9623 replies to this topic

[Cats4Hire]

Does anyone here remember (Cats4Hire, I’m looking in your direction) B.C. Transit last year making a big deal about changing the front and rear bus route indicators to read OFF instead of NOT IN SERVICE or NVC on the back? Something about better indicating the status of the bus for customer service reasons (or something vapid like that)?

It seems like they have quietly gone back to the previous model. I can’t find anything online anywhere and I could have sworn that I read about it in the Tiny Colonialist.

I jumped back to the discussion of it in this thread (276 and 277) and don't see any official comment from BC Transit or a TC link (although I think there was a Transit employee in the thread talking about it). I don't really remember if there was an official statement about the signs at any point although it is kind of funny the OFF thing only last 4 months.

[Cats4Hire]

If anyone here takes the 66 or 99 they estimate it will take 3.5 hours to get home tonight (and will have a break somewhere in the Westshore area) https://bctransit.co...d=1403649873446

[Mike K.]

That’s physically impossible. The Circle Route on a normal day takes 3.5 hours. It’ll take approximately 4.5-5 hours to run that route today.

[Cats4Hire]

So Mike K has mentioned before how terrible the Dockyard/Westshore connection is via bus but I never realized it was bad here too. My brother got a job at Dockyard (although a little up Admirals road so the 15 and 26 aren't very helpful here). He starts at 7:15 AM and what he has to do is take the first 31 of the day (meaning he's leaving the house just after 6) which is all well and good but then he has a 20 minute layover downtown waiting for a 25 to come (it's at Yates/Broad stop at 6:41) a 30 stops by there at 6:39 and he doesn't want to risk that. I can see why Dockyard workers wouldn't want to bus as it seems almost everywhere has bad connections. At least Esquimalt seems to be an area they know needs changing but going by what seems to be going on with the Burnside/Tillicum area stuff I expect this once again to mostly be "here's some unhelpful ideas for changes we'll do no matter how you guys vote" 

[sebberry]

I didn't realize that the left turn from TCH to Carey was being closed as part of this bus lane thing.  That's a LOT of people who will be using the already dangerous and congested Douglas & Saanich intersection. 

 

You want to get cars off of the bus/bike route and you close off the first opportunity drivers really have to move over to Blanshard. 

[lanforod]

Yeah; there is a problem there with moving traffic in and out of Uptown and over to Blanshard. I'm not sure what the solution would be that doesn't involve a new full intersection though.

[DustMagnet]

Alternatively this could push that traffic to leave the TCH at Tillicum to connect to Carey, or along Cadillac to Carey.

[Cats4Hire]

You want to get cars off of the bus/bike route and you close off the first opportunity drivers really have to move over to Blanshard. 

Wouldn't McKenzie be the first opportunity? I guess it is a little far though... I never liked turning up Carey from Douglas unless I'm continuing on Carey or going to Uptown. Ravine gets far too backed up to make it worth it (combined with basically having to wait for the Saanich light most times to even get the chance to turn left anyway).

[57WestHills]

I didn't realize that the left turn from TCH to Carey was being closed as part of this bus lane thing. That's a LOT of people who will be using the already dangerous and congested Douglas & Saanich intersection.

You want to get cars off of the bus/bike route and you close off the first opportunity drivers really have to move over to Blanshard.

That is going to be awful for emergency services. Surprised that got approved? That's the way Police & Ambulance divert from heavy traffic.

[nagel]

That is going to be awful for emergency services. Surprised that got approved? That's the way Police & Ambulance divert from heavy traffic.

Presumably they will be able to use the bus-only shoulders of the highway, and the bus lanes south of Saanich Road as well.  I suppose there will be some congestion in the bus lanes south of Saanich, but on the shoulders, there should never be any general purpose vehicles in them (although I'm laughing because cars go wherever the F they want to despite rules).

[Coreyburger]

I didn't realize that the left turn from TCH to Carey was being closed as part of this bus lane thing.  That's a LOT of people who will be using the already dangerous and congested Douglas & Saanich intersection. 

 

You want to get cars off of the bus/bike route and you close off the first opportunity drivers really have to move over to Blanshard. 

 

Unsignalized left turns are a disaster waiting to happen. Two solutions: close the turn or fully signalize it. I favour the latter - along with some roadway changes to make it clear the highway ends at Carey and you are entering an urban area and should not expect to drive quickly.

[Cats4Hire]

I agree, put a signal there and just make Douglas 100% full of signals so that only 1 car can fit. Douglas/TCH can never have too many signals!

[shoeflack]

I didn't realize that the left turn from TCH to Carey was being closed as part of this bus lane thing.  That's a LOT of people who will be using the already dangerous and congested Douglas & Saanich intersection. 

 

You want to get cars off of the bus/bike route and you close off the first opportunity drivers really have to move over to Blanshard. 

 

Sounds like Douglas/Saanich intersection is being upgraded to include dual left turn lanes from Douglas onto Saanich. I image that the intersection reconfiguration will include controlled left turn lanes like what was done at Douglas/Finlayson and is on most of Blanshard. So eliminating much of the danger from that intersection.

[nagel]

Sounds like Douglas/Saanich intersection is being upgraded to include dual left turn lanes from Douglas onto Saanich. I image that the intersection reconfiguration will include controlled left turn lanes like what was done at Douglas/Finlayson and is on most of Blanshard. So eliminating much of the danger from that intersection.

I hope this is a joke.  A dual left turn lane in the middle of an urban area is stupid enough, but one on a 120 degree turn like that one is very dangerous.  That is not an easy turn to make in any vehicle, and to make it a) avoiding vehicles in the left turn lane onto Douglas, b) the second lane of turning vehicles and c) the pedestrian refuge, is going to not go well at all.

[shoeflack]

I hope this is a joke.  A dual left turn lane in the middle of an urban area is stupid enough, but one on a 120 degree turn like that one is very dangerous.  That is not an easy turn to make in any vehicle, and to make it a) avoiding vehicles in the left turn lane onto Douglas, b) the second lane of turning vehicles and c) the pedestrian refuge, is going to not go well at all.

 

The release wasn't overly clear around the turn lane. They say "the Saanich Road intersection will be upgraded for enhanced safety, with two signalized turning lanes for southbound traffic along Douglas Street". I assume that means dual turn lane, but I could be misinterpreting that. At any rate, it sounds like they are upgrading the entire intersection.

[Cats4Hire]

They better. I've been on a couple 30/31s that have been side swiped waiting to turn onto Douglas from cars turning off Douglas. One of them actually knocked the mirror off (although it was a large truck)

[nagel]

Oh, the way I read that presser, the two turning lanes are from Saanich Road onto Douglas SB, not the other way around.

[ryno8097]

Oh, the way I read that presser, the two turning lanes are from Saanich Road onto Douglas SB, not the other way around.

The intersection is being completely redesigned and Saanich/Boleskine is being better aligned (straightened). The two-lane left turn is southbound from TCH to Saanich Rd to replace the loss of the left turn onto Carey Rd. And it will become a controlled left turn as opposed to the existing advance left turn.

[Mike K.]

Oh is that right? Is there a design that we can see that's floating around out there?

[ryno8097]

Oh is that right? Is there a design that we can see that's floating around out there?

I would suggest checking the MOTI website as it is provincial jurisdiction. I have seen the renderings but do not have access to a hard copy.