3103 replies to this topic

[aastra]

 

Impossible timeline for 2022.  Around here it takes about 5 years for a simple 4-floor building to be a approved and completed.

 

For sure, that's why I was asking about the new housing downtown. It would be fishy to say the least if something like that were to go through at lightning speed.

[lanforod]

If we want to go visionary, can we get a hyperloop install?

[Bingo]

Most game attendees do not even live along the line, not sure who would be taking it.  The largest portion of games attendees will be from the Peninsula, Oak Bay, and Saanich. 

 

If Victoria makes a successful bid and light rail is part of that, you would see housing spring up within walking distance to the stations.

[VicHockeyFan]

If Victoria makes a successful bid and light rail is part of that, you would see housing spring up within walking distance to the stations.

 

I've already indicated that neither Esquimalt nor View Royal have major population expansion plans, along the line or elsewhere.  Neither of those Mayors have ever said they'd like to see density along the line, in their respective communities.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 17 August 2017 - 04:13 PM.

[Bingo]

I've already indicated that neither Esquimalt nor View Royal have major population expansion plans, alone the line or elsewhere.  

Neither of those Mayors have ever said they'd like to see density along the line, in their respective communities.

 

Somebody needs to build more housing for all the workers who need to be here but can't find accommodation.

That accommodation problem will get worse if we need to build all of the new facilities for games.

[Bingo]

The work at the interchange will involve lowering the Trans-Canada Highway, and constructing ramps, an overpass and a pedestrian-cyclist bridge over the highway.

Langford Mayor Stew Young said he is satisfied with construction progress, but added he hopes the province commits to adding more lanes to the highway and turning the defunct E&N Rail line into another commuter passageway.

http://www.timescolo...says-1.22125559

[UrbanRail]

Yep, just what we need, more highway lanes. Hey maybe they can hire a bunch of flying unicorns to transport people back and forth.

[Mike K.]

Or we could build more highway lanes to transport millions of people-trips every year, like we already do and which the overwhelming majority of our population prefers to do

 

The only unicorns around here are trains, I'm afraid. And even though none actually run, we're still paying for someone to tell us every few years they're almost ready to (never) run 

 

Seriously though, we need more highway capacity. The Malahat is a bottleneck, the TCH is at its breaking point and the 17 is missing several interchanges that, if built, could keep traffic moving and cut down on a swath of emissions. Ditto for the TCH.

[UrbanRail]

Sigh.... well I guess I can tell my unborn daughter that no one here wants a greener future, just more asphalt.

 

Anyway I am going to turn my attention away from this group, more important things to focus on.

 

I disagree with you wholeheartedly on adding more lanes, and I will leave it at that.

[vortoozo]

Agreed that simply adding more lanes isn't the solution.

[Mike K.]

You sure can when you're dealing with a region with a very slow (and small) population growth rate like that of Victoria. 

 

Greater Victoria has the most underdeveloped infrastructure grid in all of North America on a per-capita basis. By a long shot. Even Saskatoon has a better highway system than we do and they have half of the population of southern Vancouver Island.

 

See, the thing is the TCH was never built to adequate capacity and it lacked interchanges where they were needed most (McKenzie and at Tillicum) from day one. I mean it was immediately referred to as the Colwood Crawl which tells us the planners fudged the plan and they obviously didn't anticipate that the Westshore would take on not only the brunt of the region's growth but also become its big-box epicentre just as land values would push thousands of commuters to communities north (or along) the Malahat.

[lanforod]

^ Jeez, I get the complaint but we should never be compared to Saskatoon. It's a heckuva lot easier to build freeways when there are no space or mountain limitations.

[VicHockeyFan]

One of the world’s largest electric vehicle producers says the E&N railway corridor between Victoria and Langford, now sitting idle, could be better used as a rapid-transit route.

 

China-based BYD, which produces electric buses and other vehicles, is floating the idea of an electric-bus rapid-transit route along the 15-kilometre stretch of railway between Victoria and Langford.

 

“We’ve been listening to the complaints and what various parties have been saying about the [corridor],” said Ted Dowling, vice- president of BYD Canada. “It’s a viable option and less costly [than rail].”

 

Dowling said his company, which has delivered more than 25,000 electric buses worldwide, is throwing out the idea to see if there’s interest, and if there are partnerships worth establishing to make it happen.

 

 

He said the vision would be to have as many as 10 electric buses, at a cost of $850,000 Cdn each, running over concrete laid on either side of the track. The rail track would be left intact.

 

http://www.timescolo...idor-1.23072540

 

 

For God's sake, let's let this badly flogged horse die.  You know how much it would cost to pave either side of the tracks?  A freaking fortune.

 

How about this plan, that we can put in place NEXT MONTH.  Have the CRD add a levy to all homes in Highlands, View Royal, Colwood, Langford, Metchosin and Sooke.  That levy will pay to increase bus service on the #50 and #61 evry weekday, and reduce the fare to zero every weekday until 9am inbound, and free 3-6pm outbound. 

 

That's all.  The levy can be adjusted annually to cover any shortfall (increase the levy) or surplus (decrease the levy).  The levy only covers lost fares and increased service costs over and above the current service levels.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 24 October 2017 - 05:45 AM.

[Mike K.]

That’d be about $6 or $7 milllion spread across 30,000 homes, though.

Recall that the late night services only two days a week cost an extra $550k and that was from a few years back.

[VicHockeyFan]

That’d be about $6 or $7 milllion spread across 30,000 homes, though.

Recall that the late night services only two days a week cost an extra $550k and that was from a few years back.

 

So $230 per home, per year.  Would you pay $230 to have free bus service every day?  Would you pay $230 per year to not sit in the Colwood Crawl?  If it works, it lets cars run on a much less crowded highway.

Edited by VicHockeyFan, 24 October 2017 - 06:03 AM.

[Mike K.]

No way would I pay that on top of the existing municipal taxes, on top of the existing transit levy and on top of the existing gas taxes.

These levies don’t work. UVic did that and look what happened when BCT realized their money was capped and they had no desire to expand services to meet rapidly growing demand. So what’ll happen here is the service will be great the first year and start lagging the next. Until you pad the coffers again, then rinse and repeat.

Pay as you go is the only equitable solution.

And it’s not free bus service. It’s very limited free bus service in only one direction. And should you need to transfer you’re now paying more.

[VicHockeyFan]

Well, I'd like to see the computer modelling for how much we'd reduce car traffic if we had 4x the buses we have now.  I dunno. 

[Mike K.]

For such a small city the simplest solution is building adequate roads.

Look how long Shelbourne has served the region as-is. Now we’ll be removing at least one lane and in five years the regular suspects will shake their heads and proclaim how you can’t build your way out of congestion. It’s madness to have 360,000 people relying on the lame highways and arterials we have.

[Coreyburger]

Well, I'd like to see the computer modelling for how much we'd reduce car traffic if we had 4x the buses we have now.  I dunno. 

 

A huge amount. That would push most routes to nearly "can see the next bus" frequency. Bus ridership in the US is slumping, except in cities like Seattle where they are adding bus lanes and expanding service.

[Mike K.]

Not so fast, Busman!

 

Seattle's transit ridership is barely keeping up with the region's population growth (3% annual growth, 2% ridership growth in the best month of the year to-date), and that month came after months of a reduction in ridership.