“With the dwindling volume of cars and drivers coming into the city we keep hearing about, doesn’t sound like the push for a tunnelled Skytrain to UBC is all that necessary anymore, despite the insistence of the city’s director of transportation.”

The buses I observed were quite full. It was the road space that was being underutilized from my observation.

Threadkiller:

When you say:
“The picture you describe is nowhere near as clear-cut as you seem to imagine.”

the only conclusion I can reach is that you didn’t note the only real suggestion I made in my post:

“committing large amounts of public money and resources to a ‘pave everything’ approach should be given greater analysis.”

and I am reminded that it’s largely pointless to voice anything outside of sarcasm or orthodox thought on an Internet forum, because someone will have a conniption and start framing their rebuttal without bothering to ensure they even understood the original point.

So, a good lesson on a Monday morning.

cheers, (again)
CK

@Chris Keam

Vancouver is the second most traffic congested city in North America yet we reduce road capacity in favour of bicycles, a mode of transportation used by a small minority. This is very Progressive.

@jenables #105:
You are correct. the Burrard Bridge is looking “beat”. For well over a year now there have been nets strung under the Burrard Bridge above the heavily-travelled bike/ped path that passes the fish docks and marina (Kitsilano side) and passes under the bridge. The nets are there, ostensibly, to catch falling “debris”– reportedly several largish (grapefruit-sized) chunks of concrete have fallen off that part of the underbelly of the bridge in the past couple of years, narrowly missing people. Whether or not those nets would successfully catch said debris is a moot point. Everytime we walk under there, we quicken our pace.

It’s obvious that the Burrard bridge is in need of an overhaul and seismic upgrade. Reportedly the City is looking at the possibility. Given the bridge’s concrete structure, it may prove to be more expensive to upgrade than the Granville bridge, which for the past few months has been receiving its second seismic upgrade in the past 15 years (the City have yet to upgrade the Granville’s on- and off-ramps, however, and has no plans to do so in the foreseeable future). Be that as it may, if the City does not embark on an upgrade soon and the Big One finally hits, we may be speaking of the Burrard Dam instead of the Burrard Bridge. And for such a lovely old structure that would be a terrible shame.

How about knight street being repaved recently… so much money is wasted on bike lanes by this crazy mayor…

Right? I mean that had to be for bike lanes right?

Chris will remember we had another aspect of this conversation a few years back.

One the probable reasons the concrete has been spalling off the Burrard Bridge since late 2010, early 2011 is because of the added static dead load that was added to the bridge in 2010 from the concrete dividers the City Engineering Department used on both sides of the bridge to create the separated bike lanes. This, combined with the aging concrete, which gets brittle over time (+/-80 years old), has caused increased stress to the concrete and, coincidentally it starts to fail. With concrete of such an age, very little added constant load can cause such failure.

You will also recall before the bike lanes there were earlier bike lane proposals and debates that included heritage advocates, as well as the bike lobby that were stymied. It makes one wonder whether some in City Hall may have a Plan ‘C’ and are deliberately allowing the bridge to continue to fail by not doing timely maintenance. This will result at a certain point in time in the structure becoming to far gone and, whadaya know, taxpayers will be told they need to pay for a new bridge.

Does anyone have further thoughts?

It’s the equivalent of Godwin’s law on these comment threads – just embrace it.

You can google Godwin’s law if you don’t know the reference.

Ps Teri, I feel your frustration. I have asked them repeatedly to remove the zebra crosswalk at Adanac and commercial because there are now (non pedestrian controlled, regular cycling, equal length of time for each) lights and pedestrian signals there. Not to mention dividers in the middle of the street so cars can’t turn left, dividers on part of Adanac so cars can’t turn right wb, and a no right turn sign for cars going eb on Adanac. The zebra crosswalk just confuses people and while I used to stop for people at it, I don’t anymore if I have a green light. No one seems to know what I am talking about though. Much like dangerous low hanging tree branches blocking signs, I feel they think they have bigger fish to fry than the things that are their actual jobs, I have never had success reporting anything dangerous. I should just start lying and pretending I’m a cyclist.

jenables,

I know it’s a truck route. The point is the exaggerations here about all the money going to bike lanes are ridiculous, that was my point in being ridiculous.

I’m in full agreement with TOAB in #100 when he suggests that a major re-think is needed re the proposed Broadway corridor rapid transit line. If that corridor is as lightly travelled as Chris Keam keeps saying, then all it needs is an increase in rapid bus (B-line) service, with full-time dedicated lanes in the busiest sections. It will probably still take noisy whiners like Geoff Meggs 35 minutes (horrors!) to get from Broadway Station to UBC, but at least they may have a place to sit and catch up on their texting. Take the $3 billion that will thereby have been saved and put it into health care. The people of this province need a substantial increase in the number of doctors, hospital beds and MRI machines a hell of a lot more than UBC students need their own dedicated rapid transit to enable them to get to school faster.

(Yes, I know that the transit line is merely a smokescreen for Vision’s grand scheme of vastly increased density along the length of Broadway and in its contiguous neighbourhoods, with equally vast increases in the tax base, but I’m pretending to take their altruistic BS about subways at face value.)

Bill McC@112 – According to a source who should know, the spalling has been happening for 20+- years but needed maintenance has been inexplicably deferred. Not sure if the barriers have worsened the situation or not.

@Jenables:

“Perhaps you should consider what you are arguing for…”

Hmm, I’d be interested to know what you think I’m arguing ‘for’. I sense you’ve missed my point. You might also double check the BC MVA re: zebra crosswalks, I have a funny feeling it might be instructive. Certainly the idea that people might be driving ‘subconsciously’ is terrifying enough to make me be glad for the bright green paint and barriers that offer some small protection from those who motor without their full attention to the road.

@Threadkiller:
“If that corridor is as lightly travelled as Chris Keam keeps saying”

Again, I think the point was missed.

and

“it seems only logical to take potshots at the tempting target they present ”

is an eye-opener of a statement. Would that we could have a discussion about infrastructure that wasn’t motivated by politics or behaviour that so sadly resembles that of the schoolyard bully.

You misunderstand, Chris. It was a marked crosswalk with zebra stripes before. It is now a signaled intersection where half of the time the light is red. I meant when I have a green light, and the pedestrians have a hand which means “don’t cross” I know that the light is green (perhaps subconscious was the wrong word to use) but I still think I should stop because I see people at a marked crosswalk. Am I clear? There is now a traffic light there where there was only a zebra crossing before. Or are you suggesting if I have a green light I should stop anyways even though they have a DON’T WALK hand, and I’m sending them into the traffic going the opposite direction of me that has a green light? Can you see how this is a problem and has nothing to do with me not paying attention? For the record, I have a perfect drivers abstract and have never had any points deducted, no speeding tickets, nothing…I AM paying attention.

“You misunderstand, Chris.”

Umm, no. I didn’t. I know exactly what you meant. As I say, it may be instructive to find out a bit more about the rules around zebra crosswalks.

“The crosswalks marked with solid rectangle bars across the street are called “zebra” crosswalks and are used by the ministry added emphasis for the pedestrian crossing is required. This includes mid-block cross-walks, unsignalized cross-walks crossing the highway, and crosswalks near schools where there is a high number of children crossing the road.

Zebra Crosswalk
Municipalities may also use zebra crosswalks, and may establish their own policies as to when and where they use them. In some locations motorists will see wide spread use of zebra crosswalks, compared to ministry roads or other jurisdictions.”

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/popular-topics/faq.htm

Other than trying to make the case that I’m negligent and distracted and don’t know the rules of the road..at an intersection which received traffic signals because, I swear to you, the planner told me that some cyclists had said they didn’t know they were supposed to stop at the stop sign, but they did know to stop at red lights. How I wish I’d recorded that call.

“some cyclists had said they didn’t know they were supposed to stop at the stop sign”

Yep, like the many motorists who are unaware they must abide by the stop sign at a ped activated crosswalk, regardless of whether the walk light is activated. Lots of room for education. I have no idea if you are negligent and distracted other than by your own comments. As to whether you know the rules of the road… couldn’t speak to that either. In fact… I know this is hard to believe for those who are here to practice politics, I’m not trying to catch you out or make you look foolish, just trying to ensure good information is being conveyed and people are being safe when they use the roads.

Oh geez. I guess I better repost:

“Zebra Crosswalk
Municipalities may also use zebra crosswalks, and may establish their own policies as to when and where they use them. In some locations motorists will see wide spread use of zebra crosswalks, compared to ministry roads or other jurisdictions.”

One should have zero expectation that road markings will be consistent across the province/country/world. Further, I made no claim the picture was from BC, but used it to support the statement I did make.

“So let me see if you understand you. In your world, one cannot criticize the public statements of those in power without being accused of bullying tactics?”

If that’s how you read it, then no, you don’t understand me. It’s the juvenile name-calling that I find kind of sad really. Leads to things like this:

http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57604412-93/popular-science-silences-its-comments-section/

jenables was on Global at noon today,it looked like a pretty good turnout.

Teririch @137
Reimer’s discourse is pure BS!
And she knows it!
City staff cannot talk to the press, without permission from Herr Ballem, as per her Vision Vancouver instructions, but they can make recommendations on their own?
Woahahahahaha…

Ahh, I was!? Well they did interview me I just didn’t think they’d use it! I was thinking Daammn I should have put some makeup on! It was a great rally, saw some familiar faces, met some online personas and commiserated. Everyone was very unified in their sentiment, and the speakers were great. Lots of people honking as they drove by too.

Frank D. @ 122.

You may recall that the City put nets up to catch the debris in 2010. According to my source, who works below the bridge as well as a boat owner at the Burrard Marina, the frequency sharply increased after the dividers went up. Hence, the nets. But, as you said, no maintenance. Why not?

Waltyss, #143:
I realize you’re hell-and-determined to make outrageously stupid statements as part of your pathologically obsessive anti-Teririch campaign, but interpreting her neutral observation on Rob Ford in #141 as “fandom” represents a new low, even by your abysmal standards.

@waltyss:

How much is that bridge; I thought I might gift it to Threadkiller.

Perhaps we can toll it and buy you a nicer personality.

@jenables
“Even you can probably agree that at least throughout the province road signs/markings should be consistent and mean the same things given that the province does the licensing”

Absolutely. Is there somewhere in the province where zebra striping across a roadway doesn’t indicate a crosswalk?

“Can you copy and paste the policy cov has established to have this one wonky zebra crossing”

Nope.

It’s a previously uncontrolled crosswalk that has had lights added. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist or someone with NASCAR level driving skills to figure it out IMO.