Why Is Translink Building A Needless new Gondola On Burnaby Mountain?

[dumpthemonarchy]

An aerial gondola at SFU, similar to the Peak 2 Peak in Whistler, could cost an estimated $70 million to construct. Clarisse Baudot

Some Burnaby residents are raising questions about a TransLink proposal to build a $70-million gondola to the SFU campus atop Burnaby Mountain.

The proposed routes go directly over homes in the Pine Ridge Housing Co-op and owner Glen Porter says he and other residents have a lot of questions about what that means for them.

"I think the frequency is something like one every 19 seconds," he said.
"We wonder what people will be able to see when they look out and look down. And owners are worried about property values, for sure," said Porter.

Porter says his co-op has a meeting scheduled with TransLink next week.

The proposed gondola would connect the Production Way SkyTrain station on Lougheed Highway with the SFU campus, about 2.5 kilometres up the mountain using technology similar to the Peak to Peak gondola in Whistler

TransLink spokesman Ken Hardie says it could move 3000 people per hour up in half the time it takes on the bus, making it an efficient, environmentally-friendly way to move people.

"All in, there appears to be a favourable business case for doing a gondola," said Hardie.

 

[PoliticalNick]

It is not just about some traffic issues but access. The roads to the university are steep and unpassable during even the lightest snowfall. Since most of the classes are during the season where snow is most probable they had to find a way to keep the place open when those circumstances arise. I believe there are also cojoint plans to open some park area and hiking/biking trails to encourage more use of the area year round and further development of the university.

There is a lot more to it than just rush hour traffic.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

When it snows in British California, there is panic!!!! What is this white stuff and where does it come from!!!! Where's the memo????

You know, in the country called Canada, it will snow just abour every year on that country's mountains. Coast to coast. Shocking but true. There is something called preparation that could help alleviate the problem, the problem that occurs every year, every year, every year...

Fact: I have driven up to SFU when there is a bit of snow, and it can be okay. It's not radioactive. Please, don't be so insulting.

 

[PoliticalNick]

When it snows in British California, there is panic!!!! What is this white stuff and where does it come from!!!! Where's the memo????

You know, in the country called Canada, it will snow just abour every year on that country's mountains. Coast to coast. Shocking but true. There is something called preparation that could help alleviate the problem, the problem that occurs every year, every year, every year...

Fact: I have driven up to SFU when there is a bit of snow, and it can be okay. It's not radioactive. Please, don't be so insulting.

Did you happen to notice where I am from??? I lived in the lower mainland for 25 years. I have attended classes at SFU. My dad used to drive a bus up and down Burnaby Mt. I answered the questions you posed with what I believe is the truth of the matter and you respond with inane attacks upon my intelligence??

The powers that be have decided a permanent solution is better than continual plowing, sanding & salting. I would expect the costs of operating clearing equipment over the life of the gondola was compared. I would also expect the cost of insurance was factored along with injury potential when that road is slippery from frost or ice.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

So that's your experience, it's different from mine, deal with it. You think the problem is worse than it is.

Translink did a SECRET study on this gondola, why haven't they released it? Because it's going to be a white elephant that's why. They are already on phase 2 and the public meetings are today and tomorrow. Then it appears it's full steam ahead.

I heard the powerful people on the hill want their gondola trophy no matter what and they will likely keep driving their big, gas guzzling luxury cars to and fro work up and down the hill. Who's ever heard of big time managers taking the bus? They don't at Translink or SFU.

 

[taxslave]

Two problems: First translink has no political oversight and can do what ever they want. No matter how retarded or expensive. Second almost no one in the lower mainland knows what snow tires are.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Two problems: First translink has no political oversight and can do what ever they want. No matter how retarded or expensive. Second almost no one in the lower mainland knows what snow tires are.

Funny, but true. Snow tires? I never buy them. All seasons are good, but I know how to drive in the snow.

The cost of the gondola trophy is $120 million, not $70 million as reported in the Sun newspaper. Real estate agents are licking their chops over the gondola trophy. Why don't they pay for it then?

The gondola trophy should not be built because Translink has many other no-brainer projects that are crying, no shrieking, for attention that will cost taxpayers billions of dollars. Such as

a) the Everygreen line
b) maintenaince of Skytrain to allow 24 hour service
c) a new Seabus
d) a new Patullo bridge
e) a Skytrain extension in Surrey
f) a Skytrain extension to UBC

 

[Corduroy]

Sounds like a good idea to me. The gondola will actually save them money in the long run because they don't have to run buses up there.

A Skytrain to UBC would be a great idea too but good luck convincing property owners in that area of it. Whenever they build a Skytrain line, the communities around the line are always against it. The people around UBC are rich and powerful. Not like, say, the people of Richmond who were against the Canada line but had it forced on them by the provincial government (and are now grateful for it).

 

[petros]

Second almost no one in the lower mainland knows what snow tires are.

Or block heaters. I would tell people my car was electric when they asked why the plug.

Funny, but true. Snow tires? I never buy them. All seasons are good, but I know how to drive in the snow.

No you don't. If you did, you'd have snow tires.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

No you don't. If you did, you'd have snow tires.

All-seasons are good enough and are legal. Plus I have no accidents for 20 years. I have chains just in case, sitting in my trunk.

 

[TenPenny]

All-seasons are good enough and are legal. Plus I have no accidents for 20 years. I have chains just in case, sitting in my trunk.

Not understanding the difference in rubber compounds vs temperature does not make you a good driver. It makes you a lucky driver.

 

[PoliticalNick]

Hey Dump, can I ask what is your motivation for opposition of this? Is it the cost or is this a nimby issue for you?

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Sounds like a good idea to me. The gondola will actually save them money in the long run because they don't have to run buses up there.

A Skytrain to UBC would be a great idea too but good luck convincing property owners in that area of it. Whenever they build a Skytrain line, the communities around the line are always against it. The people around UBC are rich and powerful. Not like, say, the people of Richmond who were against the Canada line but had it forced on them by the provincial government (and are now grateful for it).

You can be from Metro Vancouver because then you would notice the huge growth in population in Coquitlam and beyond. Many new housing developments are being built, while this is not the case for UBC. Save money? The gondola will generate no new cash, existing transfers will be used to go on it. The $120 milllion it will cost to build will never be recovered. While the proposed Evergreen line to Coquitlam will be jammed for hours every day and carry hundreds of thousands of more passengers every week.

Translink wants to sneek this needless gondola through, yet they have other no-brainer projects that are desperately needed.

 

[Corduroy]

The $120 milllion it will cost to build will never be recovered.

Here's something to consider: the cost of operating a transit system is ongoing. Running tens of thousands of people up Burnaby mountain every day costs money continuously. It's not a one shot injection of millions of dollars that we've already paid for. Running a gondola up the mountain will also cost money: the one shot for building it and the maintenance. Here's the kicker, the gondola will cost less to maintain than the buses. It will also be more efficient in moving up around the area, faster, and better for the environment.

So as I said, building this gondola will in the long run save Transklink money and provide better service.

 

[bill barilko]

I think it's a cool idea that will prove wildly popular and help SFU immensely.

 

[dumpthemonarchy]

Here's something to consider: the cost of operating a transit system is ongoing. Running tens of thousands of people up Burnaby mountain every day costs money continuously. It's not a one shot injection of millions of dollars that we've already paid for. Running a gondola up the mountain will also cost money: the one shot for building it and the maintenance. Here's the kicker, the gondola will cost less to maintain than the buses. It will also be more efficient in moving up around the area, faster, and better for the environment.

So as I said, building this gondola will in the long run save Transklink money and provide better service.

Translink is a few days late posting results of study of the cost/benefits of the gondola.

Burnaby Mountain Gondola

A lot of gasoline will be saved because buses will not be needed. But how much will Translink save in wages, bus and fuel costs? No public numbers yet. You'll be able to use your transfer on the gondola, it won't generate any new revenue to pay for the $120 million construction and ongoing maintenance costs.

 

[Corduroy]

A lot of gasoline will be saved because buses will not be needed. But how much will Translink save in wages, bus and fuel costs? No public numbers yet.

You can find what Translink estimates to be the savings by following a link on the page you provided.

Burnaby Mountain Gondola

I'll quote them for you if you can't find them. It shouldn't be hard and you should have probably already tried considering you've formed such strident opinions about this. No amount of feigned indignation is going to make up for a wilful ignorance.

 

[taxslave]

All-seasons are good enough and are legal. Plus I have no accidents for 20 years. I have chains just in case, sitting in my trunk.

Not true. Popular misconception, just ask a cop.

Here's something to consider: the cost of operating a transit system is ongoing. Running tens of thousands of people up Burnaby mountain every day costs money continuously. It's not a one shot injection of millions of dollars that we've already paid for. Running a gondola up the mountain will also cost money: the one shot for building it and the maintenance. Here's the kicker, the gondola will cost less to maintain than the buses. It will also be more efficient in moving up around the area, faster, and better for the environment.

So as I said, building this gondola will in the long run save Transklink money and provide better service.

You better check with a ski hill amount maintenance costs on gondolas. Don't work in a wind either so everytime the wind blows they will have to put on busses.

 

[bill barilko]

You better check with a ski hill amount maintenance costs on gondolas. Don't work in a wind either so everytime the wind blows they will have to put on busses.

Something of a disingenuous even spurious response-wind is a factor of geography-if gondolas didn't work when it was windy there would be no gondolas anywhere on earth.

I understand you feel you've been backed into a corner but posting abject nonsense to defend your ever diminishing turf here doesn't help your case.

 

[petros]

Originally Posted by dumpthemonarchy

All-seasons are good enough and are legal. Plus I have no accidents for 20 years. I have chains just in case, sitting in my trunk.
​

Not true. Popular misconception, just ask a cop.

Or ask someone who drives on snow packed to ice for 6 months a year. They'd all say the same. Snow tires. They work 10X better than 3 seasons tires (no such thing as all season). It's why they are law in some provinces.

If you do decide to be realistic and want to care about living to see another day I highly reccomend Hakkapeliitta tires. They blow Blizzaks out of the snowbank.