TransLink Future - Dream's and Aspirations

[NotQuite]

3 minutes ago, Blue Bus Fan said:

I actually meant aBRT (Adapted Bus Rapid Transit) which is convertibled to rail transit or full BRT depends on the ridership along the route.

Thanks, I learn something new every day !!!

[cleowin]

I think personally that at grade systems offer no time advantage over skytrain lines. They better build skytrain to langley, the b-line route can very well be LRT, although aBRT would be good now reading the above posts.

[buizelbus]

6 hours ago, cleowin said:

I think personally that at grade systems offer no time advantage over skytrain lines. They better build skytrain to langley, the b-line route can very well be LRT, although aBRT would be good now reading the above posts.

I support something similar to Skytrain for Surrey for SoF.

 

However I have some ideas for my home municipality, Richmond:

 

aBRT along Garden City from Bridgeport to Brighouse Stn.

 

FTN to Olympic Oval area: Holly Bridge and River to Brighouse Stn via Elmbridge Way, Alderbridge Way, Minoru Blvd, Granville and No3 to Brighouse Stn. Would service the new RIVA developments. 

 

FTN on River Parkway (After it's built)

Richmond city wants to build a new river road which has 2 lanes per direction and will be lined with high rises on one side and a giant park on the other side. Might as well have a FTN route.

 

[Blue Bus Fan]

31 minutes ago, buizel10 said:

aBRT along Garden City from Bridgeport to Brighouse Stn.

That is reasonable idea with an extension of aBRT to Metrotown to replace the 430 which could actually become B-line which mayors plan has promises within the next ten years. 

[buizelbus]

On 1/7/2017 at 8:40 PM, Blue Bus Fan said:

That is reasonable idea with an extension of aBRT to Metrotown to replace the 430 which could actually become B-line which mayors plan has promises within the next ten years. 

94 Metrotown Stn/Brighouse Stn via Bridgeport EXPRESS B-Line --- FTN

From Brighouse Stn to Cook Road, Garden City, Great Canadian Way, Bridgeport Stn, Great Canadian Way, Bridgeport Road, Knight St, 49th, McKay, Central Blvd to Metrotown Stn.

 

403 Three Road/Bridgeport Stn

NOW FTN

 

406 River Parkway/Bridgeport Stn  --- FTN

Brighouse Stn, Granville Ave, Minoru Blvd, River Parkway, Capstan Way, Garden City, Great Canadian to Bridgeport Stn

 

408 Olympic Oval/Kwantlen --- Regular service

Olympic Oval, River Road, Gilbert Rd, Elmbridge Way, Ackroyd Rd, No 3, Brighouse Stn, Cook, Cooney, Lansdowne to Kwantlen.

[Dr. BusFreak]

I think these proposed routes could really benefit Tsawwassen: 605 is to help with the Tsawwassen Mills/Tsawwassen Commons shoppers. 600 is to become an express bus just like the 602, 603, 604.

605 Bridgeport Stn. Via Ladner Exch. Express/South Delta Exch. Via Ladner Exch. Express

Follow route of 620, then turn right to 56th street , then left onto 28th, Avenue, then regular route of 601 until South Delta Exch.

 

600 Boundary Bay/Bridgeport Stn.

Follow route of the current 601 Boundary Bay/Bridgeport Stn, then turns right onto Highway 17, then follows route of 602, 603, 604

[ThatBusGuy]

As much as I advocate for better service to Tsawwassen, I personally think there's better ways to do it than just adding more routes to/from Bridgeport. Currently there's already 5 that go past/to Tsaw. and adding more would probably confuse people.

I've made a few of these suggestions before, but I'll put them all here too:

1) 650 Scott Road Station / Tsawwassen Ferry: gives people in Surrey, North Delta, New Westminster and Burnaby an alternative way to get to the ferry terminal and mall. It would take some of the stress off the 620 and be much faster than taking the 640/C76 which take fairly long and meandering routes, as opposed to using the SFPR. Other people have suggested this route could go to 22nd Street Station, where it would be more convenient for people... The issue is that delays caused by the Queensborough/Alex Fraser bridges would be problematic for people who have a ferry to catch.

2) 609 Tsawwassen FN / South Delta Exchange: re-route via Highway 17, directly between the mall and exchange. Could be interlined with the C89 (possibly renumbered to 605, its pre-community shuttle number) to provide half-hour service on both routes. During peak hours, could run as Orions rather than shuttles (service might be something like 602 SDX, 605, 609, etc)

3) 690 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Mills / SDX: replacement for 603, 604 and C84. Runs express Bridgeport to SDX, then 604 route through Beach Grove to 56th St, left and follow 603 route around English Bluff to 12th Ave at 52nd St, left down 52nd to the mall. Would run in both directions. Off-peak would run every hour with full service to/from Bridgeport. During peak, would run every 15 or 20 minutes, with only some trips returning to Bridgeport, and could be interlined with the 601 (service might look something like 601 Tsaw. Mills, 690 SDX, 601 Bridgeport) and trips from Bridgeport could do the same thing in reverse (690 Tsaw. Mills, 601 Bridgeport). It's a bit confusing to explain it here, so maybe sometime when I don't have to go to work I'll make a map of it...

[Dr. BusFreak]

8 hours ago, ThatBusGuy said:

3) 690 Bridgeport Station / Tsawwassen Mills / SDX: replacement for 603, 604 and C84. Runs express Bridgeport to SDX, then 604 route through Beach Grove to 56th St, left and follow 603 route around English Bluff to 12th Ave at 52nd St, left down 52nd to the mall. Would run in both directions. Off-peak would run every hour with full service to/from Bridgeport. During peak, would run every 15 or 20 minutes, with only some trips returning to Bridgeport, and could be interlined with the 601 (service might look something like 601 Tsaw. Mills, 690 SDX, 601 Bridgeport) and trips from Bridgeport could do the same thing in reverse (690 Tsaw. Mills, 601 Bridgeport).

I don't think the commuters who take the 603, 604 would like that as it would overcrowd their bus and it would take about 5 minutes more of their commute, so I think there would be opposition. 

 

8 hours ago, ThatBusGuy said:

) 650 Scott Road Station / Tsawwassen Ferry: gives people in Surrey, North Delta, New Westminster and Burnaby an alternative way to get to the ferry terminal and mall. It would take some of the stress off the 620 and be much faster than taking the 640/C76 which take fairly long and meandering routes, as opposed to using the SFPR. Other people have suggested this route could go to 22nd Street Station, where it would be more convenient for people... The issue is that delays caused by the Queensborough/Alex Fraser bridges would be problematic for people who have a ferry to catch.

This is something that the Tsawwassen Mills owners would be they're lips like nothing else! This could become a success if it rolls out well, although I don't think TransLink would do this plan unless there are catastrophic overload on the 640 due to  people wanting to go for the Tsawwassen Mills/Tsawwassen Ferry.

 

8 hours ago, ThatBusGuy said:

2) 609 Tsawwassen FN / South Delta Exchange: re-route via Highway 17, directly between the mall and exchange. Could be interlined with the C89 (possibly renumbered to 605, its pre-community shuttle number) to provide half-hour service on both routes. During peak hours, could run as Orions rather than shuttles (service might be something like 602 SDX, 605, 609, etc)

Edit: I have a new idea. In rush hour, they have a new route called the 610 Bridgeport Stn./Tsawwassen First Nations and this will go to Bridgeport stn. During off peak hours and weekends, it will be the 609 run by shuttles that terminate at South Delta Exch. like it is now. The 610 will be run by Orion V, just like the rest of the rush hour express fleet that run from Bridgeport to Tsawwassen.

 

[Blue Bus Fan]

The only problem I could see with 609 becoming a 40 ft bus route and being extended to Bridgeport is the private contractor operating the 609 currently wanting to operate the route with the increase capacity and the extension.

[Dr. BusFreak]

55 minutes ago, Blue Bus Fan said:

The only problem I could see with 609 becoming a 40 ft bus route and being extended to Bridgeport is the private contractor operating the 609 currently wanting to operate the route with the increase capacity and the extension.

Well, TransLink could just pull the plug, and refuse to pay the contractor once the contract ends. Also, it would be a bit unreasonable for the contractor to want to operate the 609 is because it's TransLink's route, and this contractor does not have 40 ft. buses, so when the time comes, and it will, the 609 will be overcrowded and there will be pass-ups.

Also, I think the 601 should get 20 minutes on off-peak afternoons, and extend the 20 minute frequency till 10:00, then half an hour until midnight, then 40 minutes until end of service.

And for weekends, as of 9:00 P.M., half and hour until midnight, the 40 minutes thereafter. This is a more reliable schedule than the one TransLink currently has.

[NotQuite]

23 minutes ago, Dr. BusFreak said:

Snip ...

Also, I think the 601 should get 20 minutes on off-peak afternoons, and extend the 20 minute frequency till 10:00, then half an hour until midnight, then 40 minutes until end of service.

And for weekends, as of 9:00 P.M., half and hour until midnight, the 40 minutes thereafter. This is a more reliable schedule than the one TransLink currently has.

I believe that the 601 is getting increased service levels with the implementation of the April Sheet.  I have been told that there will be a noticeable increase in service hours for the April Sheet due to funding from Government.

 

[Dr. BusFreak]

55 minutes ago, NotQuite said:

I believe that the 601 is getting increased service levels with the implementation of the April Sheet.  I have been told that there will be a noticeable increase in service hours for the April Sheet due to funding from Government.

The 601 is going to get 20 minutes during weekends, that is the only service improvement due to the 10 year investment plan. My plan is to bring 20 minute frequencies to off peak afternoons and to bring more service into the night as late night 601s can get extremely busy.

[Dr. BusFreak]

I would love to see some XN60 added to the fleet. That would be very interesting.

[Dr. BusFreak]

Another thing I'd like to see in the near future is CNG for RTC, BTC, and possibly VTC.

 

[Peter M]

25 minutes ago, Dr. BusFreak said:

Another thing I'd like to see in the near future is CNG for RTC, BTC, and possibly VTC.

 

I think CNG shouldn't go to VTC, since there is a fair amount of trolley buses, and hybrids. How about STC?

[Blue Bus Fan]

2 minutes ago, Peter M said:

I think CNG shouldn't go to VTC, since there is a fair amount of trolley buses, and hybrids. How about STC?

STC is getting CNG by 2019. 

[Dr. BusFreak]

Just now, Peter M said:

I think CNG shouldn't go to VTC, since there is a fair amount of trolley buses, and hybrids. How about STC?

Yeah, I thought about that. VTC already has the trolleys, and it might be a bit much. 

STC is getting CNG, here is the link: http://www.translink.ca/en/Plans-and-Projects/Vehicle-and-Infrastructure-Improvements/Surrey-Transit-Centre.aspx

[Brando737]

9 hours ago, Blue Bus Fan said:

STC is getting CNG by 2019. 

They've already started construction I believe.  As far as I know, the construction for CNG won't take to long as they already made preparations for it when doing the upgrades.  So it'll probably be done long before 2019, but the buses won't be here until then.  I think they need to do a new RFP which will take some time.

[Dr. BusFreak]

Since they're going to be ordering 11 new trains for the Canada Line, I wonder if the are going to go with Hyundai Rotem again, or go with Bombardier for a Mark III. That would be really nice if they go for the Mark III.

 

[Express691]

5 hours ago, Dr. BusFreak said:

Since they're going to be ordering 11 new trains for the Canada Line, I wonder if the are going to go with Hyundai Rotem again, or go with Bombardier for a Mark III. That would be really nice if they go for the Mark III.

Dont know if you were half asleep when you wrote this, but how do you get a Mark 3 onto the Canada Line?!

[GORDOOM]

11 minutes ago, Express691 said:

Dont know if you were half asleep when you wrote this, but how do you get a Mark 3 onto the Canada Line?!

Well, if it were configured with conventional motors rather than the open linear-induction propulsion system (which some modern ICTS installations are, e.g., the JFK AirTrain), you could run an Innovia Metro 300 on the Canada Line guideway. However, the difference in loading gauge would give "mind the gap!" a whole new meaning.

[Dr. BusFreak]

Yeah, I thought about it. The Canada Line are wider than normal trains, because I was looking at old forums, and one of them says that the new Canada Line cars are ''shorter but wider than the Expo and Millenium trains.'' So I suppose you couldn't put a Mark III because it would probably be to thin for the tracks.

[Dr. BusFreak]

8 hours ago, Express691 said:

Dont know if you were half asleep when you wrote this

Yes, I was very tired when I wrote that. Sorry that I wrote about something that doesn't even make sense. 

[Dr. BusFreak]

Actually, I just realized something about the double deckers. At SB Massey Exchange, buses have to go under steveston hwy., the clearance on that bridge is quite small, and I'm pretty sure double deckers can't go under that bridge. The only way I could see a double decker on the 601 or 351 is if they tear down Steveston hwy. bridge and build a new one that has a lot more clearance.

 

[Orcair]

30 minutes ago, Dr. BusFreak said:

Actually, I just realized something about the double deckers. At SB Massey Exchange, buses have to go under steveston hwy., the clearance on that bridge is quite small, and I'm pretty sure double deckers can't go under that bridge. The only way I could see a double decker on the 601 or 351 is if they tear down Steveston hwy. bridge and build a new one that has a lot more clearance.

 

I mean the stop is in a bad spot anyway - I imagine they could mimic the NB route and put the station on the off-ramp or just wait until the new bridge is in place which replaces that exchange anyway with new stops.