465 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

We would need to rezone and rapidly densify not only portions of Vic West and Esquimalt, but miles of land along the TCH. Everything from Saanich Road to Goldstream, and up to Leigh Road if the line runs further north.

And I’m not talking duplexes and little four storey buildings here and there, but towers up to several blocks out from the LRT line.

Consider that it was 22 years ago that the first LRT plans were aired (in 1996). Back then planners said “...but in 20 years.” The plans were dusted off again a decade ago, and planners also said “...but in 20 years.”

20 years is a lot of time and over that time we’ve seen a marginal increase in development and virtually none of it along the proposed LRT route. Uptown doesn’t even have its little tower yet and the upper Douglas corridor has literally a handful of new residential units, and that’s where 20 years ago it was agreed the massive density would first appear followed by density nodes at major intersections of the TCH and Old Island.

22 years later we have an interchange underway and residents of single family dwellings nearly killed the project. Colwood Corners remains a pit but it will likely welcome its first residents by 2020, 24 years after the 1996 plan. Future phases will take much longer to complete. That’s literally all the change we’ve seen along the projected line outside of the downtown core, Uptown and downtown Langford since 1996. And in terms of scale necessary to make an LRT financially viable even with huge subsidies, we’re right where we were in 1996.

[VicHockeyFan]

And there is zero appetite to density anywhere really. That’s just the way it is.

[Star Dust]

We would need to rezone and rapidly densify not only portions of Vic West and Esquimalt, but miles of land along the TCH. Everything from Saanich Road to Goldstream, and up to Leigh Road if the line runs further north.

And I’m not talking duplexes and little four storey buildings here and there, but towers up to several blocks out from the LRT line.

Consider that it was 22 years ago that the first LRT plans were aired (in 1996). Back then planners said “...but in 20 years.” The plans were dusted off again a decade ago, and planners also said “...but in 20 years.”

20 years is a lot of time and over that time we’ve seen a marginal increase in development and virtually none of it along the proposed LRT route. Uptown doesn’t even have its little tower yet and the upper Douglas corridor has literally a handful of new residential units, and that’s where 20 years ago it was agreed the massive density would first appear followed by density nodes at major intersections of the TCH and Old Island.

22 years later we have an interchange underway and residents of single family dwellings nearly killed the project. Colwood Corners remains a pit but it will likely welcome its first residents by 2020, 24 years after the 1996 plan. Future phases will take much longer to complete. That’s literally all the change we’ve seen along the projected line outside of the downtown core, Uptown and downtown Langford since 1996. And in terms of scale necessary to make an LRT financially viable even with huge subsidies, we’re right where we were in 1996.

 

Their was this FAMOUS line from the movie Field Of Dreams  "If you build it, they will come"

[Mike K.]

That famous line really worked out well for Edmonton's LRT system, lemme tell ya.

[TallGuy]

That famous line really worked out well for Edmonton's LRT system, lemme tell ya.

Worked fine for the Canada Line in Vancouver, whose corridor continues to densify rapidly.

 

If we waited for the business case to be at the break even point before every piece of infrastructure is built, nothing will get built.

 

Portions of Edmonton's LRT are terrible located and only contribute to congestion. The portions that are well built, such as Northlands to downtown, are great. The saying should be: "If you build it well, they will come."

[VicHockeyFan]

If we waited for the business case to be at the break even point before every piece of infrastructure is built, nothing will get built.

 

Right.  And that's why nothing will get built here.  Not a single politician in Victoria, Esquimalt, View Royal and Colwood have said they will highly densify the route.  Thus, it'll never be built.

[Rob Randall]

The B.C. Passenger Transportation Board has given Greyhound Canada permission to stop serving northern British Columbia and southern Vancouver Island.

The decision was posted on their website today. 

The application has drawn widespread criticism from community leaders in northern B.C. who point out there are few options for people without cars to get from community to community in the region.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...rn-bc-1.4545836

[VicHockeyFan]

http://www.timescolo...oute-1.23181607

That article says Wilson’s wants to run the Island runs that Greyhound is dripping. But last week Vic News had an article saying Wilson’s was denied.

Dunno....

[Nparker]

No one can drip quite like Greyhound.

[VicHockeyFan]

So now the TC has clarified that Wilson’s was rejected.

http://www.timescolo...ered-1.23183041

[tjv]

^why does a company even need permission to run that route?  do they get subsidies?

[VicHockeyFan]

No subsidy.  But you have to ask permission I guess.

 

Look, one thing that is killing inter-city bus transport, for locals, is mass communications.  If you live in Red Deer and need to go to Calgary or Edmonton, in 1992, you had to call 23 friends and ask who might be going.  Today you just throw it up on social media, or e-mail or msg. 23 friends in a blink.

 

Every day, thousands of cars travel between the centres, you just need to find ones with empty space (most have it).

[Jackerbie]

^why does a company even need permission to run that route?  do they get subsidies?

 

They need a license to operate a passenger service, and the authority to issue those licenses is given in the BC Passenger Transportation Act to the Passenger Transportation Board.

[North Shore]

^ Fair enough, but if Wilson's figures they can make a go of it where Greyhound couldn't, why should the PTB get to say any different? It's not like they're protecting the public from the sudden failure of a route - that's already happened...

[VicHockeyFan]

^ Fair enough, but if Wilson's figures they can make a go of it where Greyhound couldn't, why should the PTB get to say any different? 

 

The mandate of the board is to see reliable, steady service on the route.  Perhaps by allowing others to run on it as seen as putting that in jeopardy.

[Jackerbie]

The mandate of the board is to see reliable, steady service on the route.  Perhaps by allowing others to run on it as seen as putting that in jeopardy.

 

Exactly. I imagine part of the reasoning was that is it better to have the former Greyhound customers migrate to existing services, strengthening those business, rather than introduce a new player and risk diluting the market. Not saying I approve of the decision (or the need to have the Board make the decision in the first place), but I understand the possible line of argument.

[Sparky]

Greyhound Parcel Express is now located at Burnside and Alpha.

 

[aastra]

No more BC Resident's fare for Wilson's Connector? When did that end?

[Nparker]

Does anyone know what this is all about?

Not exactly the best location for an inter-city bus passenger terminal.

[tjv]

^ Fair enough, but if Wilson's figures they can make a go of it where Greyhound couldn't, why should the PTB get to say any different? It's not like they're protecting the public from the sudden failure of a route - that's already happened...

I would agree, just a prime example of too much government.  If a private business wants to start up, invest their own capital I say go for it

 

Don't get me started on government approval needed for Uber in BC.  The biggest joke I have seen