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Post by Ferryman on Nov 29, 2007 21:56:11 GMT -8
Apparently the highway was 50% complete as of July 2007. As a weekly driver of the road, I disagree. But whatever keeps them determined to keep going with the construction... As you may know, there has been extensive rock blasting throughout the highway. There are a few key areas that are the "big jobs". Roadwork is of course being done between the sections, but this is just where the majority of the workers are kept at. These are the Eagleridge bluffs section (have a look to see the new entrance to HSB Terminal), Doodsons Corner, Darrel Bay , and Cheakamus Canyon (now complete). Doodsons Corner and Darrel Bay (Yes, that's where the MV Garibaldi II was based out of) are my least favourite sections of the road at the moment. These are sections where I have to "white knuckle" it to dodge the pot holes with my car. All four of my rims are nicely bent out of shape because of them. That's what I get for having low profile wheels though.... There has been an update to the photos on the Sea to Sky Highway projects page. They're still not quite up to date, because things have changed since those photos were taken too. www.seatoskyimprovements.ca/photo_gallery.htm
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Post by Hardy on Nov 29, 2007 22:13:10 GMT -8
The one thing to remember in regards to completion percentage, is a lot of the work is the 'underlying' earthworks. I was up to Whistler today, the first time in two months. The amount of progress was nothing less than stunning.
Remember that I traverse this cooridor in a truck, and as I am somewhat higher up than a regular car, I can see over the embankments where they are having to backfill large areas with high volumes of rock and aggregate. I would tend to agree %age wise that they are over half-way.
There looks like there is still a lot to do in areas, but in other areas, they are pretty close to doing a final grade, pave and paint.
I agree with you though, that in areas, it looks as if they are behind. You must view the entire project as a whole, and remember that sometimes doing the prep work, which takes a long time and seems to move slowly, is a large percentage of it. Think of it like an iceberg, if you will -- only 1/4 of it is visible....
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Post by Retrovision on Nov 30, 2007 1:14:58 GMT -8
I'd guess that they're also referring in a large way to how complete the Eagle Ridge Bluffs section is finished above Horseshoe Bay; as far as I've seen while passing-by numerous times over the past months this work was done far faster than might be necessary as the province, though shot-down by the acting Provincial Autitor General for doing so, claimed the expense be necessary and as part of the 2010 Olympic Games budget. I don't dare contend here that this section of the Sea-to-Sky not need be complete for the games as it surely is needed for them, but as the Provincial Auditor General put forth, it is not part of the games' budget. Like how Tsawwassen's main-drag was repaved significantly on overnight overtime expensive hours soon before an election, the speed of completion of the Eagle Ridge Bluffs section of the Sea-to-Sky Hwy. was done at significant cost to the taxpayer in the name of the 2010 Olympic Games despite the Provincial Auditor General's claim and finding otherwise, no matter under whatever guise it was comleted and no matter how rapidly.
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 30, 2007 16:05:47 GMT -8
Ok, Hardy. I guess in that sense, yes they are over 50% complete. I was looking at it the wrong way, and was thinking that 50% of the road had been widened/made safer. I was adding up the distances of the completed sections, and estimated that only at least 20km of the 90km highway is now 3/4 lanes, and the speed limit brought back up to 80km/h.
The Eagleridge Bluffs section still has quite a ways to go, as they've only really just started on work on making a safe grade down the hill to meet up with the rest of the highway. This brand new section completely detours the most deadliest and dangerous section of the road between Squamish and Horseshoe Bay. Yet before they started any construction on this dangerous part, I used to love gearing down and putting my car to the test of handling the corners, but not at speeds over the posted limit. Alot of the time I couldn't do that because alot of the tourists would slow things down because they weren't used to the road yet.
The one thing nobody obeys on this road, is the speed limit. There was a time where it was 80 km/h all of the way to Whistler. Now it's 50km/h with the exception of the "completed" areas. The regulars/commuters tend to drive it at 80km/h or more whenever they can. I've rarely seen the RCMP enforce the speed limits, but I know where their favourite spots are for bringing out the radar during the long weekends. I've even noticed there's now a Police force for patrolling the highway, and driving slightly differently labelled Ford Crown Victoria cars. They call themselves the "Integrated Highway Safety Unit". But like the RCMP, you only really see them out on Long Weekends. They can be quite harsh and startup a roadblock, that the local radio station isn't allowed to warn people about. They will pull everything from Semi Trucks to Smart cars off to the side of the road, and will make them wait in line for the officer to come up to them.
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Post by Ferryman on Jul 28, 2008 22:06:49 GMT -8
Today, was by far the worst day for busy traffic I've ever seen in the past 5 years that I've lived here. Why? Two words. Pemberton Festival. This past weekend, thousands upon thousands of people made the journey up to Pemberton, to see dozens of popular bands perform live on stage from Friday to Sunday evening. Even though the concert ended last night, everyone was still impaired from drinking alcohol all day. So today was the day everyone went home. I was going to attend the event, but held off on buying tickets in case I'd get stuck working, and I did end up getting stuck working. But that's not the point I'm trying to get at.
On Saturday afternoon while I was at work, I was listening to the radio, and our local radio station was reporting that the drive just from Whistler to Pemberton (20-30 min drive in ideal conditions) was taking people about 3 to 4 hours to do. Today, it was estimated that the entire drive from Pemberton to Vancouver was going to take up to 12 hours to get from Pemberton to Vancouver (normally a 2hr 15 min drive). Now Squamish is normally known as the Pitstop on the way up to Whistler. So every single gas station, fast food outlet, and store was full of people, as well as the southbound lanes being completely stopped. Some drivers were a little more daring, and figured out our back roads to bypass the highway. So there was a few times where the back roads were no faster.
I don't mean to rant, but I just sure as heck hope that VANOC and anything involved with having Olympic events up in Whistler has their shet together for ensuring smooth transport of everyone without a total gridlock like today.
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Post by Canucks on Jul 28, 2008 22:15:33 GMT -8
I think that gridlock in the Olympics will be similar to this because I think a lot of tourists will take buses. I think they should set up a shuttle train to go there too but I don't think that is happening. As for the road I don't see how making certain sections wider will help unless the entire road is 3 or more lanes. Even if you have one two lane section it will be a ripple effect all the way down the traffic.
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Post by Balfour on Jul 28, 2008 22:22:10 GMT -8
I have heard that the plan is to not allow any private vehicles on the Sea to Sky during the Olympics. The only way up there will be by bus.
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Post by Northern Exploration on Jul 29, 2008 6:59:10 GMT -8
Scaring people about the traffic during the Olympics could have a good side benefit. If they get scared enough maybe they will ride the shuttle buses. Buses have been booked from all over North America for the Olympics. I have been to super large conventions where buses did a circuit route of all the hotels and to the convention centre. One was in New Orleans. It worked quite well with a queue of buses waiting for the rush of people leaving large plenary sessions. The line up moved very well and it is amazing how many people can be moved quickly if you do it right. During the day every few minutes a bus was arriving and leaving. If a bus seats 50 or so that is a lot of cars off the road. Maybe they will have a car pool lot set up as well where if there are two of you in a vehicle you could pick up two others for a car full.
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 29, 2008 9:02:28 GMT -8
I don't mean to rant, but I just sure as heck hope that VANOC and anything involved with having Olympic events up in Whistler has their shet together for ensuring smooth transport of everyone without a total gridlock like today. Chris, you know that sort of planning takes for more insight and intelligence than most bureaucrats are able to employ in such situations. These are the same people who refused numerous suggestions to build brand new highways providing alternate routes to whistler to relieve traffic congestion, and instead keep insisting on turning every major artery in the lower mainland into a funnel by pumping (forcing) more traffic into them instead of less. Funnels aren't really so good at handling large amounts of anything quickly, so we already know the answer is no, they don't have anything together as far as transportation is concerned.
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Post by cohocatcher on Jul 29, 2008 9:36:46 GMT -8
If your plan is to move people by building more and more highways, I would suggest that you look at people movement in such a large city as Vancouver and compare it to the quality of life in comparison to cities such as Seattle and Los Angeles both of which worship the god of the car.
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Post by Political Incorrectness on Jul 29, 2008 11:27:21 GMT -8
Definitely buses are the way to go, but the Sea to Sky should still be 4 lanes to Whistler since that concert event might be good for Pemberton if they choose to locate there. Among other things, I believe that it should not be just highways or just transit but more a combination to where the transportation systems work efficiently. One of the things I've seen with Vancouver freeways is that they are hard to get onto due to short mergers. The province has said with the Gateway Plan that many on ramps and off ramps on 1 will be extended but they have not shown that in the draft plans. I see the same short merger where collisions are possible.
Still, it might be a good idea to accquire bus service from the major transport hubs to squamish and whistler during the games. One question I have is will they limit traffic going to Squamish during the games?
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Mill Bay
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 29, 2008 15:14:39 GMT -8
If your plan is to move people by building more and more highways, I would suggest that you look at people movement in such a large city as Vancouver and compare it the the quality of life in comparison to cities such as Seattle and Los Angeles both of which worship the god of the car. We don't always worship cars... a lot of times we're more slaves to them. LA and Seattle are also trying to do a lot more with rapid transit than we've managed to do so far because they don't think only in the short term so much. In the past, large scale transit has often fallen victim to a change in government because any new government always has to make the old one look bad. I had only suggested that one good way to deal with congestion is to move some of it elsewhere, and give people an alternative route to Whistler so we don't all drive ourselves nuts trying to cram onto one highway. Busses would work, but you can't completely close it to private traffic either, because people live along that highway too. I would also like to see them use the railway, as they were saying in the rhetoric for the BC150 events at Squamish about how important the railway is for BC. But they've already proven, under the guise of CN, that they don't care about the railroad either. A lot of public money went into building and maintaining that roadbed and then they just lease it to the most wonderful private company in the world which doesn't bother to maintain it properly, so all that money is wasted and we can't use the railway anymore.
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 29, 2008 16:59:31 GMT -8
off topic:
A few posters on this thread, in recent days, have signature areas that include a 200px tall picture, but then they've added lots of extra vertical space for text.
In the interest of readability of the threads, can we all please attempt to try to keep the total sig-area height close to the 200px tall limit.
Yeah, I know the rule only specifies the picture, but you can take that to mean the entire signature height.
Thanks for tolerating this housekeeping diversion. I figured that this was a relevant place to post it, because there are examples right here on this thread (and they won't be here anymore after the members edit their signatures to shrink their height, thanks), and I don't want any copycat overheight-areas for others, thinking that this is ok.
200px tall, for total signature area. Live it, breathe it, believe it.
===============
oh, and the Pemberton festival website has a message-board that has lots of interesting complaints & comments about the poor organization of some aspects of the event. An interesting read. Personally, Yanni should have been the closing act on Sunday night.......
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Post by Barnacle on Jul 30, 2008 8:23:36 GMT -8
Yanni as closing act? Why so--get an early start for the trip home? ;D
I see the Sea to Sky is off the board this morning... unless that rockslide is smaller than it looks on the telly, it'll take a bit more than the 24 hours they're predicting to get it cleared away.
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Post by Nickfro on Jul 30, 2008 14:56:42 GMT -8
Some chopper footage of the carnage here.I'm hearing 5 days until she opens. Hopefully Chris doesn't have any ferry trips planned this weekend!
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Post by Scott on Jul 30, 2008 15:15:13 GMT -8
Would it be possible to run a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Darrell Bay? Is the ferry terminal there still useable? Not that there's any extra ferries around right now.
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Koastal Karl
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jul 30, 2008 15:45:37 GMT -8
There ya go. One last job for the ol Esquimalt before she leaves! Get the new owners to run her from HSB to Darrel Bay.
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ProudCanuck
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Post by ProudCanuck on Jul 30, 2008 15:54:27 GMT -8
Would it be possible to run a ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Darrell Bay? Is the ferry terminal there still useable? Not that there's any extra ferries around right now. From what I recall from riding the ferry to Woodfibre, the ramp slipped into a notch on the end of the ferry, so an apron fingers would have to be welded onto the ramp. By the way there are 3 ferries sitting in North Vancouver... yea right.
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Post by Kahloke on Jul 30, 2008 15:59:43 GMT -8
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 30, 2008 17:42:25 GMT -8
The ferry dock at Porteau Cove was built expressly for events such as this. There are docks at HSB, Porteau & Squamish and some how they should be establishing some service ASAP. The docks at the latter two sites are not likely able to handle large vessels. The Cappie or Bowen Queen might be a possibility.
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Post by Canucks on Jul 30, 2008 18:09:08 GMT -8
Global has stated that BC Ferries will not be running any service. An engineer examined the docks and deemed them to be unsafe and inefficient because BC ferries says they can only provide a 35 car ferry.
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ProudCanuck
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Post by ProudCanuck on Jul 31, 2008 9:13:37 GMT -8
Yes, I remember that the ramp at Porteau Cove was purposely built as part of a "ferry bridge" system, similar to a "bus bridge" system that Translink uses when SkyTrain goes down.
When Western Pulp closed the Woodfibre mill, the Ministry of Transportation and Highways should have made sure that the Darrell Bay ramp was maintained to a standard similar to that of Porteau Cove.
Perhaps this was a budget cut to the Highways Department portfolio by the Campbell government? Maybe it is time to build a ramp similar to that of the one in Porteau Cove at Darrell Bay or in Squamish. By similar, I am referring to a dual purpose: emergency use ramp and general use as a fishing pier.
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Kam
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Post by Kam on Jul 31, 2008 10:29:49 GMT -8
There ya go. One last job for the ol Esquimalt before she leaves! Get the new owners to run her from HSB to Darrel Bay. I see Island Sky is out and about today. It would be a nice thought to see her come to the rescue!
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Post by hwy19man on Jul 31, 2008 12:42:40 GMT -8
There ya go. One last job for the ol Esquimalt before she leaves! Get the new owners to run her from HSB to Darrel Bay. I see Island Sky is out and about today. It would be a nice thought to see her come to the rescue! That would be a great introduction for the vessel.
A wild thought would be to have a huge berth built in Darrel Bay or north of it so it could say, fit the Coquitlam on its off days or use the brand new coastal! Now that is what you call a major contingency plan. Somehow, I doubt Campbell's gang would do this.
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Post by hergfest on Jul 31, 2008 16:41:59 GMT -8
While I agree a backup terminal would be a good idea, you don't have to build a mega terminal. Something that a intermediate vessel can fit into would be fine, if not a B-Class.
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