden Glades bike-pedestrian bridge
https://www.miamitodaynews.com/2024/05/14/golden-glades-getting-17-million-bike-pedestrian-bridge
Whether its crossing over several highways lanes, or its crossing over water, a bike & footpath bridge can really improve mobility.
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
The Pattullo Bridge saga
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-closing-two-night
The old bridge just wasn't designed for any expanded capacity. The new PB should have been designed to eventually have a 2nd deck & a provision for rapid rail transit. The new bridge should have been planned to open with a 3rd lane each way for bus & HOV. Apparently, it's better to funnel everything into 2 lanes each way. Good bike & foot paths, but no need for bus & HOV lanes at this time. WTH?
Kitsilano in Vancouver, BC
Neighborhoods are always changing, sometimes gradually & sometimes quickly. There are a lot of nice old houses in Kitsilano that are worth preserving. In several cases, infill developments can occur without having to teardown the older buildings.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-nimby-kitsilano-2560-trafalgar-street
It seems that not enough people in the neighborhood were allowed to properly voice their concerns.
https://www.shapeyourcity.ca/2560-2580-trafalgar-st-2
https://vancouver.ca/news-calendar/kitsilano.aspx
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsilano_Beach
https://www.destinationvancouver.com/vancouver/neighbourhoods/kitsilano
The city should have been providing more incentives to retain the older houses, by allowing upgrades & or additions. Over the decades, Vancouver has lost several houses, simply because of half-assed policies.
Of course if a new owner has paid 2.5, 5 or 10 million dollars for a property, they should be able to build what they want. However, there should have been incentives to save the older houses whenever possible. An infill development can be a guesthouse, or just a separate unit to be rented out for some extra income.
Monday, May 13, 2024
The Sixth Street Viaduct and the West 7th Street Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixth_Street_Viaduct Los Angeles
https://www.lusas.com/case/bridge/west_7th_street_bridge.html Fort Worth, Texas
Of course similar bridges can be seen in various cities.
https://aecollab.com/projects/bridges/west-7th-street-bridge
https://ftwtoday.6amcity.com/66-mile-bike-trail-connects-fort-worth-dallas
https://laist.com/news/transportation/6th-street-bridge-bike-lanes-how-protective-are-they
Thursday, May 9, 2024
The first fully completed new generation SkyTrain in Metro Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-mark-v-new-generation-train-inside-interior-design
So the newest trains will only have 5 coaches. So many metros & subways today have 6, 8 or 10 car trains. The SkyTrain should have been designed to ultimately have 152.4 m or 500 long stations like the Montreal Metro. The joke that is the Canada Line, was only designed to ultimately have 2.5 car trains, not 5, let alone 10. Of course BC wouldn't plan for 8-10 car trains, because that would be indicative of properly preparing for growth. BC has shown a continual reluctance to build up to a proper size infrastructure.
Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Vancouver Island Rail Corridor
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-island-corridor-foundation-thomas-bevan
The Island_Rail_Corridor has so much potential, but sleepy BC or backwater BC is very slow-going, as usual. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/vancouver-island-rail-delay-2023-1.6778609
https://www.islandrail.ca/rail/rail-service-plans/
https://tc.canada.ca/en/binder/47-vancouver-island-rail-corridor
The Leaside Bridge and The Aurora Bridge
The 6 lane Leaside_Bridge opened on October 29, 1927. The bridge wouldn't have to be Vancouverized, or narrowed, if a bus & bike bridge was built next to it. Turning the Leaside_Bridge into a 5 or 4 lane crossing would be like taking the backward BC approach to things.
The 6 lane Aurora_Bridge opened on February 22, 1932. If a bus & bike bridge was built next to it, that would greatly improve the overall crossing area. However, some people would like to have the 6 lane bridge, Vancouverized. Funneling it into a 5 or 4 lane choke point is a BC type of approach that Washington State should avoid.
Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Toronto’s road construction season
https://globalnews.ca/news/10464912/toronto-construction-season-traffic-solutions/
Driving on parts of the Gardiner that's temporarily reduced to 2 lanes each way for repairs, can give people in the GTA a sense of what it's like driving in stunted Vancouver.
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/03/19/gardiner-construction-phase-two-dufferin-strachan/
The mostly six lane Gardiner should have been designed to have had at least a 4th lane each way so that it could have been used as a bus & HOV lane.
https://bayview-news.com/2024/03/bayview-leaside-commuters-face-impact-of-2024-road-work.html/
Nothing like the Gardiner_Expressway or the Don_Valley_Parkway was ever allowed in Vancouver. That's because a clearing of houses would have been required. Thus, it's been tough enough just to have something like a 6 lane Lake_Shore_Boulevard (LSB) in Vancouver.
Kingsway_at_the_Vancouver-Burnaby boundary, is funneled into a 4 lane bottleneck just east of Boundary+Road.
Hastings_Street_in_downtown_Vancouver is funneled into a 5 lane cokepoint & gets even narrower.
The Knight_Street-Clark Drive corridor isn't always 6 lanes wide. There are a few 4 lane chokepoints. An urban 6 lane corridor is essential, because a 3rd lane each way can become a bus & HOV lane. However, the congestive Vancouver approach is to funnel everything into a 4 lane bottleneck. Fortunately, most cities have allowed enough extra space for bus & HOV lanes on a roadbed that's more than 2 lanes each way.
Is Toronto construction just as safe & easy as last year?
https://www.toronto.ca/news/city-of-toronto-kicks-off-busy-billion-dollar-construction-season/
Of course all the various construction projects can't be done in one year, as it can take several years or even decades.
Whenever possible express bus & HOV lanes can enable more people to move around. However, if the highway is only a 2-4 lane waggon road, its almost impossible to have proper express bus & HOV lanes on those sections.
Stanley Park Causeway and Lions Gate Bridge reopen after a fallen tree incident
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/07/stanley-park-causeway-closed-for-fallen-tree/
Perhaps the best example of Vancouverization is the 3 lane chokepoint that is the Lions-Gate-Bridge-and-roadway-through-Stanley-Park. No parallel bus-tunnel or bus-bridge, because that would actually help to efficiently move more people around.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10480945/lions-gate-bridge-closed-tree-down Especially, don't have a high capacity rapid transit rail tunnel though there, because that would go against the constrictive planning agenda of Vancouver & BC.
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/lions-gate-bridge-reopens-after-downed-tree-forces-closure-1.6877368
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fallen-tree-closes-stanley-park-causeway Bottelneck or chokpoint planning has been a crucial part of the Vancouverization agenda for generations.
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/traffic-alert-lions-gate-bridge-closed-downed-tree
Vancouver, BC is such a backward city. Fortunately, the Vancouverization mentality hasn't been adopted by most cities.
TTC subway slow-speed zones is really affecting trains
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2024/05/07/ttc-subway-trains-slow-speed-zones/
Of course Boston has had its slow train problems as well.
https://www.wbur.org/radioboston/2023/09/12/mbta-red-line-slow-zones-shutdowns
Monday, May 6, 2024
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Some of the Best Aquariums in the World
https://www.headout.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world/
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/the-worlds-most-beautiful-aquariums
https://www.thetravel.com/bucket-list-aquariums-in-the-world/
https://worldcitiesranking.com/best-aquariums-top10/
https://aquadecorbackgrounds.com/blog/10-largest-aquariums-in-the-world/
https://tourscanner.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world/
https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/best-aquariums-in-the-world
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vancouver_Aquarium
https://www.vanaqua.org/explore/special-events/monsters-of-the-abyss
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jessica-biel-meets-jessica-seal-vancouver-aquarium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_largest_aquariums
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_aquarium#Public_aquariums_today
Traffic impacts in downtown Vancouver due to marathons and other events
https://globalnews.ca/news/10475853/traffic-impacted-in-downtown-vancouver-due-to-bmo-marathons/
While such events are for a good cause, the traffic gets even more congested.
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/04/vancouver-marathon-road-closures/
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2024/05/04/vancouver-marathon-road-closures/
Unfortunately, Vancouver city planning never allowed for any bus tunnels or bridges, especially under/over Burrard Inlet, False Creek & the Fraser River. All the underground train stations weren't built to easily become as long as the Montreal Metro stations, which are 152.45 m or 500 feet.
Vancouver & the Metropolitan Region have done so many things wrong. The train stations are too short & most of the bridges are so narrow, there is no room for bus & HOV lanes. By now, there should have been a regional network of rapid bus & HOV bridges, because most of the existing bridges have just 2 lanes each way.
How To Build A City | SEATTLE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MN6AXC4Z7k
Seattle, Perth, Calgary & Edmonton have been able to do so much more, because they don't have to contend with anything like the backwards mentality of Vancouver & BC.
Friday, May 3, 2024
The Rebuilt Museum of Anthropology, but no train to UBC yet
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/museum-of-anthropology-ubc-moa-reopening-june-2024-date
https://visit.ubc.ca/see-and-do/museums-and-art-galleries/museum-of-anthropology/
https://www.vancouverattractions.com/museum-of-anthropology-at-ubc
https://planning.ubc.ca/museum-anthropology-great-hall-renewal
https://www.cntraveler.com/activities/vancouver/vancouver/museum-of-anthropology-at-ubc
The UBC Subway Saga.
Some people are just as easily opposed to something like the-bloor-danforth-subway as they are with an expressway. That's especially the case in backwards Vancouver.
Fortunately, many other cities have been able to get a train to their main university campus much faster than slow-moving Vancouver is attempting.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Line_2_Bloor-Danforth#Frequency The TTC Subway should have been able to run 10 car trains by now. Even an 8 car train would be a little better than a 6 car train. However, a 6 car train is only 138m or 450 feet long. A 9 car Montreal Metro train is about 152.5m or 500 feet long.
Of course the first 2 Skytrain lines only have 80m stations & the Canada embarrassment Line only has a level clearance for 50m stations. There should have been a proper oversight committee to make sure that the trains could ultimately be 10 cars long. At least have stations that could accommodate a 5 car train, not a 2.5 car joke of a train.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spadina_station
https://spacing.ca/toronto/2015/10/06/interchange-not-interchange-spadina-vs-st-george
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._George_station
https://transportation.utoronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/Subway-Map.pdf
A tour of Berri-UQAM metro station in Montreal, Canada https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suxkz8oc8vs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGill_station , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peel_station_(Montreal_Metro)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_station_(Calgary) 1987
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_station_(Edmonton) 1992
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Washington_station 2016
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=UBC-Broadway+Corridor
Canada's High Food Prices
https://www.dal.ca/sites/agri-food/research/canada-s-food-price-report-2024.html
This is quite a problem.
Most people can't cut their food intake in half, just to save on food costs.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/costco-food-prices-canada-mexico?
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/groceries-local-market-compared-loblaws
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/ca/investing/why-are-prices-so-high/
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/loblaw-ceo-addresses-boycott-message-employees
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/ca/personal-finance/food-inflation/
https://www.retailcouncil.org/truth-of-canadian-grocery-price-inflation/
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/food-costs-world-canada-1.3474241
Tuesday, April 30, 2024
Evergreen Point Floating Bridge in Seattle vs. W.R. Bennett Bridge in Kelowna
The Evergreen_Point_Floating_Bridge in Seattle has 6 lanes.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evergreen_Point_Floating_Bridge#Public_transportation
The William_R._Bennett_Bridge in Kelowna should have been designed to eventually have 6 lanes, plus 2 bus lanes, with a long-term provision for 2 Tram-Train or LRT tracks.
The sidewalk could be reconfigured into a 6th lane, but only if a bus, bike & train bridge was built next to it. Thus, this remains as another incomplete BC transportation crossing. A parallel bus & bike bridge would also have 2 footpaths & even 2 HOV lanes. Eventually, there should be something like a CTrain or G:link connecting Vernon, KELOWNA and Penticton. Unfortunatly, BC seems to want to excel in congestion planning.
https://www.drivebc.ca/mobile/pub/webcams/id/149.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_R._Bennett_Bridge#Construction_budget
https://www.google.com/maps/place/William+R.+Bennett+Brg
Somehow Australia is able to put more funding into building better infrastructure.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Evergreen+Point+Floating+Bridge
Saturday, April 27, 2024
Friday, April 26, 2024
A little house in Toronto
https://www.blogto.com/real-estate-toronto/2024/04/little-house-toronto
It's quite rare to find something that is smaller in Toronto than in Vancouver.
A partial subway closure on TTC Line 2 could last 'a few days' after a fire
There can always be better redundancy by having enough parallel bus routes.
So whenever a train line is out of service, the number of buses can be quickly increased.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ttc-subway-kipling-jane-closure-1.7185757
Is Greater Vancouver too noisy?
https://spacing.ca/vancouver/2024/04/15/noise-the-invisible-pollutant/
Cities are meant to be big & bustling places. Most of BC is a wilderness that is ever unlikely to be inhabited, just like Canada overal.
Vancouver-Surrey is the only region in BC with over 2 million people.
Victoria-Nanaimo is the only part of Vancouver Island with a potential of surpassing half a million people.
The Greater Kelowna area is the only inland part of BC with a potential to surpass a quarter of a million people.
Switzerland can fit into BC 23 times, yet BC doesn't even have the population of one CH.
Toronto's Eglinton-crosstown-west-extension-breakthrough
https://www.blogto.com/city/2024/04/eglinton-crosstown-west-extension-breakthrough-completion/
Some things might take a while in Toronto to get done, but in Vancouver you might have to wait until you have grey hair.
https://www.metrolinx.com/en/projects-and-programs/eglinton-crosstown-west-extension
https://www.infrastructureontario.ca/en/what-we-do/projectssearch/eglinton-crosstown-west-extension/
SkyTrain Expo Line changes kick in this weekend in Surrey
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-expo-line-surrey-station-closure
No 10 car trains, not even 9 like what the Montreal Metro has. It's been tough enough just to get the first 2 Skytrain lines to handle 5 car trains. The Canada Line, a pathetic 3rd line can ultimately only handle 2.5 car trains.
Short trains & narrow bridges are always great examples of congestive planning in Greater Vancouver.
SUPERMAN and LOIS Wrap Party in Vancouver
https://hollywoodnorthbuzz.com/2024/04/superman-lois-wrap-party-in-vancouver-up-up-away.html
As one production wraps up, another is underway.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/cambie-bridge-closure-april-26
Thursday, April 25, 2024
Sunshine 60: Tokyo's haunted skyscraper
https://www.japan-talk.com/jt/new/sunshine-60-tokyo-skyscraper
The Sunshine 60 Tower has an interesting history.
https://medium.com/@movingjapan5/haunted-places-you-definitely-shouldnt-visit-in-tokyo-d7c01e7eb1bd
https://www.travelchannel.com/interests/haunted/articles/top-10-most-haunted-places
https://www.travelandleisure.com/holiday-travel/most-haunted-places-in-the-world
https://www.cntraveler.com/gallery/most-haunted-places-in-the-world
https://www.celebritycruises.com/blog/haunted-places-to-visit
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