Quote:
Originally Posted by CroFlames
All of them.
In Vancouver it's not even a discussion about which roads to intersect or not. It's all above grade, no question, and no one regrets spending the extra money to have it grade separated.
If this expansion is intended to increase ridership, then it makes sense to do it right the first time.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CroFlames
Are you arguing we should build 100% of the c-train at grade? Works really well in the NE doesn't it.
By the way, Munich has a very robust underground subway system (over 100 km of track). I'm pretty sure Boston is subway also.
Berlin also has a huge subway system. They have tram service in some parts of the city. I've never been to Rome, but a quick wiki shows that they use a subway also. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome_Metro |
You have to remember that Calgary's original three lines were built in the 80s when its metro population was 600 000-700 000. Vancouver's Skytrain was started in the mid 80s when its metro population was about double that. Skytrain, since it is automated, has a minimum design standard of 100% grade separation because there can't be driverless trains interacting with other modes. In the North American and even worldwide contexts, 100 year old cities with populations of less than a million simply do not build fully grade-separated rail transit.
Calgary's LRT does not have half the reach or maybe doesn't get built at all if the design standard at those times were 100% grade separation. Edmonton's LRT was built underground in the downtown and languished as a single line for 3 decades due to that costly decision, while Calgary's flourished. It was seen as a mistake and Edmonton is now building its next lines with at-grade infrastructure downtown (which is honestly not a bad decision either).
With the West LRT (finished in 2012) and the Green Line, grade separation is being employed in central areas, with some at-grade crossings in outlying areas. Furthermore, grade separation will be introduced to some crossings on the current system over time. This is a good approach.
Vancouver is moreso a region of multiple contiguous municipalities than Calgary's unicity (where most suburban growth is contained within the central municipality). Surrey, a Vancouver bedroom city that has a Skytrain line running to it (the original Expo line) could be seen as a comparable to Calgary's deep southeast greater McKenzie Towne. Surrey is actually planning to build at-grade LRT radiating out from the end of the Expo Skytrain line (map and rendering below):
The capital outlay for the fully-grade separated Skytrain is too much for these outlying areas as opposed to having some at grade crossings with surface-running LRT. The LRT option is just fine to effectively serve places like Surrey and McKenzie Towne. The Evergreen line to Port Coquitlam was also contemplated as at-grade LRT before being built as Skytrain.