Links & Tidbits is our semi-regular roundup of interesting fodder about transportation and TransLink from the last few weeks or so. If you have links to contribute, put them in the comments with a few sentences about what it’s about!

Kevin Quinn in the media

TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn has started to settle into his role after starting in July. He’s made the tours with local media and national. If you’re interested in really getting to know Kevin check out The Buzzer podcast we did with him.

TransLink’s first-ever sweepstakes takes over Metro Vancouver media

TransLink launched its first-ever sweepstakes with a load of fantastic prizes. The pickup from media was phenomenal with articles being published across platforms from Daily Hive, Global News, Georgia Straight, Spice Radio, and Burnaby Now. If you’re interested in a candid interview listen to Kevin Quinn with Gloria Macarenko on CBC Radio here.

An unforgettable sunset

On November 4th, 2021 Metro Vancouver was treated to the sunset of a lifetime. Though it didn’t last long, thanks to keen-eyed commuter photojournalists, we were fortunate to receive a variety of photos across the region.

Arturo captured an amazing shot at Waterfront Station.

Shannon took an awesome video of a MK. 1 along the Expo Line.

Vancouver Transit Fan captured this shot of the double rainbow over the 312.

Are E-Bikes the future?

City planning YouTuber City Beautiful seems to think so, and so do we. Learn how we’re planning the future of cycling in Metro Vancouver with the Major Bikeways Network.

How soon will driverless cars take over?

The North Shore News broke down Transport 2050 and broke down what the future could look like. Their focus was on autonomous vehicles and how soon they could take over. Luckily, we’re helping finance studies that are preparing us for that potential future.

Transit can save the world — if we let it

Andrew Hawkins of the Verge put together a tremendous essay on the need to return to transit following the pandemic.

A shoutout from a local city planning celebrity

Brent Toderian is well known for his former role as Chief Planner at the City of Vancouver and as the Founder of Canadian Urbanism. When he lets a transit agency know they’re doing a good job, you know it’s the truth.

When u have 2 minute headways, meaning the time before the next train comes, u never have to run for the train because the next one is just minutes away. That’s freedom. That’s why my friend ⁦@humantransit⁩ says “frequency is freedom.” HT ⁦@TransLink #FrequencyIsFreedom pic.twitter.com/lm8sOiIdCT

— Brent Toderian (@BrentToderian) July 11, 2021

U.S infrastructure bill signed

United States President Joe Biden signed an infrastructure bill worth over $1 Trillion USD into law. The bill that received bipartisan support was pitched as a way to improve the countries aging roads, bridges, railways, and internet infrastructure. On top of the impact the bill will have on individuals, it’s also expected to help propel the nation on the global stage.

Reliable public transportation leads to health benefits

Speaking of infrastructure improvements, a study in Minnesota suggests that robust public transportation can lead to a healthier population. The study looked at a major health centre near a new transit line that runs between St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. The data suggests that because of the new transit line, patients missed their scheduled appointments at a lower rate.

Driverless high-speed train completes trials in Japan

A driverless train in Japan has successfully completed its initial trials. Over a course of eleven days, the train was tested on an eleven-kilometre section of rail in the city of Niigata. We know a little something about operating driverless trains through busy city centres, though this Japanese model reaches speeds of up to 110 kilometres per hour!

New York MTA welcomes back riders

The MTA is one of the most well-known transit agencies in the world. Their welcome back video is heartwarming.

 

Moody Centre Station could soon be getting new neighbours

A 12-story apartment complex has been pitched to Port Moody for the property directly across the SkyTrain tracks from Moody Centre Station. Currently, small industrial buildings occupy the space on Murray St. also known as the famous Brewers Row. The complex would be an excellent example of transit-oriented development — a development where close proximity to transit is a top priority.

Sustainability bond to fund infrastructure

The City of Vancouver established a $100 million bond with the intent of it funding environmentally-friendly infrastructure. The premise of the bond is similar to our Green Bond program which helped raise $400 million in 2018.

Removing parking spaces to save the environment

The Guardian did a deep-dive on the impacts of incentivizing driving with free parking spots. Removing personal vehicles from the road is one of the best ways to fight climate change and limit carbon emissions.

New TransLink Holiday Merch

Burnaby Now filed a story on the new festive merch in the TransLink Store. We’re particularly happy with the “ugly” holiday sweater and the very cute rendition of the reindeer bus that you can find on mugs and t-shirts.

California high-speed rail update

Youtuber The Four Foot provides an in-depth look into the state of the high speed rail project currently underway in California.

12 lane highway given award, backlash sparks debate about cars in society

In Utah, a highway was expanded from four lanes in each direction to six. In turn, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials bestowed upon the project an award for “quality of life improvement.”  The debate that followed brought into question our society’s reliance on cars and the necessity of adding more lanes and incentivizing driving. Many claim that highway expansion is not the answer to our transportation woes.

Economic benefits could spring from greener transportation planning

Colorado Public Radio published a story detailing a study conducted by the Colorado Department of Transportation outlining the potential economic benefits of environmentally friendly transportation planning. The study considered costs of air-pollution, traffic accidents, and delays among others.

Miami-Dade County Transit Director pushes for fewer cars

Much like TransLink’s new CEO Kevin Quinn, Eulois Cleckley is facing the challenge of getting commuters out of their cars and onto more environmentally friendly modes of transit.