Friday, February 16, 2024

Evolution of the Vancouver SkyTrain 1985-2035

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3kzHlQQSeg

The Surrey-Langley Skytrain segment. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jx5GBKjiw2c

Just because it's considered light rail, there still should have been a provision to easily have 152 m stations, like with the Montreal Metro stations. Instead, the first 2 lines only can handle 80 m trains & the C Line has a ridiculous 50 M station maximum. This, not properly building for the future agenda, is utterly foolish & inept. In spite of many cities opting for long trains & wide bridges, the BC approach is to provide half sized infrastructure for a half-assed approach to things. Nevertheless, there is still the potential to upgrade it to eventually becoming like a proper big city metro train system. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expo_Line_(SkyTrain)#Capacity_upgrades

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e6/SkyBridge

This is one of the best examples of BC bottleneck planning so far. The SkyBridge_for_SkyTrain should have had at least 3 tracks, not just 2 & only a maintenance track. The old inadequate 4 lane Pattullo_Bridge has only 1 narrow sidewalk & no bike or bus lanes. Thus, the Skybridge should have had 2 bike lanes & 2 footpaths. There also should have been 2 bus lanes, because when the train shuts down for maintenance or an emergency, a 24hr busway there is vital. The narrow SkyBridge really should have had a provision for a 2nd level, but that would go against the multigenerational congestive planning agenda of BC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skybridge_(TransLink)

If the very narrow & inept old Patullo-Bridge had much better foundations, it could have become a great foot & bike+bridge, once its replacement opened. Unfortunately, even the new Pattullo_Bridge is already set to be a modern example of BC bottleneck planning. While it will at least have a bike & footpath on both sides, it will open without any proper bus & HOV lanes.

Even if the Expo_Line_(SkyTrain) was somehow open for 24hrs, there would still be the occasional emergency situation requiring the train bridge to close. Yet, even the new 4 lane Pattullo-Bridge will open without any bus, HOV lanes or emergency lanes. Thus, it will become another fine example of BC bottleneck planning. 

The new Pattullo-Bridge should open with 6 lanes & a provision to have at least 8 lanes. This would not only allow for 2 general lanes each way, but a bus & HOV lane each way & a truck lane each way. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/pattullo-bridge-surrey-board-of-trade

Of course there also should have been a provision for a lower or upper deck, which could provide additional bus & train capacity. Unfortunately, it will start out as another 4 lane backward BC bridge.   


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