Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 21, 2009 18:51:48 GMT -8
Ok so pretty much the same concept just different technology. I for some reason though when keenlyside said something about a card i was thinking a dept card where you had to stop and swipe it or something. But the sensor with a sticky card in your windshield sounds great. Even though I live in Chilliwack I want one, I don't wanna get stuck in some line-up for the people who like to use cash.. Cheers, Older post here, but just to clarify: there are NO cash lanes. All tolls are fully automated. Without a transponder, they snaps pictures of your plates, and mail the $3.90/crossing bill to the plates' registered owner. There are multiple cameras covering both front and rear, so tailgating won't do you any good. If you register your plate with them, so they can bill you directly, the toll drops to $3.30. Registration is free via their website, so there's really no reason for GVRD residents NOT to do so, even if they don't PLAN on ever using it. The transponder will cost you a $10 deposit and a $1/mo "lease", but drops the toll further to $2.75. They also have two billing options: you "pre-load" your account with $40, and once it gets down to $10, it's automatically re-loaded from your checking account or credit card; or, they mail (or email!) you a bill every month that you can then pay online. We live in Pitt Meadows, and my wife works in Langley (206th & Fraser). Her old commute, according to Google Maps, was 37km and took her just under an hour in the morning, and usually a little over an hour coming home, via the Port Mann. If she took the Albion Ferry home instead, it reduced the distance to 25km, and more importantly did away with the long, slow crawl and lots of idling, but usually added a full hour or more to the trip, depending on sailing waits. With the new bridge, her commute is now down to 16km, and takes about 20 minutes, each way... 30 at most if traffic up 200th is really ignorant.
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Post by fargowolf on Jun 21, 2009 19:00:35 GMT -8
Great video.
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ProudCanuck
Chief Steward
Champ Car - Gone, but not forgotten!
Posts: 242
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Post by ProudCanuck on Jun 22, 2009 8:57:24 GMT -8
This has hit the national news as well. A million plus change each. Might put it out of the running as a base for a houseboat, but if the real estate market rebounds... I noticed the ad is listed in the "Best Of Craigslist" section.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,151
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Post by Neil on Jun 23, 2009 17:09:01 GMT -8
Since I hadn't been paying attention to previous posts on this thread, I was under the mistaken impression that the Albion ferries were about to be shut down in a few days, so I decided to pay a visit today. I did four crossings, three on the Kulleet, and one on the Klatawa, and observed several more. I enjoyed watching the boats using the strong current to swing them around into dock, and to pretty much float down the river, almost surfing across. I was there in the early afternoon, and sailings were leaving with a minimum of about fourteen cars, and often full, once leaving about eight behind. Looking at the traffic, and taking into account the time of day and the fact the the new bridge is free right now, I have to admit that with a bit more thought, I've had to change my mind somewhat on the need for this operation. Not that it matters what anyone thinks, as the ferry operation here is done, period, at the end of July. There is a case to be made for keeping this crossing open, and reason to think it's end might be regretted some time in the near future. As others have pointed out, the Golden Ears Bridge is four miles away. Population in the Valley is growing, and as part of the GVRD, a crossing of the Fraser every four miles is not extravagant. As of the end of July, there will be no crossing between the Golden Ears and the Mission bridge. If this ferry were kept open, chances are, before long it would be full all the time again, with multiple sailing waits becoming common. The downside is that this is a very expensive operation. Two crews of four or five people for most of the day, and at least one terminal attendant on each side, not to mention the cost of running the vessels and other infrastructure expenses. Compare this to the cost of land transit, where a bus carrying thirty or forty people would leave either terminal every seven or eight minutes- except with only the need for one driver. I can understand why, in tight economic times, the decision has been made to funnel people onto the new bridge, even though it's inconvenient for some. The Albion ferry's continuance is justified on the basis of how full the boats would be if they kept operating. It's not justified if you look at the present need for it, and the cost of operating both a bridge and ferry crossing. That's the rub. Still popular...
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Post by fargowolf on Jun 23, 2009 18:26:56 GMT -8
I'm thinking of coming down from Kamloops for this event. I'm sure gonna miss them more than I do now.
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Post by lmtengs on Jun 26, 2009 8:35:38 GMT -8
I rode my bike from my home in Maple Ridge, Across the new bridge, through Derby Reach Regional Park in Langley, and then over the albion ferry, then home. Its a nice 3 hour ride. It was a wednesday at about 1pm when i passed over the albion, and on the north side, (southbound) I saw the smallest line up in YEARS: five cars. not sailing waits, not lines, FIVE (5) automobiles sitting in line. By the time the ferry boarded, there were 6.
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ProudCanuck
Chief Steward
Champ Car - Gone, but not forgotten!
Posts: 242
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Post by ProudCanuck on Jul 2, 2009 14:57:37 GMT -8
I think for August, the forum Flagship banner should reflect the Albion Ferries ending their service.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 2, 2009 16:15:07 GMT -8
I think for August, the forum Flagship banner should reflect the Albion Ferries ending their service. You mean, something like this: ?
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Post by NMcKay on Jul 3, 2009 22:29:53 GMT -8
heh... i can tell you which boat is which without even looking at the name
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 3, 2009 23:12:00 GMT -8
isn't one shorter than the other? It's oddd. Even though i use the albion Ferries at least once a month, I havn't sailed on the Kulleet for at least 3 years! I'm going to make a point of that this week.
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Neil
Voyager
Posts: 7,151
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Post by Neil on Jul 4, 2009 16:21:51 GMT -8
It's oddd. Even though i use the albion Ferries at least once a month, I havn't sailed on the Kulleet for at least 3 years! I'm going to make a point of that this week. Not 'oddd', more like impossible. If you've done a round trip once a month for three years, chances are you've ridden the Kulleet about 36 times. The odds of travelling that often and always getting the same boat are about a quadrillion to one. The boats are identical in length, and beam.
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 4, 2009 16:33:33 GMT -8
well...... I suppose i am a quadrillion to one then.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 10, 2009 23:11:49 GMT -8
Went for a ride on the Albion ferries this afternoon as part of a ploy to drive the bridge before it becomes to rich for us common folk. I ended up on the Kulleet both ways across the river, so maybe a quadrillion to one odds are possible. The operation has changed markedly these days, though. Even though I heard a two to three sailing wait earlier in the day, by the time I got there there was no wait, so instead of the load-and-go manner in which they used to operate, they now actually follow their schedule of one sailing every fifteen minutes, so they will actually wait at each side before loading vehicles until the scheduled time.
Apart from that, the only other item of note is that Klatawa seems to be picking up a bad habit from the Skeena and seemed to be smoking a fair bit. Maybe she is just suffering from a stress induced chemical imbalance related to excessive emotion over her impending job loss and retirement from service.
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 11, 2009 11:10:59 GMT -8
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Post by Low Light Mike on Jul 12, 2009 13:21:26 GMT -8
[moderator edit: This post moved into this more appropriate pre-existing thread] ================
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 12, 2009 16:06:22 GMT -8
I too took a ride on the Albion ferry today. My son was at a track meet in Abottsford. While returning to North Van we did a side trip via the old ferries and the new bridge. Here is a photo. As this route is quite a distance (~10 km) upstream from the new bridge a good case can be made to keep one boat going and charge a toll equal to that paid on the bridge. Just my opinion...
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 12, 2009 16:15:43 GMT -8
I too took a ride on the Albion ferry today. My son was at a track meet in Abottsford. While returning to North Van we did a side trip via the old ferries and the new bridge. Here is a photo. As this route is quite a distance (~10 km) upstream from the new bridge a good case can be made to keep one boat going and charge a toll equal to that paid on the bridge. Just my opinion... approx. what time were you riding?
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Post by c15cat on Jul 12, 2009 19:39:44 GMT -8
BC Ferries should buy the two little ships.
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Post by Scott (Former Account) on Jul 12, 2009 19:50:01 GMT -8
BC Ferries should buy the two little ships. Why..? They already have a surplus of minor vessels... Since the Kuper came online, the Klitsa does nothing but sit at Deas and fill in occasionally during refit season.
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Post by landlocked on Jul 12, 2009 21:11:55 GMT -8
For rt1commuter.... Heres' 76.5 AEQ's on a 26 car boat!
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 12, 2009 21:19:15 GMT -8
BC Ferries should buy the two little ships. even though there is a surplus, BC Ferries could create a new route, like horsehoe bay-Tsawwassen, or Whiterock-Tsawwassen
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Mill Bay
Voyager
Long Suffering Bosun
Posts: 2,886
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Post by Mill Bay on Jul 12, 2009 22:21:07 GMT -8
For everyone's eyes... here is a picture of the farewell graffiti chalked on the berth at the Albion ferry.
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Post by WettCoast on Jul 13, 2009 7:00:16 GMT -8
approx. what time were you riding? I was there at 2 pm, Sunday, July 12. This photo shows the Kulleet docked on the Langley side. A cropped version of this will serve as my 'sig' for the next few weeks.
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Koastal Karl
Voyager
Been on every BC Ferry now!!!!!
Posts: 7,747
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Post by Koastal Karl on Jul 13, 2009 8:32:30 GMT -8
Why on earth would they have a Horseshoe Bay to Tsawwassen or White Rock??? That dosent make sense at all. If they are gonna have another route Swartz Bay to Horseshoe Bay would be a better route!
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Post by lmtengs on Jul 13, 2009 9:31:30 GMT -8
Why on earth would they have a Horseshoe Bay to Tsawwassen or White Rock??? That dosent make sense at all. If they are gonna have another route Swartz Bay to Horseshoe Bay would be a better route! Yes, I guess. I was very tired when I made that post, so i may not have been thinking straight. Actually, a great ferry route that could be considered is from Port Moody to North Van (Belcarra-Deep cove). here are some photos of the potential placement of the route, and infastructure upgrades in Belcarra and Port Moody that would be needed to go through. Top photo: Ferry docks and terminals in yellow. Ferry route in Blue The white with red dots is existing infrastructure, about 90% being a narrow, bendy, two lane road. The solid red is my proposed infrastructure route which leads to the Barnet hwy.
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