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Traffic congestion in Victoria and the south Island


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#101 Coreyburger

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 08:14 AM

I'd be all for a regional transit authority, but having Screech promote it is an oxymoron.  Stinks of a disingenuous agenda.

 

We have a regional transit authority already. It just has a terrible governance structure and is divorced from the rest of the transpo & land use discussions.



#102 Mike K.

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 08:34 AM

Isn’t it a transit commission, not an authority?

The commission has no real power, it’s just a step in BCT’s planning efforts.

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#103 Coreyburger

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 09:59 AM

Isn’t it a transit commission, not an authority?

The commission has no real power, it’s just a step in BCT’s planning efforts.

 

No. The commission controls BCT's Victoria operations including budget. It controls taxation as much as the province will let it.



#104 Mike K.

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 10:12 AM

Controls their operations how? Taxes and budgets are no more control of BC Transit than the Police Board control's Victoria's police department.


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#105 Coreyburger

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 10:27 AM

Controls their operations how? Taxes and budgets are no more control of BC Transit than the Police Board control's Victoria's police department.

 

As per the Act (cribbed from the commission page)

"

  • determining route configurations and transit service levels,
  • setting fares,
  • reviewing and making recommendations for the annual operating budget and capital spending, and
  • raising the local share of the annual cost of transit service in the region."

Take a look at the agenda of a random meeting: service & budget changes must be approved:

https://bctransit.co...s/1403648919920



#106 Mike K.

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 10:38 AM

They yay or nay changes placed before them by BC Transit.

 

The members of the commission are several mayors and councillors from this region. They are not transportation or transit planners. They rubber stamp approvals, question spending, and speak to the media.


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#107 Coreyburger

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Posted 18 January 2018 - 11:12 AM

They yay or nay changes placed before them by BC Transit.

 

The members of the commission are several mayors and councillors from this region. They are not transportation or transit planners. They rubber stamp approvals, question spending, and speak to the media.

 

Which is pretty much the same as they do at their council tables (or the CRD table, or the GVPL table, etc.)


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#108 Citified.ca

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Posted 09 June 2018 - 10:22 AM

Despite-rising-congestion-and-gridlock,-fewer-cars-are-entering-downtown-Victoria-CRD.jpg

Congested traffic on a southern Vancouver Island thoroughfare. Data from the Capital Regional District shows vehicular travel to and from downtown Victoria is on the decline despite rising congestion and gridlocked streets in the city centre.
 
Despite rising congestion and gridlock, fewer cars are entering downtown Victoria: CRD
https://victoria.cit...n-victoria-crd/


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#109 tjv

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:27 AM

So I would like to point out that Saanich and Victoria can ban plastic bags, but they can't time the stupid traffic lights on Blanshard.  Anyone want to take a guess how many thousands of extra gallons of fuel are burned by stopping and starting down that street.  I think its a drop in the bucket compared to the fuel used to make plastic single use bags.


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#110 Cats4Hire

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:32 AM

So I would like to point out that Saanich and Victoria can ban plastic bags, but they can't time the stupid traffic lights on Blanshard.  Anyone want to take a guess how many thousands of extra gallons of fuel are burned by stopping and starting down that street.  I think its a drop in the bucket compared to the fuel used to make plastic single use bags.

but they need traffic to slow down! Yet idling is apparently the worst thing you can do but they seem to enjoy making people do it all day (Douglas is pretty bad about lights too and I doubt syncing the lights is going to allow anyone to go faster than 50 since there's still other factors causing back ups.



#111 Coreyburger

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:37 AM

So I would like to point out that Saanich and Victoria can ban plastic bags, but they can't time the stupid traffic lights on Blanshard.  Anyone want to take a guess how many thousands of extra gallons of fuel are burned by stopping and starting down that street.  I think its a drop in the bucket compared to the fuel used to make plastic single use bags.

 

Blanshard north of Tolmie is Ministry-owned and controlled. Complain to them.



#112 DustMagnet

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:45 AM

but they need traffic to slow down! Yet idling is apparently the worst thing you can do but they seem to enjoy making people do it all day (Douglas is pretty bad about lights too and I doubt syncing the lights is going to allow anyone to go faster than 50 since there's still other factors causing back ups.

 

Maybe they need to mandate auto-stop-start engines in all new vehicles to avoid the idling emissions.  Then it wouldn't matter the reason for the congestion, the effects that are of concern would be mitigated.



#113 DustMagnet

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:46 AM

Blanshard north of Tolmie is Ministry-owned and controlled. Complain to them.

 

What can they do about the plastic bag bans?



#114 Cats4Hire

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 11:59 AM

Maybe they need to mandate auto-stop-start engines in all new vehicles to avoid the idling emissions. Then it wouldn't matter the reason for the congestion, the effects that are of concern would be mitigated.


I'm not a huge car expert but I'm pretty sure I've heard from people in the debate on if you should turn your car off or not at red lights that turning the car on uses a lot more resources than leaving it running. If that is true that would be worse.

#115 DustMagnet

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 12:22 PM

I'm not a huge car expert but I'm pretty sure I've heard from people in the debate on if you should turn your car off or not at red lights that turning the car on uses a lot more resources than leaving it running. If that is true that would be worse.

Oh I was referring to the cars that do that automatically - you don't have to turn your engine off.  It turns off automatically when you stop and starts again as soon as you lift your foot off the brake.

 

I've also heard that stopping and starting a regular car all the time is worse off, but if it's designed to do that then I guess it's not.



#116 tjv

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 12:37 PM

but they need traffic to slow down! Yet idling is apparently the worst thing you can do but they seem to enjoy making people do it all day (Douglas is pretty bad about lights too and I doubt syncing the lights is going to allow anyone to go faster than 50 since there's still other factors causing back ups.

Uhhh, we need to go faster not slower.  Those stupid new 40 zones all over Victoria, I just ignore them and continue going 50 like I always have.

 

Blanshard north of Tolmie is Ministry-owned and controlled. Complain to them.

I believe its Cloverdale, are you sure its Tolmie?  Regardless there are still what 15 intersections south of there that aren't timed

 

Maybe they need to mandate auto-stop-start engines in all new vehicles to avoid the idling emissions.  Then it wouldn't matter the reason for the congestion, the effects that are of concern would be mitigated.

and what about the thousands of gallons of fuel spent getting the car up to speed only to have to brake less than a thousand feet later?  I'm just saying lets get the cars up to 50 and time the lights accordingly.  Europe is like this and if you go something like 60 you can expect to be sitting and waiting at the next light


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#117 Coreyburger

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 12:46 PM

I believe its Cloverdale, are you sure its Tolmie?  Regardless there are still what 15 intersections south of there that aren't timed

 

Very sure. Douglas and Blanshard within Saanich are entirely under the control of the Ministry (to the curb)



#118 Cats4Hire

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 01:43 PM

Uhhh, we need to go faster not slower.  

 

That was sarcasm since that's the reason given for not timing the lights



#119 DustMagnet

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 02:04 PM

Those stupid new 40 zones all over Victoria, I just ignore them and continue going 50 like I always have.

 

 

 

By observation this is most people.  Research shows that on average people will drive a road at a speed they feel comfortable so if you want people to drive faster or slower you don't just post a limit and hope for the best, you design the road to be comfortable at the maximum speed, e.g. traffic-calming measures in some places, and streamlining in others.

Now I know most people thing that a unicorn in their garden is more likely than streamlining, but even things like adding turn lanes to help the through traffic flow count towards that.

 

 

and what about the thousands of gallons of fuel spent getting the car up to speed only to have to brake less than a thousand feet later?  I'm just saying lets get the cars up to 50 and time the lights accordingly.  Europe is like this and if you go something like 60 you can expect to be sitting and waiting at the next light

 

If Europe is the example we're gonna need more roundabouts and traffic circles.  And also much better mass transit (spread that fuel usage over more people) and then people using that mass transit.


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#120 RFS

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Posted 10 July 2018 - 02:36 PM

I tend to drive even faster than i normally would in the 40 zones out of spite. Im not satisfied until Lisa's smiley face sign frowns at me
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