The End of the Road

This is the last post I will be able to put up but I am quite conflicted on what to conclude. I feel as if I have explored many ideas but not come to a formal conclusion about any particular topic. This blog helped in getting me to think about streets and road networks (outside of work) from a different perspective.

I can see that the streets and roads we build do shape our communities and give it some character. I feel as if I have only touched on this topic and not been able to fully explore it all. Time of course is the limiting factor but also direction. I was unable to find any formal research on connecting road networks to the human environment but that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything out there.

Regardless, there is no doubt that the streets and roads we use everyday do play a major role in our lives. They help move the city around but also bring us home. If anything, I know this blog helped in making me appreciate this city more and all the effort that went into putting it together!

I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it!

Thank you

Every step counts!

I read in an article that ‘commuters often feel they are the victim of congestion when really they are the cause.’ It is this sort of mentality that is holding back many individuals from making more sustainable discussions in their mode of transportation. I find that once you become accustom to the transit system, you are more likely willing to use it. Everyday I take the bus to the SkyTrain and then the get off and walk to the office. I have a car that I could use but the thought of driving everyday through traffic and the stress it would cause me helped me decide against driving to work. It wasn’t necessarily the cost of operating the vehicle that led to this decision. On the SkyTrain, there is this great sense of peace. I don’t have to do anything except listen to music, read or just watch the scenery. The funny thing is, driving would cost me more but also take more time if I were to travel during the same periods. Many of my friends also find it easier to take transit and then meet at a certain location where we can carpool to our destination. Universities are a great place to pick up this transiting habit. Although, we do have it quite lucky in the GVRD with the SkyTrain and UPass for University students. The best thing about taking transit is that I know that I am doing my part... and THAT is comforting!

We are all a part of the congestion problem!

There has been a lot of buzz around ‘congestion pricing.’ This is a policy being implemented which charges vehicles entering highly congestion areas such as downtown cores during certain times of the day. The most famous case is that in Britain. I found this article quite interesting because it gives a very local perspective on the topic. Many people believe that since they live in the city, they are not a part of the congestion problem but this is not the case. This article paints a very real picture of the daily challenges of the congestion problem. http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/city/2007/07/18/98238b54-d8e1-4e4f-813d-db1ca62dbef6.lpf

Around and Around...

The big thing now in transportation is to find ways to relieve traffic congestion. There is talk about this everywhere and of course extensive research. I stumbled upon this one particular article from Springfield Missouri about fining commuter for passing the same location within a certain time frame more than once. This “no cruising” policy is to help relieve congestion within downtown Springfield but is not without criticism. The city claims that traffic counts conducted showed cursing to be a problem in the area. However, commuters are complaining that you could go past the same point just looking for a parking spot! I wonder if something like this no cruising policy would actually be effective. I don’t really see this being implemented in Vancouver though. The logic seems a bit flawed. Planners and engineers should be focused on keeping vehicles out of the core rather than penalizing those who are already in! http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070718/NEWS01/707180358/1007/NEWS01

Williams Lake and its four-way stops

My last office visit was to Williams Lake. Its not a big city, actually I don’t think it would classify as a city. Its more like a town. The silence in Williams Lake is almost deafening. I remember walking down the street in “downtown” and listening to my own footsteps. The most amusing thing about Williams Lake is the large number of four way stops right in the middle of downtown. There is little to no traffic in this town and so a four-way stop is definitely appropriate.

However, regardless of the low volume of traffic on the streets, Williams Lake is not a pedestrian friendly place either! The few vehicles on the roads barely stop for you when you cross and everyone drives a large four-by-four truck so you don’t feel quite safe walking along the sidewalk.

I am starting to find there are more than just the number of cars on the road that add to the pedestrian-friendliness of a street. Kelowna had its highways and Williams Lake has its four-way stops but somewhere in the middle you will find a “walkable” city.

**The picture is one I took of an intersection right in the middle of 'downtown' Willams Lake**

Kelowna and its highways

Kelowna is a growing city. You can tell when you look around, everything looks like its in transition. Something that was there yesterday, will be built bigger and better the next day. Or that’s what I felt when I visited the city on my way to the Kelowna office. I use to live in Kelowna for four months doing research (in sustainable transportation). While living there I found the city as one formed on the edge of a highway. Downtown Kelown has a large highway going right through the middle and waterfront is at the footsteps to the bridge. The streets of Kelowna are not inviting to pedestrian or cyclists. The highways intimated those on the sidewalk and I didn’t really find many people out for an evening stroll. I found the streets to be without character and lacking any charm. Kelowna is a commuter city. The pictures I took from the plane were a shocking testimony to this fact. Suburb like centers are forming and with so many highway exits, its not a surprise to anyone that the city is incredibly automobile dependent. I find this quite sad because I feel that a growing city has a chance to explore more sustainable transportation options than a city with a more established road network.

Kamloops Office

The first office I visited was in Kamloops where a colleague of mine from that office came to welcome me at the airport. On the ride to the office, we got to talking about traffic in general. She said that Kamloops had NO peak hour or if they did, it was short lived. The peak hour are the times during the day when the majority of people are either going to work or coming back home. In the GVRD, the peak hour is actually more like the peak PERIOD as it will normally last 2 hours or more. Typically from 7-9am (people going to work)and then from 4-6pm (everyone coming home). My colleague’s claim that Kamloops did not have a peak hour shocked me. For someone who grew up in the city, I didn’t know a life without of traffic congestion. She went on to tell me how this really did greatly improve her enjoyment of life and that it makes a profound difference on how you LIVE your life. Indeed I found that most people in Kamloops were incredibly laid back and going out somewhere did not require extensive planning into avoid heavy traffic. The picture added to this blog is one I took from the plane (much to annoyance of the lady seating next to me). If you look at this image, the roads in Kamloops are planned out differently than in Vancouver. The roads look less tightly fitted, almost like a causal layout. Not to say this is poor planning but while driving on these roads, I felt there were more curves and turns than in the roads around the GVRD. Maybe this more relaxed layout helps to set the mood for its drivers. I know I quite enjoyed driving on uncongested, curvy streets!

Random thoughts!

In June, I went on this big trip out to the other three offices my company owns. One in Kamloops, Kelowna and Williams Lake. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to see how other cities outside of the GVRD are mapped out. I had wrote a few blog entries along the way in a journal and took an insane amount of pictures. Since I am in transportation planning, I tend to find myself in many conversations with people about roads and traffic. People have a lot to say on the topic for anyone who wants to listen and luckily I am one of those people. It took a while but I finally but all my random scribbling together in the next few entries. I hope you enjoy them...!

All in a name

So what is the difference between a street and a road? According one online source, the following:

"The terms may frequently apply to exactly the same thing. However, 'road' is a general term, whereas 'street' is narrower in sense and chiefly urban in application: a street typically has buildings on either side, and is paved or metalled. "

I think there is more to it then that. To me, a street is a very commercial /industrial connotation but a road seems almost quieter and calmer. Does the labelling of these passageways have an effect on what we think of the area?

Something to think about.

You call THIS a highway?!

Upon moving to Canada from Minnesota, a traffic engineer at work described the difficulty he had adjusting to the "Canadian" highways.

"What do you mean?", I asked, " surely the highways here can't be that different."

He went on to explain that during there first week here, his wife was called in for an interview in Surrey. He mapped out the route they would need to take get to the interview location but ran into a lot of trouble. On the map it showed Highway 99A as the most direct route and being an American, he thought that a highway would be the fasted way to go. However, he soon discovered that highways in Canada are not the same as they are in the States.

Highway 99A is actually called King George Highway which is more of a major road than a highway as there is a traffic light every few blocks and is usually highly congested. His wife was late for the interview thanks to this misunderstanding in reading the map.

Highways in Canada are not the massive transportation passages they are in the States. Here we are a little more loose with our "highway" labelling but we do have the best scenery!

Poor Mall!

Central City is a beautifully designed mall with all the right shops such as T&T, Future Shop and of course a long parade of clothing store to keep you fully entertained. Its spacious, has tons of parking and there is a skytrain station right at the doorstep. Its also the sleepiest mall with very few shoppers even during the weekend peaks. I am currently sitting at this mall wondering why is it that it is unable to attract any shoppers.

It then occurred to me why this might be the case. Central City is no where near a highway exit. Although it is right next to a major road (King George Highway), only local consumers would come here. There is no regional appeal to the mall because not many people know its here, its a bit out of the way from Highway #1.

What about the skytrain? Metrotown is a huge mall in Burnaby sitting right next to a skytrain station. It is probably one of the busiest mall in the GVRD, granted it also has more than 100 stores. One reason that mall attracts a lot of shoppers is because its located between Vancouver and Surrey. Thus, anyone who is commuting on the skytrain to Vancouver, probably passes through Metrotown. Location plays a key role here. You need to make a specific trip out to Surrey to get to Central City and not many people are willing to that. Unfortunately, this area of Surrey has a bad reputation as being a bit shady so this might play a factor as well.

Alas, this poor mall remains a sad, sleepy mall. It seems that if the mall is not right next to a highway or if its not centrally located, then its not going to be attracting a lot of visitors.

Suburban Shame

I spent almost my entire life living in the suburbs. I never really had reason to complain, I had a big back yard, my friends and I lived close to each other and we always felt safe in our neighbourhoods. The suburbs was the perfect place to grow up. Why would anyone think differently?

On a recent site visit to one of our projects, my boss and I got into quite an interesting discussion on why he HATES the suburbs!! I was shocked to say the least but he had some valid points. He told me that when he use to live in Seattle, he lived exactly a mile from work. But thanks to the way the city was designed he had no choice but to DRIVE to work.

"I lived in the suburbs only once in my entire life. My home was one exit away from my work but there was no pedestrian crossings or safe path that I could take to get to my office. If I wanted to walk, I would need to take a detour 5 miles even though I lived only a mile away! My time is very valuable, I don't want to waste it sitting in traffic."

My boss and his family now live in downtown where they can walk or take transit to any location they need go daily. They are involved in the ZIP car program (vehicle-sharing) so they have a vehicle whenever they need it, which is not very often. He claims that not only is his quality of life better (more time to spend with his wife and son) but he's healthier now because of all the exercise he is getting.

Many would claim that downtown streets are not entirely pedestrian friendly but the suburbs are worse. Sure we may have wide new sidewalks but when do we actually use them to make a walking trip? The atmosphere in the suburbs is not endusive to non-automobile trips, everything is just too far from each other!

So sure I might have a nice yard but all the time I might have spent in it is now lost in commuting everywhere. What a shame....!

The Numbered Grid

I love Surrey for they way they have systematically developed their road network. (See the map image to the left) Although we have a few named streets, the avenues and streets for the most part are numbered so that its one big beautiful grid. This is a good thing right?

Maybe not... the numbered roads are great for directions and navigation but it completely takes away something from the city. "120 Street is the shady part of town" sounds odd when we are use to hearing "Hastings Street is the shady part of town." Its not just the fact Hastings Street is more heard of but the actual name gives it some 'substance' and history. The name itself evokes some feelings... numbers do not.

Does a numbered grid take away value and character from the city?

Introduction: "What its all about"

When roads are designed, planners and engineers focus on building a system which is capable of efficiently and safely moving its users around the region. However, rarely do we consider how these roads will shape our communities and ultimately our cities. There is more to a street or highway than its simple ability to take us places; it also creates the environment around us.

This whole topic started with a few innocent questions from a friend of mine. He asked me if I preferred the roads in Surrey (generally a suburb area) to the ones in Vancouver.

"Of course Surrey has the better roads," I answered. "Not only do they have designated left turn signals, wider curb space but now there are also designated right turn lanes for large developments."

My friend nodded in agreement. "Sure, Surrey does have all those things and the roads feel easier to drive on but there is no sense of community when you drive in Surrey. Everything has a specific space and everyone always wants to drive on the main roads. In Vancouver, everyone drives everywhere. When you drive in Vancouver, you know you are going through different neighbourhoods and communities because there are shops, parks and schools scattered everywhere. I don't feel that in Surrey, its too planned… too well thought out."

Now as an engineering student, I almost took offense to his comment but I realized that there needs to be more to a road network than its ability to move traffic. Now this maybe more of a zoning and planning issue but I want to explore how the road networks in the GVRD have shaped this region. How would a highway through downtown Vancouver change the GVRD of today? How is the Pitt River Bridge and the twinning of the Port Mann going to effect the sprawling communities? Are things getting better or worse?

Keep your eyes on the road because its going to be one interesting journey!