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Capital Line LRT

Nope, car again. Glad there are no injuries.


Do you see what happens Edmonton?!
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Do you see what happens when you don't grade separate your LRT??
 
Not really.. How many vehicle collisions does Vancouver's skytrain have?

Cheaping out on the design just ends up costing more long term with incidents like this.
The LRT worked fine for decades with the crossing gates. At some point, you just have to trust people with some basic common sense like not driving around a gate. And for those too stupid to follow a rule like that, maybe it’s just cheaper to let them feel the brunt of the consequences.
 
The LRT worked fine for decades with the crossing gates. At some point, you just have to trust people with some basic common sense like not driving around a gate. And for those too stupid to follow a rule like that, maybe it’s just cheaper to let them feel the brunt of the consequences.
So what's changed then? Sure seems to be a lot of these collisions lately... Were they just not well reported in the pre social media era?
 
So what's changed then? Sure seems to be a lot of these collisions lately... Were they just not well reported in the pre social media era?
Considering that all the collisions still make the nightly news, I don’t think that’s the factor. Maybe it’s just the influx of people here. Ontarians certainly are notorious for their more reckless driving habits. And there are millions of newcomers in Canada (the overwhelming majority of whom aren’t vetted permanent immigrants) who might be bringing bad habits. Not to mention recent news stories like driver’s license scams…
 
Not really.. How many vehicle collisions does Vancouver's skytrain have?

Cheaping out on the design just ends up costing more long term with incidents like this.
I wish the city still had the ability to "cheap out" like they did with the original 2 stages of the Capital Line.

This crossing you're talking about is 40+ years old..
 
I wish the city still had the ability to "cheap out" like they did with the original 2 stages of the Capital Line.

This crossing you're talking about is 40+ years old..
Of I'm aware of its age, and when it was built it made sense to take the cheaper at grade option as there was still an active heavy rail line adjacent.
But when that was removed, there should have at least been plans made to elevate the line when funds were available and opportunity presented itself, like when Commonwealth station needed renewal.
Unfortunately that opportunity has passed now and as more buildings go up on the surrounding lots the chance to upgrade the line to something safer and faster is effectively gone forever.

The much worse and more recent instance of cheaping out is the Roper rd crossing on valley line.
The tracks go downhill from whitemud, to cross an industrial road at grade, only to go right back up to elevated for Davies station.
Would it really have cost that much more to extend the elevated track and blend it into the rise to whitemud instead?

And then there's the inverse situation at university av crossing.. Not only has that added collision risk and traffic delays, but it also prevented increased train frequency when metro line started operations.

Total lack of vision from council for decades with the LRT plans, and all these cut corners add up to poor tax dollar value for drivers and transit users alike.
 
I shiver imagining what these idiots would do at those rural freight train crossings that don’t even have lights or stop signs.
Well, not too be harsh, but at least Darwin has a potential solution to the problem there..
However if these trends continue within the city, I really think the planners and council have to do more to engineer these potential problems away.
Sadly, many drivers don't seem to be getting smarter. :(
 
Well, not too be harsh, but at least Darwin has a potential solution to the problem there..
However if these trends continue within the city, I really think the planners and council have to do more to engineer these potential problems away.
Sadly, many drivers don't seem to be getting smarter. :(
LRT grade separation on the existing line should be taken from the road budget :)
 
There's nothing wrong with that crossing. Flashing crossing arms, wide open sight lines, no left turn to confuse anyone. You have to really, really try to hit a train at this one. This might be the only time I ever recall this happening there
There were two pedestrian fatalities near 112 ave in the late 2010s. After that the city added crossing arms for pedestrians, first I have heard of a car accident. Although, I have seen more cars trying to push though when traffic is backed up at 82nd st. recently. Possibly the car moved onto the track before the trains came and then when there wasn't space to move forward they got stuck. Really dumb driving mistake.
 
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