Hamilton Transit Centre

[Enviro 500]

As I was randomly searching through google, I stumbled upon this page on the website of the city of Richmond, with respect to the details regarding the Hamilton Translink Facility undergoing planning procedures.

http://www.richmond.ca/services/planning/p...tonfacility.htm

So, perhaps this is the "South Burnaby Transit Centre" in rumours? As soon as NVTC's land lease with BC Hydro expire in 2012, work in North Vancouver and Northern Burnaby will be operated by the existing BTC, while Southern Burnaby / Annacis Island routes will be based out of this new Hamilton Transit Centre, "HTC"?

Dave

[VancouversLocalNerd]

I hope they don't close NVTC as TransLink would probably use it as an excuse to retire the 1995 C/D40s.

[GORDOOM]

As soon as NVTC's land lease with BC Hydro expire in 2012, work in North Vancouver and Northern Burnaby will be operated by the existing BTC, while Southern Burnaby / Annacis Island routes will be based out of this new Hamilton Transit Centre, "HTC"?

So then, all CMBC service on the North Shore would be dependent on the Second Narrows crossing. Does anyone else see this as a possible problem?

That being said... the Hamilton site could be very useful. In particular, it's so far east that I could see it being useful to relieve Surrey division as well - and that's a part of the region that desperately needs more service!

Two questions:

1. Any possibility of running artics out of here? Or do they figure, between Richmond and a renovated Surrey, they'll have enough places south of Fraser that can handle them?

2. Any update on plans for Oakridge? If this relieves Burnaby to the point where it can start taking more Vancouver work, I could see TransLink trying again to sell that property to get some more cash. (My worry is, though, if they actually get the funding to start expanding service again, they're going to need that site again someday! Look what happened when they underestimated needs and only bought part of the site for Vancouver TC!)

[alang2]

I hope they don't close NVTC as TransLink would probably use it as an excuse to retire the 1995 C/D40s.

well NVTC is to the max as it is, might just make sense to close it but you've got a point, if the facility is ready by 2012 it fits right into the CMBC 17 year bus lifecycle

That being said... the Hamilton site could be very useful. In particular, it's so far east that I could see it being useful to relieve Surrey division as well - and that's a part of the region that desperately needs more service!

Two questions:

1. Any possibility of running artics out of here? Or do they figure, between Richmond and a renovated Surrey, they'll have enough places south of Fraser that can handle them?

2. Any update on plans for Oakridge? If this relieves Burnaby to the point where it can start taking more Vancouver work, I could see TransLink trying again to sell that property to get some more cash. (My worry is, though, if they actually get the funding to start expanding service again, they're going to need that site again someday! Look what happened when they underestimated needs and only bought part of the site for Vancouver TC!)

well the specs provided in the link seem to be all for 40 foot buses and since STC is getting upgrades to handle 60 footers for the highway route and 399 in 2012 there doesn't seem to be a point. I'm not sure if STC really needs any "relieving" as the yard still has space, its just the lack of buses...

Seems though that Second Narrows isn't as big an issue as Queensborough Bridge/Highway 91A

http://www2.canada.com/newwestrecord/story...d0a050d&p=1

EDIT:

Here's CMBC's 2010 capital plan - no money, no service expansion, no HTC yet (pg 3) but hopefully soon!

http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Documents/...al_Program.ashx

[Enviro 500]

So then, all CMBC service on the North Shore would be dependent on the Second Narrows crossing. Does anyone else see this as a possible problem?

That being said... the Hamilton site could be very useful. In particular, it's so far east that I could see it being useful to relieve Surrey division as well - and that's a part of the region that desperately needs more service!

Two questions:

1. Any possibility of running artics out of here? Or do they figure, between Richmond and a renovated Surrey, they'll have enough places south of Fraser that can handle them?

2. Any update on plans for Oakridge? If this relieves Burnaby to the point where it can start taking more Vancouver work, I could see TransLink trying again to sell that property to get some more cash. (My worry is, though, if they actually get the funding to start expanding service again, they're going to need that site again someday! Look what happened when they underestimated needs and only bought part of the site for Vancouver TC!)

If I live in North Van, I will definitely make sure I have a reliable bike at least, or a cheap car that's capable of running, just to make sure I won't lose my job because the bridge is shut down and there's no bus running in North Vancouver that can bring me to work!

1.) Judging by the Preliminary Site Plan, this garage will store 40ft diesel buses only. It doesn't make any sense to run any existing articlated bus routes out of this new garage: 99 and 135 will be best served by the existing BTC (a few blocks north up the hill on Boundary is Hastings, and a few blocks south down the road on Boundary is Broadway!), 480 will definitely be best served by RTC (trips starting at Steveston & Shell are actually busy, there's a strong demand from riders in Steveston) leaving 620 in question, and it doesn't make sense to transfer 3 D60LFs to HTC just for the route after all! As for the planned routes in Surrey, if 399 does become a reality in the future (or even if it doesn't, assuming D60LFs will be assigned to 321 as planned), it makes no sense whatsoever to base those buses out of this new HTC - either way you see it, East Richmond is far from Surrey Central and White Rock, when compared to STC conveniently located close by Newton!

2.) 41st and Oak, I'd buy a condo suite if they ever end up developing housing projects there - it's nicely centralized in Vancouver close to everything, prime real estate property!

Dave

[GORDOOM]

Seems though that Second Narrows isn't as big an issue as Queensborough Bridge/Highway 91A

http://www2.canada.com/newwestrecord/story...d0a050d&p=1

All the more reason why a new site for North Van division is so essential! Yes, the current site is way too small, and yes, we lose our lease on it shortly - so get a new site already! There's got to be somewhere the local governments will let you zone for a new garage...

Then you keep North Shore service at North Van, which means more north-of-Fraser work can be done by Burnaby, which means Hamilton can do more work south of Fraser. Less deadhead, fewer bridges, more room for future expansion... but noooo! We can't have that, can we?

*sigh* Governments in BC really frustrate me sometimes.

2.) 41st and Oak, I'd buy a condo suite if they ever end up developing housing projects there - it's nicely centralized in Vancouver close to everything, prime real estate property!

But that's the whole reason they need to keep the site! If they sold it, they'd get quite a pretty penny - but they'd also never be able to get another site nearly as well-situated. And Vancouver needs more service as well - and ironically, 41st Ave. is one of the corridors in Vancouver that's becoming more problematic all the time.

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

All the more reason why a new site for North Van division is so essential! Yes, the current site is way too small, and yes, we lose our lease on it shortly - so get a new site already! There's got to be somewhere the local governments will let you zone for a new garage...

Then you keep North Shore service at North Van, which means more north-of-Fraser work can be done by Burnaby, which means Hamilton can do more work south of Fraser. Less deadhead, fewer bridges, more room for future expansion... but noooo! We can't have that, can we?

*sigh* Governments in BC really frustrate me sometimes.

The government upsets you? Well you've never heard about NIMBY's then. It was RESIDENTS of North Vancouver who rejected the idea for 2 bus yards out there, one of which they later approved for a sewage treatment plant! So if they vote down having bus yards built out there then suck it up. Bus isn't on time? Oh, maybe you shouldn't have complained about a bus garage being built The government can only do so much if the citizens keep getting in the way.

STC just got a big expansion done to it, it doesn't need more space now, they need more buses. If a site is magically found in the North Shore, then HTC will no longer be needed if you ask me.

Chris Cassidy

[translink]

If people wanted a North Vancouver yard, why can't they build it here http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=49....mp;t=h&z=17 Lots of space and there's nobody around. Or was this the space they were going to build a waste treatment plant.

-Bryan "Goggles"

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=...mp;t=h&z=17

This was the area where one proposed garage was going, which would be very close to the existing WVMT yard.

So instead they get a sewage treatment plant

Chris Cassidy

[translink]

http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=q&source=...mp;t=h&z=17

This was the area where one proposed garage was going, which would be very close to the existing WVMT yard.

So instead they get a sewage treatment plant

Chris Cassidy

Wow... thats just sad. I can see how North Vancouver will get screwed over if HTC is built. Or West Vancouver buses could run under contract in North Vancouver. D60LFRS on the 239... but that will NEVER happen. Conflict of unions maybe?

-Bryan "Goggles"

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

Wow... thats just sad. I can see how North Vancouver will get screwed over if HTC is built. Or West Vancouver buses could run under contract in North Vancouver. D60LFRS on the 239... but that will NEVER happen. Conflict of unions maybe?

-Bryan "Goggles"

Where do you pull these ideas from? Turn on the common sense and think about what you just said, CAW 111 would loose it if they lost work to WVMT.

Chris Cassidy

[translink]

Where do you pull these ideas from? Turn on the common sense and think about what you just said, CAW 111 would loose it if they lost work to WVMT.

Chris Cassidy

I get lots of strange ideas. But i figured it was a conflict of unions. Still, you would think that CMBC would be trying to find a lot in North Van and tell the NIMBY's to screw off. Because in life you can't please everyone, plus they've got a lot of manpower. So what if people say no, its not like it'll matter what anyone else says about it. In the end you'll still have people who oppose it, and then they'll get used to it.

-Bryan "Goggles"

[323 Surrey Ctrl Stn]

I get lots of strange ideas. But i figured it was a conflict of unions. Still, you would think that CMBC would be trying to find a lot in North Van and tell the NIMBY's to screw off. Because in life you can't please everyone, plus they've got a lot of manpower. So what if people say no, its not like it'll matter what anyone else says about it. In the end you'll still have people who oppose it, and then they'll get used to it.

-Bryan "Goggles"

Next thing you know we have a fascist government

Chris Cassidy

[translink]

Next thing you know we have a fascist government

Chris Cassidy

Fascist, communist, democratic, Marxism, dictatorship its all the same to me. We are all binded together by a set of laws, if translink wanted to they could technically propose a place for the new yard. Then with funding they could "fake" they're doing something else in a different place but in reality they're building a new yard in North Van. But i don't think anyone would like that, too much backlash.

-Bryan "Goggles"

[Millennium2002]

I say hold North Vancouver hostage by saying that we will stop ALL TRANSIT SERVICES to the area until a new bus depot is opened. Surely there'll be backlash, but people will realize the mistake when they have to drive over two already crowded bridges. =P

EDIT:

Actually... there's another site beside the shipyards that TransLink could build on if they were able to convince Port Metro Vancouver of the move.

[Dane]

NVTC will be receiving additional space from Hydro in 2012 with the lease renewal... the current Hydro site will be vacated.

[VancouversLocalNerd]

NVTC will be receiving additional space from Hydro in 2012 with the lease renewal... the current Hydro site will be vacated.

Ah, good, I was worried there for a while that as a North Vancouver resident that perhaps the world really was going to end in 2012.

[Dane]

I should replace will be with should be.... I don't work for North Van anymore but at my last meeting in November that was the plan.

[translink]

Just an update to the HTC proposal.

A tender has come up for site clearing and Demolition on the HTC site.

http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Doing-Business-with-TransLink/Bidding-Opportunities/Open-Bids/Q11-118.aspx

Kind of an interesting read. Various other pictures of the site have also appeared on facebook, including one of a development permit.

Guess they're building all this at the same time as the Evergreen line. Which would be cool, UBC line built at the same time as the Surrey Expansion. And after the Evergreen line expansion. And this is all assuming the world doesn't end this year.

- Bryan "Goggles"

[Blue Bus Fan]

Questions about Hamilton Transit Centre:

The prefix for the buses will be "H"?

Will the Hamilton Transit Centre have CNG Buses?

[translink]

Questions about Hamilton Transit Centre:

The prefix for the buses will be "H"?

Will the Hamilton Transit Centre have CNG Buses?

At this point, HTC yes, the prefix will be H. As for CNG, no.

- Bryan "Goggles"

[translink]

Just a nice little update on HTC. In the last 6 weeks they've torn all the buildings down, and have started on the pre-load. The construction signs are up, and it looks to be on schedule for completion in 2016.

- Bryan "Goggles"

[ThomasW97]

Just a nice little update on HTC. In the last 6 weeks they've torn all the buildings down, and have started on the pre-load. The construction signs are up, and it looks to be on schedule for completion in 2016.

- Bryan "Goggles"

Thanks for the info, do you know where abouts in richmond it'll be located?

[translink]

Thanks for the info, do you know where abouts in richmond it'll be located?

Westminster Hwy and Boundary Rd. Its in Queensborough, across the street from the casino.

- Bryan "Goggles"

[Blue Bus Fan]

What routes and any future routes do you think will operate from HTC?

I think 340, 104, 106, 112, 123, 410, 101, 100.

Maybe but I highly do not think it will happen: 388, 301.

Future routes: 399, Carvolth Exchange to Richmond-Brighouse or Bridgeport station, Surrey Central Station to Bridgeport station.

What buses do you see being operate from HTC?

I think 150 Nova LFS HEV (new), 50 Nova LFS HEV Suburban (new).