https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/metro-vancouver-weather-heat-rain
UTL is about exploring past, present and future urban technologies in science and fiction, etc...
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Monday, September 15, 2025
Sunday, September 14, 2025
The Boundary Road bridges (BRB)
Unfortunatly, there doesn't seem to be any BRB plan in place.
A North Boundary Road Bridge could provide an excellent BRT crossing between Burnaby and North+Vancouver. This would help to relieve pressure on the Iron Bridge.
https://movementyvr.ca/bby-heights-brt
The same with a South Boundary Roade Bridge with a BRT route between Vancouver and Richmond.
Then another BRT bridge between Richmond and Delta to the ferry terminal. This could help to relieve some of the pressure on the new tunnel, because it wasn't designed to have 2 HOV lanes & no train section.
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/rapidbus-projects
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Boundary+Road
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=BRT
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Richmond+and+Delta
Saturday, September 13, 2025
The Push to reopen Clark Drive entrance into Vancouver port to ease traffic strain on residential neighbourhoods
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/east-vancouver-clark-drive-port-entrance-traffic-issues
https://council.vancouver.ca/20050329/tt5App1.pdf It is very unlikely that there will ever be a truck tunnel under this corridor.
https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/2021-117-release.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knight_Street
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/1407-east-41st-avenue-vancouver
Group rejects TransLink’s proposed Bus Rapid Transit route with picnic protest in Burnaby, B.C.
Backwards thinking & planning is so ingrained in BC. The R5 is already a frequent bus route along Hastings. https://www.translink.ca/schedules-and-maps/route/r5/direction/0/map
https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2025/08/26/transit-advocates-push-for-brt-through-burnaby-heights/
https://ehq-production-canada.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com
A BRT route along Boundary Road would be much better in the long run. Especially, if someday there can be a serious BRT route running the entire length of Boundary Road between North Vancouver & Richmond.
https://www.translink.ca/plans-and-projects/projects/bus-projects/rapidbus-projects
Friday, September 12, 2025
Thursday, September 11, 2025
Vancouver-based Rennie expands into commercial real estate
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/rennie-commercial-real-estate
https://storeys.com/rennie-launches-commercial-real-estate-brokerage/
A 50 story office tower in Seattle, San Francisco & LA is hardly the tallest. Even a 50 story office tower in Toronto & Calgary wouldn't be the tallest on the skyline. However, super restrictive Vancouver has never permitted any office tower to even have a 40th floor. At least Montreal has allowed 1 office tower to have 51 stories.
Metro Vancouver taxpayers left in the dark over ballooning sewage plant costs
It's sad and unfortunate that so much money was diverted and wasted on an over-budget $HIT-box. Yet, no bus bridges or bus tunnels have been built to the North Shore, so far. At least one of the SkyTrain lines should have been extended to the North Shore at least a dozen years ago.
How the Twin Towers Were Built in NYC
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Trade_Center_(1973-2001)
How the Twin Towers Were Built in NYC https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab-z6_vvcmE Some people have pointed out inaccuracies in this post.
Wednesday, September 10, 2025
BC Ministry rejects inquiry into North Shore Wastewater Treatment boondoggle
It's so easy to throw money down a $HIT-pipe, but very difficult to put more funds towards bus and train bridges and tunnels in backwards BC.
Saturday, September 6, 2025
Why Living In Vancouver Has Become Impossible
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJLYj-P_7i8
Why is Metro Vancouver Creating a New Downtown? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybMhTlj-l5s&t=32s
Vancouver Housing Might Actually Become Affordable Now? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRY1L4X3JqY
Friday, September 5, 2025
Vancouver International Airport on track for record-breaking year
Unfortunatly, despite YVR handling more traffic than the Montreal-Trudeau+International+Airport, Greater Vancouver is still quite lacking with its infrastructure.
https://radicalstorage.com/travel/is-vancouver-expensive-complete-2025-cost-guide-money-saving-tips/
Wednesday, September 3, 2025
Jeddah Tower: a 1km Tower Racing Past the height of Burj Khalifa
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6XCr3TNSA
Building the World’s Second Tallest Skyscraper https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyKTboWXRdY
Why New York's Skyscrapers Keep Changing Shape https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yy8tDcdUUJY
Montreal-Trudeau International Airport to undergo $10-billion expansion
https://dailyhive.com/montreal/montreal-trudeau-international-airport-yul-expansion-rem-train
https://www.admtl.com/en-CA/corporate/about-us/future-projects
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YUL%E2%80%93A%C3%A9roport-Montr%C3%A9al%E2%80%93Trudeau_station
https://www.admtl.com/en-CA/parking-and-transport/roadworks
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/yul-trudeau-airport-10-billion-transformation-1.7586489
Eventually, the Pierre+Elliott+Trudeau+International+Airport could have 3 long runways. Fortunately, there is enough clearance to lengthen the shortest runway.
https://www.admtl.com/en-CA/community/soundscape-management/construction-on-runways-and-taxiways
Orly_Airport has 3 runways.
Sea-Tac also has 3 runways, but are all parallel.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle-Tacoma_International_Airport
Heathrow_Airport has 2 very long runways.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heathrow_Airport#Future_expansion_and_plans
Charles_de_Gaulle_Airport has 2 very long runways, plus 2 of moderate length.
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
Monday, September 1, 2025
Richmond–San Rafael Bridge (1956)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond-San_Rafael_Bridge
The R-SR Bridge should have been built with two 4 lane decks, 3 lanes and1 emergency lane on each level.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richmond-San_Rafael_Bridge#Third_lanes
Plus, enough space for at least 1 wide bike lane & 1 foot path. Unfortunatly, in the 1950s, having a provision for such things wasn't seen as that important.
https://abc7news.com/post/officials-seek-ideas-for-replacing-richmond-san-rafael-bridge/5733399/
Saturday, August 30, 2025
How AI Datacenters Eat the World Power Grid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhqoTku-HAA
People are told to not have kids or own any cars & avoid using air transportation as much as possible. Apparently, this cutting down agenda will help the billionaires enjoy their Champagne & caviar lifestyle, even morso.
Then there is the stot using natural gas agenda, don't have a fireplace & especially, don't have campfires or beach bonfires. Yet, its alright for the billionaires to construct huge AI Datacenters which require a tremendous amount of energy to run.
Then humans are to eventually be conditioned to constantly check with AI to see if they can get permission to go to another part of town, or even just a local store. All it takes is for the tracking AI system to say that you have already exceeded your carbon output for the week.
In a world where your smartwatch & phone, computer & TV are always gathering data and processing information on everyone, things become an intersection of Alphaville, THX_1138, Blade_Runner, Brazil & Black_Mirror.
Then someone like Boy_Kavalier is your regional corporate, feudal lord. https://alienanthology.fandom.com/wiki/Boy_Kavalier
Vancouver man charged with assaulting transit police officer has long history of violence
Some people are so engrossed with substance abuse, they think nothing of attacking a cop.
While it might not practical to have a cop on every bus, there should be a couple of cops on every train.
Friday, August 29, 2025
Modular school additions a Band-Aid for classroom crunch in Surrey, BC
Despite Surrey eventually becoming the most populated city in BC, it's still been scaled back for most of its history. It sure would have been nice if the SkyTrain between Vancouver & Surrey had 10 car trains. It's been tough enough just to finally start having some 5 car trains.
Unfortunatly, transportation connections between the Burrard_Peninsula and Surrey are too few and that's by design.
Fortunately, the BC mentality of limiting infrastructure hasn't been adopted in Portland, Seattle, Calgary, Edmonton & Winnipeg. Thus, they are all able to have a lot more bridges. One can clearly see that a lot more funding has been properly applied in several cities. However, Greater Vancouver has a lot less bridges than many other urban areas. Short trains are expected or forced to do the job of a proper big city, long train. Most of the regional bridges are so narrow, there isn't enough space for 2 bus lanes & 2 HOV lanes.
Then, there is a multi-generational refusal to build a regional network of bus & HOV bridges. Even the (2030) tunnel wasn't designed to have 2 HOV lanes & especially a double track train tunnel component. At lest the (2030) tunnel will have 2 bus lanes & 3 general lanes each way.
Of course the Surrey+Memorial+Hospital wasn't designed with a series of 5-10 story buildings with a capability to eventually add another 10-15 floors.
"Despite having a population of similar size to the City of Vancouver, Surrey has 671 hospital beds compared to Vancouver’s 2,572. Even with 168 beds slated for the new Cloverdale hospital that is under construction, Vancouver will still have triple the number of hospital beds for a population of similar size..." https://www.surrey.ca/news-events/news/surrey-mayor-proposes-health-care-administrator-address-inequity
https://globalnews.ca/news/10342083/surrey-healthcare-crisis-hospital-capacity/
Two-thirds of B.C. businesses say crime and street disorder getting worse
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/bc-businesses-crime-street-disorder-survey
Urban decay isn't just about people using the streets & alleyways as toiles, it's the growing rate of crime & disorder.
PATH's 'Summer of Hell'
https://www.wnyc.org/story/paths-summer-of-hell/
https://www.fox5ny.com/news/nj-hoboken-path-train-station-closure-commute-labor-day
https://pix11.com/news/local-news/alternate-routes-during-multi-day-hoboken-path-station-closure/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(rail_system)#Route_operation
https://www.railway-technology.com/projects/ny-path/?cf-view
("The cars are 51 feet (16 m) long by 9.2 feet (2.8 m) wide, a smaller loading gauge compared to similar vehicles in the US, due to the restricted structure gauge through the tunnels under the Hudson River.")
("The PA5 cars are coupled and linked into consists up to 8 cars long, with conductors' controls on all cars and engineers' cabs on the "A" (driving) cars; trains on the Newark–World Trade Center line will be lengthened to 10 cars as part of the line's 2010s upgrades.") https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(rail_system)#Rolling_stock
So, there are some 510 foot long trains.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PATH_(rail_system)#Proposed_expansions
NJ-NY
Thursday, August 28, 2025
Cowichan River Silver Bridge
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
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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/
https://jfdatalinks.blogspot.com/search?q=Delta+Transportation
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
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.
Unfortunately, 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.