Vancouver's Broadway Line: North America's busiest bus corridor

That photo is capital-C crazy.

But it isn't surprising. The numbers of people using the 99 don't capture the entire UBC-bound transit picture. I used to take the 99, but now that UBC has roped me back into its orbit, I've started taking the relatively new 33 that travels along East 33rd avenue, Cambie Street and West 16th avenue until it gets to UBC. It's ridiculous how busy that local non-express bus can be. I had to get it at an abnormally early 7am this morning and I assumed it would've been smooth sailing with hardly anyone on it. Wrong, the bus was packed (all seats taken with those standing sandwiched together) by about Oak Street. Similar things happen along all east-west UBC bound commuter lines.

It's obvious that the demand for improved rapid transit is there, but with the Surrey lines being prioritized, the region is putting politics ahead of prudent planning. I understand that politically they can't be seen as putting "all" or "the best" service in Vancouver proper. But the fact of the matter is that Vancouver proper is where the transit-oriented demand exists, thus it makes more sense to spend the limited amount of money there. I don't even agree with the UBC-line advocates on a UBC bound train being "equally important" as the Surrey lines. I'd argue the UBC line is more important. Ideally enough money should be raised to fund a massive expansion region wide thus funding and building both as quickly as possible. Thus we wouldn't even have to have this debate, but of course money is tight and decisions need to be made.

This isn't even just about UBC, there are a lot of important destinations along the Broadway corridor route that indicate it would be a more logical target for expansion than anything in Surrey. For starters the Millennium line should at least link up with the Canada line line to prevent the whole need for people coming from the east to switch to the b-line when travelling to Richmond or the Airport. It would also give people an alternative way to get downtown and take pressure off the Broadway and Commercial stations on the Expo and Millennium lines. This is a clear and obvious hole in the rapid-transit network. I completely agree about the Evergreen line making this situation worse. Once that's built there will be an increase in transit commuters putting even more pressure on a system that appears to be busting at the seams. Think that picture of the b-line is bad now? Imagine what it'll be like when the Evergreen line is built.

There's also the "Central Broadway" area from about Main Street to Arbutus that's full of important employment destinations like City Hall, the various Hospitals and countless offices. All of these areas draw massive amounts of commuters. From what I remember it's the second biggest employment centre in the province outside of Downtown Vancouver itself. If served properly it would be a huge public transit draw. Even with the over-worked buses and Canada line it still draws many of its commuters by transit. The neighbourhoods further west of Arbutus along the Broadway corridor are actually quite dense and would provide a far more logical market for rapid transit than the sprawling low density areas of Surrey that any line there would travel through. Outside of "Central Broadway" there are other destinations along the Broadway corridor that draw region wide visitors that aren't even commuting. People often go to Main Street, or Kits, or the various beaches that would be a short walk away from any stations in the Kits, or Point Grey areas. I can't imagine many people who don't live or work along the imagined lines in Surrey travelling in that direction for pleasure. To be blunt the reason is simple. There's not a whole lot out there that can be served by rapid transit. The only beaches in Surrey are in South Surrey and it's unlikely skytrain will ever reach that area. The only "popular" neighbourhoods that draw region wide visitors are Surrey Centre because of SFU Surrey and that density that's already there (besides it's already served by Skytrain) and Cloverdale (which isn't that dense, but is unique).

The logical response of the Surrey line first advocates might be that it has the potential to help shape neighbourhoods along that route. The simple difference between expanded rapid transit there and expanded rapid transit along Broadway can be boiled down to a few simple points.

*Broadway is already dense and already has the ingredients necessary to support a successful rapid transit line. These things haven't already been built in Surrey. The density isn't there and it may yet not be for quite some time.

*The Broadway corridor is denser thus making an expensive extension of rapid transit more effective in a cost per person moved calculation. Any Surrey lines will are not now, nor likely to soon be, as dense as thus making it less effective in a cost per person moved calculation. Besides which, I'd argue that Surrey would be better served by an improvement in the overall reach of transit. Translink needs to build a more frequent and more geographically expansive bus network in the suburbs where people don't have to walk as far or wait as long for a bus. Until that happens people aren't going to be plucked from their cars. At best they'll drive to suburban rapid transit stations.

*If you build any rapid transit line that will take more money from bus service. Along Broadway this won't have as much of an impact because people who live or need to travel to areas within about 15 minutes walk north or south of Broadway are still easily served by a rapid transit line. In fact this will free up bus resources for the rest of the region. This isn't necessarily the case in Surrey where there's more of a dispersal of destinations. So if money is taken away from the bus system there, then the whole transit system will be less effective thus making a rapid transit line less helpful in building a more frequent and expansive transit system.

*Building in Surrey first will encourage more growth in the suburbs, farther away from employment and destination zones. This isn't particularly environmentally sustainable. Despite what people like Patrick Condon (who advocates for Streetcars and "complete" neighbourhoods where people don't have to make cross-regional trips) thinks, many people will still need to make cross regional trips on a regular basis. Destinations like UBC, SFU, the Airport, Downtown Vancouver, various iconic neighbourhoods or natural attractions aren't destinations that can be easily replicated across the region. Even SFU, who've done a good job of spreading significant functions of their campus throughout the region making it more accessible to a greater number of people, still have large numbers of students and faculty that on a regular basis need to get to different campuses (Harbour Centre, SFU Surrey and the main campus). It's just reality.

Is the Vancouver bus riders' union still active?

The Evergreen Line needs to be built before anything else. You are right thought that the problem is the powers that be are building bridges and car accesses instead of public transport. The city hadn't spent a fortune to build the Cambie line underground they would have been able to build other things. The cost overruns for placating the business owners desire not to have unsightly above ground transportation were ridiculous.

Also private/public institutions play a major role in the planning. The airport line was promoted by an anointed board of the Airport Authority against the plan developed by elected people working with transportation planners. The university corporations CEO's are very good at trying to push public policy to accommodate their needs. Like building a gondola to SFU to deal with the students that have to go up Burnaby Mountain. It really sucks that university students create their own transit traffic jam but the overall rider statistics don't point to the rich kids getting to school as the first priority. Metro Vancouver is a large area with about a quarter of the population living in the city of Vancouver. There are tens of thousands of regular working people who need transit to get from Coquitlam to New West and from Burnaby to Port Moody etc etc.

The Chinese seem to be appointing people to transportation planning based on qualifications not like Translink where getting anointed to determine transportation policy is based on business ties.

This is pretty fucked.

[url=http://www.vancouversun.com/news/metro/Green+Party+tough+with+SkyTrain+f... Party say get tough with SkyTrain fare evaders[/url]

Quote:

The Green Party of B.C. wants a get-tough approach to SkyTrain fare evaders that includes escalating fines for unpaid tickets and posters of repeat offenders displayed at stations.

"Passengers found without proof of payment on SkyTrain should be removed from the train/station and fined with no exceptions ensuring that all people are treated equal, eliminating bias based on gender, age, race or political affiliation," said the party in a statement released today.

Umm... hello? Does anyone in the Greens have a class analysis? And wouldn't things like race, gender, age - and ability - also factor into that analysis?

Quote:

The Green Party of B.C., which does not have any members in the legislature, said fines should be on a sliding scale. Paid instantly, they should be $100. If paid in one week, they would rise to $125, and to $200 if the ticket is submitted to a collection agency. The fines for unpaid fares are now $173. About four per cent of passengers don't pay their fares, according to Translink.

So if you're wealthy enough to be carrying $100 cash on you (or maybe have it available through debit or credit cards) your fine is 20% less than someone who doesn't have that kind of money to hand-over immediately?

Quote:

Posters of repeat fare evaders should be displayed at SkyTrain stations and in buses, with these people banned from public transit until their debts are paid, said the party.

"Not only would this shame offenders, it would likely lead to higher paid ridership levels and ticket payment compliance along with improving public safety," said the Greens.

Wow. I'm so glad I stopped supporting the Greens years ago.

If you want to talk about Translink waste then its Golden Ears bridge and the new Port Mann. We need all the transit lines not more tolled bridges like the Golden Ears.  The one thing you never hear on Metro traffic reports is there is a delay getting onto the Golden Ears.  The bridges are P3 deals that guarantee a minimum number of tolls even if no one except businesses with tax expense right offs and the rich can afford the toll and $2.00 gas. 

The people on the West side of Vancouver will never accept an above ground system. Although more costly, it will be built underground.

I can't imagine that the outcry won't be so great that they won't change this stupid decision. Is a fare good within the region or not? If not, then drop the price on bus fares.

Perhaps when the lineups at bus stops gets long enough they'll realize how messed up it is.

A long list of public transit gripes in a so-called world-class city

Today I was asked over Twitter what my complaints are about Vancouver transit. (Context: Petition calls for TransLink to scrap plans for “double transit fee” on cash purchases.)

As a person who's been riding this shit-tastic system for seven years, here's a list in no particular order:

• TransLink's new fare-gate system will never pay for itself. One of its original selling points was a claim it's a necessary measure to stop fare evasion. Only four percent of fares are evaded, which is, at best, a $10 million per year savings. The cost of maintaining this new system is estimated at $15 million per year, which means it will never pay for itself....

http://www.straight.com/blogra/410341/long-list-public-transit-gripes-so...

quote:

So let's call this what it really is: this is a war on the poor. The people who most often use coins on the bus are the poor; by not allowing them to use their transfer for the SkyTrain—you'd have to pay twice to ride, or buy rent a Compass pass—you are penalizing the poor....

Here's my suggestion: 

Vancouver transit riders: LET'S STRIKE. No more paying for a sub-par service that keeps gouging the poor left & right #strike #yvr

— Miranda Nelson, August 14, 2013

TransLink announces "equitable" service reductions, but no word on any pay cuts for executives or police

TransLink has announced a series of money-saving moves, including the elimination of free travel on Sunday and holidays for family members of monthly pass holders.

Last year, TransLink spokesperson Ken Hardie told the Straight that when fare gates would be introduced at SkyTrain and Canada Line stations this year, those with adult monthly fare cards would still be able to bring along a spouse and up to four children under 13.

“All we can tell you right now is that the offering will still be there,” Hardie promised at the time. “How it will work—at this point, we don’t have that detail for you.”

Today, however, TransLink's executive vice president, Bob Paddon, announced in a news release that the board of directors has decided to eliminate this benefit on January 1.

This and other changes are designed to make the system "more equitable", TransLink stated.

In addition, TransLink is scrapping the employer pass program on January 1. It offers a 15 percent discount to workers who make a 12-month commitment to buy monthly transit passes.

FareSaver tickets are also going to be phased out next year, with discounts becoming available through a "stored value option" on the new Compass Cards.

The West Coast Express's seven-day pass and 28-day pass are also on the chopping block, effective January 1. 

Passengers who want to take a bicycle on the West Coast Express will no longer have to pay a $1 fee.

"We took a good hard look at our programs to determine which ones still make sense," Paddon said in the news release. "We found some programs benefited a select few people and companies."

The news release made no mention of any salary rollbacks at TransLink.

TransLink's most recent statement of financial information reveals that 59 of the 169 constables on the transportation authority's police force earned more than $100,000 in 2011.

Meanwhile, TransLink CEO Ian Jarvis was paid $382,954 in 2011. Six other executives, including Paddon, collected more than $240,000 in annual compensation.

Last year, TransLink generated $1.42 billion in revenue and reported $1.43 billion in expenditures.

http://www.straight.com/news/405326/translink-announces-equitable-servic...

..what a fucking disaster that is translink.

Cubic Signs $220 Million Contract to Design, Build, Operate and Maintain Vancouver Smart Card and Faregate System

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - January 27, 2011 – TransLink, the Greater Vancouver transit authority, has awarded Cubic Transportation Systems, Inc., a business unit of Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB), a contract valued at $220 million to deliver and operate a new smart card fare payment and revenue management system for the region’s rail, bus, ferry and paratransit services.

The base contract for $84 million includes the design, build and installation of the system, which will include new faregates, to be delivered by 2013. Following delivery, a 10-year services contract valued at approximately $13 million per year, plus a one-time $6 million transition cost, will begin. The contract includes an option for five additional years of services. 

TransLink’s new system will be built on Cubic’s Nextfare® technology, which has been fielded in more than a dozen major transit systems. The Nextfare system gives transit operators better reliability, revenue recovery from fare evasion and valuable business data to support planning and transit services.

http://www.cubic.com/News/Press-Releases/ID/170/Cubic-Signs-220-Million-...

.....

Cubic Corporation

quote:

Mission Support Services -an industry leader in providing comprehensive support services for all echelons of national militaries and security forces in the U.S. and allied nations.

Cubic Defense Applications -the leading provider of live air and ground combat training systems worldwide, a key supplier of virtual and immersive training systems, communications and electronics products, and an emerging provider of cyber technologies and global tracking solutions for commercial and national military customers.

Cubic Transportation Systems -the leading provider of revenue collection management systems and services worldwide. Cubic has provided products, systems and services in nearly 60 nations. Cubic Transportation Systems' employees work from more than 130 locations in approximately 20 nations.

http://wiki.project-pm.org/wiki/Cubic_Corporation

Fare strike

A fare strike is a direct action in which people in a city with a public transit system carry out mass fare evasion as a method of protest. Jumping turnstiles, boarding buses through the back or very quickly through the front, and leaving doors open in subway stations are some tactics used. In some cases, transit operators obstruct the fare box to prevent anyone from paying. Often, fare strikes are used to protest against fare hikes and service cuts, but they can also organize solidarity between riders and drivers.....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fare_strike

TransLink's Compass fare card could create big challenges for Vancouver's poor

The rollout of TransLink’s new Compass fare card could make it impossible for social-service providers to continue to offer transit assistance to people living in poverty, several groups have warned.

The Carnegie Community Centre Association’s Tamara Herman explained that some organizations working in the Downtown Eastside give people FareSaver tickets for transport to important meetings like medical and counselling appointments, job interviews, and court appearances.

“With the Compass cards, we are not going to be able to buy them at $6 a card every time we need to give somebody a bus ticket,” she told the Straight. “It is really going to put a strain on our already strained budgets and just make that impossible.”...

http://www.straight.com/news/412081/translinks-compass-fare-card-could-c...

Vision’s Trojan Train on Broadway

Few feel that the construction of the Canada Line was a positive experience for local residents, merchants and taxpayers, but Vancouver’s current developer friendly City Council feels that it deserves to be replicated on the Broadway corridor between Clark Drive and UBC.

According to the Metro’s summary of the report that Council warmly received, it will cost $2.8 billion to provide Broadway corridor rapid transit. The line will simply have to run through a tunnel. Whereas to run at-grade transit or elevated rapid transit, “it would remove 90 percent of parking, restrict turning at 90 percent of intersections, narrow sidewalks and chop trees.” In the City transportation director’s own words, “[i]n fact, the entire corridor would have to be rebuilt from building face to building face.”

This apocalyptic scenario demonstrates the power of the unstated premise: the removal of vehicular traffic. Unstated in all this is the assumption that not one square centimeter of space allocated for moving private vehicles could possibly be sacrificed in order to build more environmentally friendly transportation infrastructure. Whatever public transportation gained in space would have to be seized from merchants, pedestrians and shoppers, because the private car as transportation method is untouchable.

Also unstated is the way senior bureaucrats are being asked to construct a false binary between, on one hand, a $3 billion mega-project and on the other, a bus system already stretched beyond capacity. Off the table is the original elevated Skytrain technology with angle parking underneath. Similarly, all the work done in eliminating turning restrictions pioneered by the Toronto Transit Commission on the St. Clair streetcar route in the last decade is carefully ignored. It’s an expensive, completely unnecessary tunnel or nothing.....

http://themainlander.com/2012/12/06/visions-trojan-train-on-broadway/

 I agree, although UBC And VH folks should have been present. Who sent out the invites?

Build Broadway subway, not towers: Urban Land Institute tells Vancouver

Metro File/Jennifer GauthierPassengers wait to board the 99 B-Line along the Broadway corridor in this file photo.

After three days pounding the pavement along the Broadway corridor, a group of American experts discovered what anyone squeezed onto the 99 B-Line could tell you in a heartbeat.

“The existing transit along the Broadway corridor is essentially a failure – it barely works,” said Dick Reynolds, one of five experts sent by the Urban Land Institute. He spoke at an event to present their research on the best way to develop the 13-kilometre stretch from Commercial Drive to UBC.

The panel recommended a subway as the best option for mass transit to UBC, which Reynolds dubbed the “500-pound gorilla in the room,” as on street light rail transit would be majorly disruptive to the street’s personality.

The subway should be constructed with boring technology instead of the cut-and-cover method that plagued Cambie Street during Canada Line construction, Reynolds said.

But the city mustn’t use the expensive transit as an excuse to rezone the neighbourhood for massive buildings. The panelists found neighbours feared density automatically meant towers, to which west side residents were fiercely opposed.

“You guys do high-rises very nicely, but you’re sort of drunk on high-rises,” Reynolds said, noting they just don’t fit in some neighbourhoods. “You don’t need towers everywhere.”

The experts met with the city, TransLink and residents, but questioned why UBC and the health industry surrounding Vancouver General Hospital weren’t at the table considering their massive impact on employment and growth along the corridor.

It will be crucial to get the “meds and eds” onside, Reynolds said, adding they should be willing to open their chequebooks.

The findings validated the city’s insistence that a subway is the only option to meet demand, Coun. Geoff Meggs said. (Neither the city nor the province paid a dime for the independent research.)

It’s an “anti-congestion” plan that will be part of a regional strategy, he said, adding the province needs to give UBC the green light to participate.

http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/933986/build-broadway-subway-not-towe...

New forecasts, same delusions for Port Mann Bridge

http://www.thetyee.ca/Blogs/TheHook/2014/02/14/Port-Mann-Delusions/

HandyDART Riders’ Alliance 1st Public Meeting!

1:30pm - 3:30pm

Saturday March 1 2014

Venue: 411 Seniors Centre,

Address: #704-333 Terminal Ave. (5 min east from Main Street SkyTrain station)

Cost: Free

Accessibility: Accessible

The HandyDART Riders’ Alliance is a new group of HandyDART riders and allies working for better HandyDART and accessible transit service.

The provincial government has reneged on their promise to fund transit improvements including HandyDART, and trip denials have gone up over 600% as a result. Service quality has also deteriorated, with riders routinely forced to wait for hours.

Everyone benefits from better transit, including our growing population of older seniors and people with disabilities. It is time to make major investments in transit including HandyDART, to make Metro Vancouver a livable and age friendly region. It is time to get organized!

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