More Highways On the Horizon

New highways always bring the so called experts into the fray. The problem is; we don’t have any, rather the region has a hodge podge of academics, planners and engineers calling themselves experts and the result is what is happening now. The real problem is this; the population is growing at a huge pace in […]

Sparkle Ponies and Fairy Dust

The appalling reporting on transit by the local media continues, all what is reported is sparkle ponies and fairy dust. Here are the financial problems that TransLink faces: Estimated cost of the Broadway subway – $3 billion+ Estimated cost to refurbish the Expo and Millennium Lines to allow higher capacity – $2 billion to $3 […]

LRT Is Not Rapid Transit

The real problem with the proposed Surrey LRT is that light rail is not rapid transit, it can be designed as such, but when it is it loses its affordability and operational edge over proprietary gadgetbahnen, like ART SkyTrain light-metro. The LRT in Surrey is being designed as a “poor man’s” SkyTrain, acting as a […]

Transportation planning has become a bullshit field

Interesting article on Toronto’s transit scene which mirrors Vancouver’s. In Vancouver, decades of bad planning, based on up-zoning properties adjacent to SkyTrain Lines to obtain higher densities, which benefits the “condo kings” and land speculators more than transit customers has lead to a litany of unintended consequences. One of those unintended consequences has brought a […]

Subway or LRT? The Debate In Toronto That We Are Not Allowed In Vancouver

This article is a must read for those in Vancouver who want to debate the proposed Broadway SkyTrain subway. Three items that need attention: As Toronto does not operate with LRT, their capacity numbers for LRT are inaccurate. Since the 1980’s the capacity of a modern LRT line can be in excess of 20,000 pphpd. […]

A Useful Idiot

In political jargon a useful idiot is a person perceived as propagandist for a cause whose goals they are not fully aware of, and who is used cynically by the leaders of the cause. Former premier Mike Harcourt continues to regale anyone who will listen, that subways are the only transit solution for Vancouver. Who […]

Why TransLink Can’t Be Honest

Why can’t TransLink be honest with its customers and the taxpayer? Like B.C. Transit before, honesty is not in TransLink’s lexicon, why and why can’t TransLink be honest about SkyTrain? The answer lies with he fact each SkyTrain Line has been a political decision, with the final decision made by the Premier of the day. […]

Cowardly TransLink Hides The Truth

This is a rather strange story. A dog is scared by fireworks and ends up on the SkyTrain’s tracks, how, TransLink isn’t saying. I would wager Transport Canada would like to know. SkyTrain is a driverless light-metro and when it operates at-grade it must be completely fenced off to prevent egress by people and animals. […]

Rapid Transit to the North Shore – 4 to 6 Billion Reasons Not!

I see politicians are floating trialAi?? balloons about transit, before the upcoming election and from the North Shore it is extending rapid transit to North Vancouver and beyond. The cost to extend the Canada Line or the ALRT/ART Lines (both lines are incompatible in operation) to North Vancouver is around $4 billion to $6 billion, […]

Subway Costs Rise – Chill Financial Winds From Scarborough

As the cost of the Scarborough subway escalates, senior TransLink officials are desperately trying to find money to build Vision Vancouver’s massive “vanity” project, the Broadway SkyTrain Subway. Subways are hugely costly to build and hugely costly to operate, but the regional Mayor’s Council and Provincial Politicians and TransLink remain absolutely blind to this fact. […]