Taking a look at Translinks' newest Transit Centre in South Vancouver Big thanks to Movement for letting me tag along to the Vancouver Transit Centre! Check them out here: www.transitmov... Filmed March 2024
Great introductory video! I'm looking forward to seeing this project progress, it's crazy how many things TransLink is working on right now! And those folks at Movement sure are doing some good stuff aren't they 😉
Thanks so much for sharing this! I’m loving all the update videos you’re posting, great footage and helpful explanations for all the construction details. Really helps explain to a layman like me all the hard work that goes into making our transit infrastructure work!
I live in the area and was aware this was being built and was anticipating the hammering noise of piles being driven for weeks at a time. Really cool that they've already been installing piles via concrete injection silently. Also I wasn't aware that space for a waterfront ROW was being included.
It's funny that you mentioned the right of way for a future trail along the Fraser river. There is an immediate need for the Vancouver Transit Center (which you visit in this vid) to provide a right of way along one corner of their yard, to prevent trespassing on what I assume is Musquem land. The Fraser River Trail - (Hudson Gateway) is a dead-end trail that runs between the Vancouver Transit center & the Fraser river. It dead-ends because of fenced off private property with no-trespassing signs. But the fences are cut as soon as they are repaired. Surely the Transit center can afford to give up a 72 meter by 2 meter right of way?
There is also an immediate need for those un-used tracks to be converted into a cycling route to connect the Kent ave bikeway (where it ends at Ontario st) with the Canada line bridge ped/cycle path, and on to the south end of the Arbutus greenway. That is a connection will a real need, as evidence by all the nearby trespassing. But a street-car would be nice too. ;-)
Nice. Subbed. I have watched the clearing and early prep of this property from the bike path on the Canada Line bridge and have been curious about what it was going to be. Is the transit yard a couple KM west moving here? That one is not too old if I recall. As for the old rail line, I would like to see an extension of the Arbutus Greenway from its abrupt end at 75th to at least this new hub and the bridge above with some form of improved cycling/walking continuing east. The current use of Kent is not ideal to say the least. Some type of tram from the hub east to the River District could be good if the ridership is there. As always, $$$ is the stumbling block.
Hi! The current Vancouver Transit Centre which is just down the road under the Arthur Laing bridge isn't going anywhere. That's where the trolley fleet operates along with CNG and diesel buses. I haven't seen anything yet about extending the green way in the short term, but I suspect it will happen at some point. Seeing a streetcar or LRT run along the corridor connecting south Vancouver would be great, but there's no timeline currently for it.
Another great video! I didn't know what that space was for. I've said for years they should put a skytrain above that unused CN line. From what I understand it goes all the way to new west. It would be a great growth corridor and the river district community is already dense. Also Vancouver lacks cross city transit. It would be a way to reduce traffic on the east west connector.
Hi there! I really like your videos, thanks for always bringing fresh info. Today you mentioned the rails that go all the way to the river district and to Burnaby. I have some friends living on East Kent Ave S and we are wondering why are they leaving those tracks for. We hope it is for a future transit system. If you find out something about it, we would really appreciate it.
Glad you like my videos! As far as I can tell the line along West and East Kent is still owned by CP, just not in use anymore. It will probably stay as is until the city or Translink buy it for a future project, but there's no timeline on that currently.
@@StainerTheFirst thank you very much for the quick response. It would be great to see a future development on that line. I will stay tunned to your videos.
Discussion has been made on the technology and impact on the surrounding area; now let's go into how this may affect allocation. The lease on the west lot at VTC is due to expire in 2027 so in addition to the diesel routes moving out, I forsee Marpole taking on the 100 and 80, which will allow Hamilton to (yet again) absorb another major Surrey Route if need be by the time 2027 rolls around. To get a better picture, we have to see how the post-Broadway Subway timetable revision will affect the distribution of articulated buses (+ service hours) from the shortened 99 B-Line. In fact this is a strong candidate for MTC to take over.
The scope of work here is stunning. Just lift up this huge site out of silt and mud by 4.6 metres! Thanks for bringing this to broader attention. Strange there's no plan for hydrogen buses?
It's pretty neat what they can do with modern construction. Looking into hydrogen buses, there was a test study done with 20 buses for BC transit starting in 2009. www.nrel.gov/docs/fy14osti/62317.pdf I'm a big fan of hydrogen and would love to see it used more, but we might still be a few years away from it. I'll read up about it and possibly add a bit in the next update about the MTC.
Kent st rail...streetcar? How about a west coast express type train.... South Granville through Burnaby over the river at New West and through Surrey...with Bus lines attaching to various stations such as Market Corners, South Main , New West Center, etc...
As far as I know, no, trolleys aren't going anywhere. It sounds like the next gen trolleys will be like battery electrics but with the ability to charge while in motion from overhead lines.
@@eugenetswong While they're new to us, they've been in service for a while in Europe with great results. We'll be getting the mature version of the technology.
Ya, the "electric only" bus idea is dead on arrival. Europes way ahead and their battery / trolley combo looks like the best match for Vancouver. Oddly, the city just finished major work on Marine Dr. but didn't add a bus lane west bound? Oh, they did block the curb lane with a dumb bike path out cropping no one will ever use.
Given the track record of battery electric buses so far, I seriously hope this project doesn't become a giant white elephant awaiting technology that isn't coming anytime soon. We already have electric buses, they're called trolleys and take unlimited power from overhead wires, I dunno why they don't just keep expanding that network.
For for virtue signaling that they care about the environment. Even just using diesel is alreayd a huge achievement. Every spare dollar should be pumped into frequency.
I'm very interested to see how the battery electric bus program goes. While they may not be the-end-all-be all solution, I'm sure as the technology gets better they'll be a very useful addition to the system. I ride one them on the 100 route, the way they accelerate is fun.
@@StainerTheFirst One problem is that we are so focused on CO2 emissions at the time of consumption, that we don't factor in the savings/costs to build a hyrdo dam or wind turbine.
It's really too bad that the city didn't force them to extend the seawall path along the river. Translink got away with it because they didn't have to rezone the land. It's also a gross use of land when Translink already has a bus centre nearby- It's not unreasonable for this part of the river to be treated like other seaside areas of the city.
@@StainerTheFirst not according to the city. The time to do it was when this was approved, not hope translink will do the right thing, because they legally don’t have to, and the city has no stick anymore to make them.
