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 […]

Have Christi’s Liberals Washed Their hands of Public Transit?

Two items in the Tyee, How BC Taxpayers Ended Up Paying for the $3.5-Billion Massey Bridge andAi??To Critics, Massey Bridge Is an Environmental and Planning Disaster underscore the present governments reluctance to plan for a usable and affordable public transit system in Metro Vancouver. The Liberals have always been a “blacktop” political party with “rubber […]

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. […]

Really? TransLink Tries To Spin The Evergreen Line

In the real world, modern trams or LRT lines are not considered unless traffic flows are 2,000 pphpd or more. Light-metro’s like SkyTrain, on the other hand, need traffic flows of at least 10,000 pphpd, to justify construction. Now, TransLink is trying to spin that a meager 30,000 boarding’s a day is good news. It’s […]

Why Can’t Translink Plan For Affordable LRT?

While Surrey’s proposed LRT is topping $100 million/km to build, in Europe new LRT lines are being built much cheaper. In Weisbaden, their new LRT is pegged at $24.5 million/km to build! Analysis: Fire the Surrey LRT planning team and hire people that actually know what they are doing. WEISBADEN, a city in west-central Germany […]

Light Rail Denial And TransLink

There seems to be a general naivete about Light Rail or LRT in the media, due in part to TransLink’s war on LRT, with their well advertised preference for light-metro. Today, except for “niche transit” solutions, public transport is divided into three modes, bus, tram, and metro; with each mode built to economically deal with […]