https://globalnews.ca/news/11250022/pattullo-chinese-steel-concerns/
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Cowichan River Silver Bridge
https://www.mycowichanvalleynow.com/41248/news/duncans-silver-bridge-work-is-done/
https://www.rocktoroad.com/safety-upgrades-to-southbound-cowichan-river-silver-bridge-complete-6209/
https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=britishcolumbia/tc1chemainusriverbridge/
Galloping Goose pedestrian and cycling overpass
https://cheknews.ca/steel-spans-installed-for-colwood-galloping-goose-overpass-project-1274978
https://victoriabuzz.com/2025/08/galloping-goose-bridge-taking-shape-over-sooke-road-in-colwood/
https://cheknews.ca/b-c-announces-new-overpass-bridge-for-galloping-goose-at-tillicum-road-1260454/
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
City of New Westminster beats legislated housing target by nearly two times
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/new-westminster-housing-supply-target-year-1-achieved
Despite its tiny size, NW should continue on being a central hub city.
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Tunnel boring or a Cut-and-cover tunnel to UBC to save money?
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/ubc-skytrain-cut-and-cover-tunnel-construction
Of course backwards Vancouver would have to take a backseat to Toronto & Montreal. However, even Edmonton, Calgary & Seattle were able to have a university station long before Vancouver-UBC.
https://www.ice.org.uk/what-is-civil-engineering/infrastructure-projects/tunnel-boring-machines
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=UBC-Broadway+Corridor
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metrotown-North+Shore+Rapid+Transit+route
Port Moody and New Westminster
Port_Moody is very small in area at 25.85 km2 (9.98 sq mi). New_Westminster is such a tini area at 15.62 km2 (6.03 sq mi). PM only has around 40 thousand people & NW has around 90 thousand residents.
There has never been a proper transportation corridor between Port+Moody and Deep+Cove. Certainly no ferry between PM, DC & Downtown_Vancouver. NW is also a transportation joke of a city, because there should have been at least 2 other bridges. One to Richmond and another bridge to Surrey.
Of course there is no direct Airport_rail_link between NW & Richmond. Even an express Airport_bus_link would be an improvement. However, a 24 hour Airport-ferry_connection between Mission, Maple_Ridge, Pitt_Meadows, Port_Coquitlam, Fraser-Mills, NW and Richmond.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_passenger_transport#Train-ferry_connection
There is so much of a need for proper Intermodal_passenger_transport in BC.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermodal_passenger_transport#Bus_to_public_transport_nodes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_Moody#Transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Westminster#Transportation
Monday, August 25, 2025
West Vancouver breaks 38-year-old temperature record
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286 Only a few 30 C days in August 2025.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286?year=2024 There were no 30 C days in Vancouver last August.
Of course August is still summer, but watch how fast summer fades as SW BC goes into September. From the last 21.2 C or 70 F day in September 2024 to the first 21.2 C day in April 2025, was 7 long months.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2024 September 18 was 21 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/april-weather/53286?year=2025 April 24 was 21 C.
7 months without reaching 70 F is a long time.
The Metrotown-North Shore bus rapid transit route
A Metrotown-North+Shore+Rapid+Transit+route should ultimately have a train as well as a bus line. That's because the SkyTrain won't be running 24 hours a day & BC lacks transportation redundancy.
There still should be a foot, bus & bike bridge between Port+Moody and Deep+Cove.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Metrotown-North+Shore+Rapid+Transit+route
The brand new Amtrak Cascades trains
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/amtrak-cascades-new-trains-interior-design-photos-testing
Of course the backwards BC segment has yet to be double tracked.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amtrak#Lines
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Amtrak_rolling_stock#Trainsets
Congressman George Miller Benicia–Martinez Bridge (2007)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benicia-Martinez_Bridge#Companion_road_bridge
| Carries |
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benicia-Martinez_Bridge (1962)
Sunday, August 24, 2025
Second Harbour Crossing, Auckland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Harbour_Crossing,_Auckland
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/5312416/Debate-continues-over-second-harbour-crossing
"With the second bridge in place, traffic lanes would be split and shared, with northbound lanes on the new six-lane bridge and south bound traffic on the eight-lane Auckland Harbour Bridge.
There could be dedicated public transport lanes in both directions, and on the eastern side of the Auckland Harbour Bridge, two of the outside lanes can be freed exclusively for walking and cycling.
This plan would reduce the loading on the existing bridge." https://reseturban.co.nz/news/fresh-thinking-needed-on-second-auckland-harbour-crossing
Wow, this would be a duplication on the scale of what Brisbane did. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sir_Leo_Hielscher_Bridges#Duplication
https://briscycle.com/moreton-bay/gateway-bridge-cycleway/
https://www.brisbane-australia.com/sir-leo-hielscher-bridges.html
Autumn like cooldown coming to over 20 states before Labor Day
Well, fall & winter do take up half of the year. Some people can hardly wait for the cold & crappy weather to arrive.
Saturday, August 23, 2025
The beginning of September looks 'wetter' than average for Metro Vancouver
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286?year=2025 The last day to be at least 25 C in Vancouver will be by the end of August or possibly very early into September.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2025 The last day to be at least 20 C in Vancouver could be during the 2nd or 3rd week.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/montreal/h3a/september-weather/2-56186_1_al?year=2025 Montreal might have its last 20 C day right at the end of September.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/october-weather/55488?year=2025 The last 20 C day in Toronto could be a week into October.
From mid September 2024 to mid April 2025 is how long it took for Vancouver to have its last 20 C day of the year to its first 20 C day of the year. That's a 7 month stretch without it even getting to 70 F.
Just like being one of the last cities to revive part of its streetcar system, Vancouver will be one of the last cities to really have a heatwave that lasts over a week. Indeed, its very tough for Vancouver to get to 35 C and even more rare to reach or exceed 40 C.
While Toronto is the most southern BIG city in Canada, Windsor is the most southern small city in Canada.
Friday, August 22, 2025
The BC mining industry
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-mining-industry-economic-development-growth
https://www.canadaaction.ca/mining-british-columbia-facts
https://mines.nrs.gov.bc.ca/mines
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/mineral-exploration-mining
https://opentextbc.ca/geography/chapter/5-3-british-columbias-natural-resources/
Thursday, August 21, 2025
Wednesday, August 20, 2025
Bike and Pedestrian Bridges
https://www.cnv.org/streets-transportation/transportation-projects/casano-loutet-overpass
https://www.fastepp.com/portfolio/kingsway-pedestrian-bridge/
https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/burnaby-planning-for-pedestrian-bridge-over-highway-1-3099072
https://vancouverbikeguide.com/top-five-vancouver-cycling-bridges A regional network of foot, bike & bus bridges would help to reduce the strain on the mostly narrow bridges of Greater Vancouver.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/pedestrian-and-bike-bridge-proposed-for-false-creek-1.800643 Unfortunatley, this never happened. Apparently, it was better to remove 2 lanes from the Burrard Street Bridge instead.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-bridge-walking-cycling-pathways
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=bike+and+pedestrian+bridges
Hastings Community Park and Hastings Park
https://www.chatterblock.com/resources/21262/hastings-community-park-vancouver-bc
Unfortunatly, there hasn't been a proper big city vision to have Hastings+Community+Park with a modern indoor & outside swimming pool and water park. This would have provided a nice entertainment counterpart to Hastings+Park and the PNE.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/128486813979056/posts/2439474772880237/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/128486813979056/posts/2361647837329598/
https://covapp.vancouver.ca/parkfinder/ParkDetail.aspx?inparkid=73 , https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/hastings-community-centre.aspx , https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/templeton-pool.aspx , https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/britannia-pool.aspx
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/vancouver-outdoor-pools-1939122
https://www.pne.ca/hastings-park-access
https://cityhallwatch.wordpress.com/2010/11/16/hot-button-hastings-parks-future/
https://vancouversun.com/news/casino-soccer-stadium-or-green-space-battle-hastings-park-back
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Hastings+Community+Park+and+Hastings+Park
Pacific National Exhibition (PNE)
The Pacific_National_Exhibition, which is in Hastings+Park, should have been much bigger and better by now, but this is watered down Vancouver. https://www.pne.ca/hastings-park-access , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_Park
https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pacific-national-exhibition-pne
https://www.pne.ca/about-us/history-legacy
Generations ago, one could take a streetcar to the PNE. Of course it's still possible at the CNE.
https://montecristomagazine.com/community/vancouvers-forgotten-streetcars#gsc.tab=0
https://kumtuks.ca/streetcars-and-metro-vancouver/
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/brief-history-of-pne-playland-1935285
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pne-history-photos-vancouver
https://604now.com/history-pne-vancouver-bc/
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/heres-how-many-people-attended-the-pne-this-year (2024)
https://vancouversun.com/news/pne-draws-nearly-638000-people-the-highest-since-the-pandemic
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pne-fair-attendance-2024
https://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2014/08/a-vintage-photo-filled-look-at-history.html
https://evelazarus.com/the-pne-then-and-now
https://www.echostories.com/backstory/pne-anniversary-book/
Unfortunatly, it hasn't always been a fun place.
https://hastingspark1942.ca/buildings-overview/
https://hastingspark1942.ca/history/momiji-gardens/
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=PNE
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Hastings+Community+Park+and+Hastings+Park
Canadian National Exhibition (CNE)
Unlike Vancouver, you can still take a streetcar to the Canadian_National_Exhibition in Toronto.
https://www.ttc.ca/riding-the-ttc/Updates/Take-the-TTC-to-the-CNE
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Canadian-National-Exhibition
https://globalnews.ca/news/10764365/cne-2024-attendance
https://www.dundurn.com/blog_/t43181/p159483-the-cne--canadas-annual-worlds-fair
https://www.theex.com/cne-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exhibition_Loop#History
https://www.theex.com/getting-here/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dufferin_Gate_Loop#Future
Delta coal export terminal shuttered for 10 weeks after fire
https://globalnews.ca/news/11341719/westshore-terminals-fire/
https://www.portvancouver.com/permit/westshore-terminals-new-potash-export-westshore
https://business.deltachamber.ca/directory/Details/westshore-terminals-limited-partnership-1469725
https://shippingmatters.ca/westshore-terminals-to-support-potash-exports/
Popular Vancouver outdoor pool forced to close until further notice
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/new-brighton-pool-closed-mechanical-issue
Its strange that the area from Horseshoe+Bay to Hope,_BC, which has over 3 million people, only has a few outdoor swimming pools. That's the, pay more and get LE$$ in BC approach to things.
https://vancouver.ca/parks-recreation-culture/swimming-pools.aspx While Vancouver has less than a million people, the Lower_Mainland of BC does have over 3 million residents.
https://604now.com/vancouver-will-be-opening-more-outdoor-swimming-pools-this-may-long-weekend Unfortunatly, the Greater Vancouver Region should have had two dozen swimming pools by now, with most of them being enclosed.
The Gordie Howe International Bridge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge
https://gordiehoweinternationalbridge.com Its always nice to see a new bridge in the world that wouldn't be allowed in backwater Vancouver.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordie_Howe_International_Bridge#Design
The bridge should have had a 4th lane or wide shoulder on each side. That would have been good extra space for a potential bus lane on each side of the bridge.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/ipd/project_profiles/mi_gordie_howe_int_bridge.aspx
https://www.aecon.com/our-projects/current/gordie-howe-international-bridge Backwards Vancouver sure could have used a nice bridge like this across Burrard_Inlet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambassador_Bridge Its amazing how a big city was stuck with a narrow Vancouver type bridge for several generations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambassador_Bridge#Design
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit-Windsor_tunnel Its strange that and additional 4 lane tunnel wasn't built.
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Sydney Ferries
Fortunately, Sydney_Ferries never took the backwards Vancouver approach to things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Ferries#Network
https://transportnsw.info/routes/ferry
https://transportnsw.info/sydney-ferries-network-map
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_Quay_ferry_wharf
https://www.sydney.com/articles/best-ferry-trips-in-sydney
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_Quay_ferry_wharf#Transport_links
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circular_Quay#Transport
NSW is about as far away as you can get from the backwater BC mentality.
Vancouver harbour sailings
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/travel/vancouver-cruises-top-harbour-sailings-2025-11093357
The SeaBus and the Aqua-Bus just aren't enough, there needs to be more capacity.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus , https://theaquabus.com/
https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/seabus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus#Service Ideally, there should be a daytime departure every 5 minutes & 10 minutes during the evening.
https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/line/seabus/direction/0/schedule
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SeaBus#History
As of 2025, there still isn't a Downtown to Deep+Cove ferry and not in 2026 either. Thus, the 6 lane Iron+Bridge will still be overloaded. Had the bridge been constructed to have very wide shoulders, there could have been an efficient bus lane each way. Instead, any bus is stuck in the almost perpetual traffic jam. A Boundary+Road Bridge could make for an excellent bus and HOV lane crossing consisting of at least 4 lanes, with a provision for a middle rail section.
Of course there is no ferry from Downtown+Vancouver to the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal. Just like there is no train from Horseshoe+Bay to Deep+Cove and to the Tri-Cities.
It's strange that the North-Shore didn't keep up with improving its passenger rail system.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Shore_(Greater_Vancouver) , https://monova.ca/the-story-of-streetcar-153/
Vancouver’s New Brighton Pool closed ‘until further notice’
https://www.ctvnews.ca/vancouver/article/vancouvers-new-brighton-pool-closed-until-further-notice/
Pay more for less services, that's Vancouver.
How Vancouver stunts or thwarts its growth
Create a series of overlapping restrictions and imposed limitations.
https://x.com/CityofVancouver/header_photo
https://x.com/CityofVancouver/status/1957805016305267125
Short trains and a lack of bus-bridges all help to increase congestion.
Sunday, August 17, 2025
Warm temperatures forecast to return to Metro Vancouver
Wow, Greater Vancouver still might get to have a few more weeks of summer. Its so unfortunate that almost everything in Vancouver has to be watered down or scaled back, summer is no exception.
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/heavy-rain-breaks-record-in-west-vancouver-11088531
Half of the year is cold, damp crappy weather.
Is Vancouver an ocean city or a mountain city?
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/local-news/poll-vancouver-ocean-city-mountain-city-11088387
Is it a big city, or just a town full of imposed restrictions pretending to be a big city? Short, congested trains & mosty narrow bridges is all part of the symbolism to remain like a small, backwards city.
Saturday, August 16, 2025
Vancouver used to have special electric sightseeing streetcars
https://www.vancouverisawesome.com/history/photos-vancouver-electric-sightseeing-streetcars-11079520
The city and greater region have made damn sure that it's almost impossible to ever bring them back. It's all part of the PAY MORE & GET LE$$ mentality.
Friday, August 15, 2025
Taking a second look at a third crossing for the North Shore
You couldn't have a worse congestion scenario there.
https://www.westernstandard.news/topic/lions-gate-bridge An enduring 3 lane pathetic joke of a bridge! No bus & HOV tunnel & especially no train tunnel around there.
https://www.westernstandard.news/topic/ironworkers-memorial-bridge A 6 lane crossing that should have had at least 2 emegency lanes & 2 wide shoulders for future dmand. No bus & HOV bridge & especially no train bridge around there.
No one ever stopped the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal from being built. However, its like various people have done their damndest to make sure that no express bus lanes & no HOV lanes cross the inlet, & especially no rail rapid transit. It's so sad that the congestive planning folks keep rising to the top of the B$.
Thursday, August 14, 2025
Parts of coastal Washington, Oregon and British Columbia may pick up five to 10 times their August monthly rainfall
June, July & August are usually the best times for Vancouver to have the best weather of the year & it always goes by too fast. September is a shortchanged month, because things cool down too soon in Vancouver. While most of September is still supposed to be summer, by the 2nd week its more like spring & then fall by the 3rd week. So at best, summer in Vancouver can go from the first week of June to the first week of September.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286 Vancouver still might have three days that are at least 25 C or 77 F and possibly 2 days that are at least 30 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle/98104/august-weather/351409 Seattle still might have a few days that are at least 30 C, or 86 F.
32 C https://www.extremeweatherwatch.com/cities/seattle/yearly-days-of-90-degrees
https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle/seattle-90-degree-day-record-most-in-a-year/281-f472a02d-003c-46a0-8b05-093f4dc09398 In September 2022, Seattle was still having some days that were at least 90 F. In contrast by mid September, its difficult for Vancouver to even have a 70 F day. Summer is supposed to be at least 3 months.
However, that hardly means that all 3 months will be like typical summer weather. Soon, the last 20 C day will arrive in shortchanged September and then the next 20 C day in Vancouver will likely be in mid April. In between are 7 months of Vancouver not having even one 21 C or 70 F day. WTH?
At least Seattle gets a little less rain than Vancouver & has hotter summers, but it still has cold, damp crappy winters. Fortunately, Grunge didn't start up & grow in Vancouver, because more people might have given up from the cold & damp crappy fall & winters.
https://www.revolutioncomeandgone.com/articles/1/the-origin-of-grunge.php
https://recordweekly.com/2020/05/01/seattle-grunge-story/
Wednesday, August 13, 2025
Seattle's sizzling temps-will cool down soon
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/weather/seattle-weather-sizzling-temps-will-cool-down-as-meteor-shower-arrives/
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-forecasts/heat-records-in-jeopardy-as-seasons-first-90-degree-readings-expected-in-northwest/1781447 Back in June there was some hype or tepedation about there posibly being too many hot summer days in Seattle.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle/98104/august-weather/351409 So far it looks like Seattle might have 1 August day that could reach at least 90 F or 32 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/portland/97209/august-weather/350473 Portland might end up having just 4 days that were at least 90 F.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286 No 90 F August days in Vancouver, BC, but there could be a few days in the 80s.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle/98104/july-weather/351409?year=2025 July in Seattle had 12 days in the 80s and only 2 days in the 90s.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/july-weather/53286?year=2025 Vancouver only had 10 July days that were at least 80 F or 26.7 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/june-weather/53286?year=2025 Vancouver only had 1 June day that was at least 81 F or 27 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/seattle/98104/june-weather/351409?year=2025 In contrast, Seattle had 6 July days that were at least 80 F and 1 day in the 90s.
Spring & summer in Vancouver seems to go by so quickly. Yet, the cold, damp & gloomy fall & winter seems to drag on far too long.
The Granville Connector
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/granville-connector-celebration-free
It's still the Granville+Street+Bridge, but it's also the Connector. Unfortunatly, it wasn't designed to have a lower deck for streetcars and busses. Such is the irony of backwards Vancouver to be one of the first cities to get rid of its streetcars and doing its damndest to be one of the last to bring them back.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Granville+Connector
Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Kits Pool will be closing soon for the end of this season
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/kits-pool-closing-date-summer-2025
Vancouver notoriously has short summers, because those 3 months aren't always hot & dry.
Closing September 1st is a sad joke when summer is supposed to go into late September. Unfortunatly, by the 2nd week of September the days are more like spring than summer. Then by the 3rd week & especially the last week, another short Vancouver summer has fades into fall.
The last 20 C day in September 2024 wasn't met with another 20 C day until April 2025. That's 7 months for Vancouver to be under 20 C.
Fire on SkyTrain’s Expo Line causes major delays
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/skytrain-fire-22nd-street-station-august-12-2025
Had there been some real proper long-range planning, the stations would have been at least twice the length, with enough side station clearance to eventually accomodate 2 express tracks.
The Lion Bridge and The Iron Bridge
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Lion+Bridge As of 2025, still no official plan for a train tunnel and a bus & HOV tunnel. A 3-4 track train tunnel and a 6-8 lane road tunnel would actually improve that absurd 3 lane crossing area.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Iron+Bridge As of 2025, still no official construction plan to add a 4 lane bus & HOV bridge, plus a 3-4 track rapid transit train bridge.
Why a 3-4 track train tunnel or bridge? Someday, enough sensible people might realize the benefit and importance of having a train linking the Horseshoe+Bay+ferry+terminal to YVR and to the Tsawwassen+ferry+terminal.
Unfortunatly, when so much money was wasted on a $HIT-PIPE and a $HIT-BOX, more money was lost that could have gone towards improving transit to & from the North Shore.
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=The+Lion+Bridge+and+The+Iron+Bridge
Community groups want a public inquiry into North Shore sewage plant debacle
https://globalnews.ca/news/11332030/north-shore-wastewater-public-inquiry
A cost overrun of at least 3 billion dollars for a $HIT-BOX and a $HIT-PIPE is outrageous! https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=North+Shore
This SHIT-BOX mentality must be challenged and stopped.
Monday, August 11, 2025
Seattle's 90-degree heat wave on Monday and Tuesday
https://www.fox13seattle.com/weather/seattle-90s-heatwave
Wow, a 2 day heat wave. Some places are at least 90 F or 32 C for a 2 week stretch or even 2 months. It's so tough for Vancouver to get over 32 C or 90 F, but it does occasionally happen.
https://mynorthwest.com/pacific-northwest-weather/heatwave-weather/4120160
Sunday, August 10, 2025
BC Conservatives support third North Shore crossing to ease 'endless traffic gridlock'
https://www.westernstandard.news/news/exclusive-bc-conservatives-support-third-north-shore-crossing-to-ease-endless-traffic-gridlock/66766 This shouldn't just be a BC Con. issue, because this has been neglected for several decades.
While the North Shore $HIT BOX fiasco is relatively new, generations have come & gone without sufficient funds going towards proper big city infrastructure. Who knows where all the money went?
If only there was a proper oversight committee to make sure that Greater Vancouver was putting enough funds towards proper urban infrastructure.
Saturday, August 9, 2025
Why Northern Japan Is Forced To Stay Empty
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hn4Bdh6gNmY
Hokkaido is a little like a smaller version of Siberia or Alaska.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaido
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo While Sapporo is a typical big city, most of the island is rural or wilderness.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapporo#Transport
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seikan_Tunnel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokkaido_Shinkansen
Friday, August 8, 2025
North East Link Tunnels - The Big Build Victoria, Australia
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/north-east-link/tbms-resume-digging-victorias-longest-road-tunnels
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/north-east-link/design/north-east-link-tunnels/map
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/metro-tunnel
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/suburban-rail-loop London has the Circle Line, Chicago has its elevated loop, Toronto has an underground loop, so it makes sense that Melbourne would also have a train loop.
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/news/suburban-rail-loop/faster-easier-journeys-with-srl-east Melbourne like most real cities, have an extensive regional road system, but having a good regional rail network might even be more important & beneficial. https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/suburban-rail-loop/about/project-benefits
Unfortunately, Greater Vancouver is still lacking with its transportation infrastructure.
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/regional-rail-revival
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/projects/roads
https://bigbuild.vic.gov.au/library/west-gate-tunnel-project/maps
L.A. and Melbourne in the 1960s really started to plan on a big scale. Of course Vancouver went in the opposite direction.
https://libraryarchives.metro.net/DPGTL/maps/1968_final_proposed_transit_master_plan_concept_map.jpg , https://cityplanning.tumblr.com/post/24841307901/past-visions-of-l-a-s-transportation-future
https://transitmap.net/1969-melbourne-plan , https://images.theconversation.com/files/303673/original/file-20191126-112489-1mpon3i.png?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip , https://theconversation.com/50-years-on-from-the-melbourne-transportation-plan-what-can-we-learn-from-its-legacy-127721
Canada weather
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/canada-weather
https://weather.gc.ca/data/wxoimages/wocanmap0_e.jpg , https://weather.gc.ca/canada_e.html
Overall, as parts of the world heats up, most of Canada remains as a place where you can avoid 45, 40 or even 35 C summers. Unfortunatly, winter always returns and by late February many people are fed up with it.
Montreal
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/montreal/h3a/august-weather/2-56186_1_al Montreal still might have 9 or 10 days that are at least 30 C.
Toronto weather
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/august-weather/55488
So, Toronto still might have some 30 C days in August.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/july-weather/55488?year=2025 According to AW, Toronto only had 6 days that were at least 30 C. Some places around the world would be happy to have 6 days under 30 C, but without the humidity.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/toronto/m5h/june-weather/55488?year=2025 Wow, Toronto actually had a couple of days in the mid 30s in June.
Temperatures to climb up to 30 C during a sunny streak in Metro Vancouver
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/en/city/ca/british-columbia/vancouver/monthly?m=8&a=2025
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286 Perhaps some upper 20s, but it's tough for Vancouver to reach 30 C , especially 35 or 40 C. However, some parts of Greater Vancouver might reach 30 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/july-weather/53286?year=2025 There were only 2 days that were 30 C in July in Vancouver.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/june-weather/53286?year=2025 Vancouver had no 25 C days in June.
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.
Toronto Pearson International Airport Train
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Pearson_International_Airport#Train
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Sharyo_DMU
| Car length | 85 ft (25.91 m) |
|---|
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/UP_at_Bloor.jpg While a 2 car joke of a train is only about 170 ft or 52 m, a 3 car train is about 255 ft or 78 m. Unfortunatly, the embarrassingly short train to YVR was only designed to have 164 ft or 50 m stations. The YVR-Canada-Line was deliberately constructed to not allow for enough clearance to eventually double the length of each station. Thus, any underground station can't be extended from the absurd 50 m to 100 m.
Depending upon the busy and general demand times there are three-car and two-car train sets.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toronto_Pearson_Terminal_1_station
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_Pearson_Express#Rolling_stock
"Seven trains comprise the fleet of Union Pearson Express (UP Express), grouped into 4 three-car and 3 two-car train sets (for a total of 18 cars)." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nippon_Sharyo_DMU#Union_Pearson_Express
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_rail_transit_in_Canada#Existing_systems
Heat and humidity set to return to the GTA starting Friday
https://toronto.citynews.ca/2025/08/07/toronto-weather-gta-heat-humidity
While Toronto & especially Montreal, can have cold winters, they're always set to have hot summers. In contrast, Vancouver sort-of has a summer that's more like spring or fall at times.
New gates at the Montreal Trudeau airport probably won’t have ‘significant’ environmental impact
https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article1084656.html
Handling of environmental-impact consultation for Trudeau airport expansion is ‘scandalous,’ activist says https://www.montrealgazette.com/news/article1058167.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C3%A9seau_express_m%C3%A9tropolitain#Stations
https://rem.info/en/airport , https://rem.info/en/map
https://rem.info/en/travelling/stations/yul-aeroport-montreal-trudeau Length of each platform: 80 m
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/montreal-rem-vancouver-skytrain-comparison Montreal built a Metro with 152.5 m stations & a commuter rail system, then eventually the REM.
Vancouver & BC should have designed the SkyTrain to initially have all of its stations at 100 m with the capability to be expanded to at least 155 m. Unfortunatly, the first 2 lines only have 80 m stations & the YVR-Canada-Line only has 50 m stations.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urban_rail_transit_in_Canada#Existing_systems
Wednesday, August 6, 2025
Vancouver fourth most expensive city worldwide
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/06/vancouver-fourth-most-expensive-city-worldwide-report
You always pay more for less. Short, congest trains and mostly narrow and congested bridges, because that's all part of the pay more for LE$$ agenda in backwards BC.
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-impossibly-unaffordable-housing-market
Victoria sur le Parc
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_sur_le_parc
https://www.guidehabitation.ca/fr/9606/victoria-sur-le-parc/
https://forum.agoramtl.com/t/victoria-sur-le-parc-58-etages-2024/174
https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=115682
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=109775715&page=22
https://dailyhive.com/montreal/tallest-building-montreal-victoria-sur-le-parc
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=232780&page=2
900 Saint-Jacques Montréal
https://chevaliermorales.com/projets/900-saint-jacques
https://www.architexgroup.com/projects.asp?id=84
https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/900_Saint-Jacques
https://imtl.org/image.php?id=23855 , https://skyscraperpage.com/cities/?buildingID=107840
https://skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?searchID=109775715&page=24
Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Notable impacts that the FIFA World Cup will have on Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/fifa-vancouver-impacts-aug-2025
The lack of proper urban planning is astounding. The Canada+Line should have connected YVR with both ferry terminals by now. None of the regional bridges have had bus and HOV lane bridges built next to them.
Monday, August 4, 2025
Sunday, August 3, 2025
Friday, August 1, 2025
The B intersection
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaverton,_Oregon , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaverton,_Oregon#Transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookline,_Massachusetts , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookline,_Massachusetts#Transportation
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burbank,_California#Transit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington,_Ontario , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burlington,_Ontario#Public_Transit
The Burnaby Mountain Gondola Saga
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/rapid-transit-projects/burnaby-mountain-gondola
While winter is only a few crappy months out of the year, SW BC still gets cold, damp & depressing.
https://www.burnaby.ca/our-city/projects/burnaby-mountain-gondola
Special mountain climbing busses, or in this case, a big hill known as Burnaby Mountain always needs good hill climbing busses during the winter.
https://vancouversun.com/news/translink-100-buses-winter-tires
A gondola would really improve transportation there.
https://the-peak.ca/2024/10/what-grinds-our-gears-winter-commutes-to-burnaby-mountain
https://www.sfu.ca/gondola.html
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sfu-top-universities-global-rankings There should be a crappy winter transportation award for SFU.
https://www.sfu.ca/srs/announcements/archive/be-prepared-for-winter-on-burnaby-mountain.html
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/sfu-burnaby-mountain-gondola-translink-delays
https://buzzer.translink.ca/2022/11/shuttle-buses-during-snow-days-explained/
Two weeks in February 2025 almost had 24hr freezing. One week in January 2024 had a week of almost 24hr freezing. Almost, because some of the days actually might have gotten to 1 or 2C, but the nights were always freezing. Nothing melts under such horrible conditions.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/translink-plans-winter-2017-2018-1.4385226 Unfortunatly, the #0 Not in Service is common during the winter.
Of course winter in Australia is mild when compared to Canada. Most of Canada has winters with -5C days and -10C nights. Some parts get the -10C days & the -20C overnight option & anything colder than that, you might as well just give up.
It's amazing that Australia doesn't have 14 million more people than Canada, but it's the other way around. http://www.bom.gov.au/places/
Thursday, July 31, 2025
August forecast for Vancouver
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/vancouver-august-forecast
Wow, there still might be about a dozen days that are at least 25 C. Most places won't even call anything a heatwave until its at least 30 C, some might even say 35 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/august-weather/53286
Unfortunatly, by September there might not even be 10 days reaching 20C. Usually, by the last week of September, that's it for Vancouver having any days at or above 21 C or 70 F until mid or late April.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/september-weather/53286?year=2025
By October, Vancouver is hard-pressed to even have one 20 C day.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/october-weather/53286?year=2025
It took until the 3rd week of April for Vancouver to have its first day of at least 20 C.
https://www.accuweather.com/en/ca/vancouver/v6c/april-weather/53286?year=2025
From late September to late April is 7 months without a 21 C or 70 F day in Vancouver.
Wednesday, July 30, 2025
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