In the loop

The UBC bus loop has recently moved. When I started studying architecture at UBC it was south-west of the student union building. This was a very convenient place because it sat between the arts and science sides of the campus and was adjacent to the Student Union Building.

The loop functioned moderately well, but the introduction of B-Line buses caused problems with both the waiting areas and available space. It was not designed for the articulated buses or the line-ups of 100+ students waiting to get on the buses. When the 44 B-Line was introduced the stop was on the street across from the loop (if you look carefully you can see it on the map).

After 2003, the bus loop moved to just east of McInnis field, in a space that used to be tennis courts. They decided not to repave, and around Christmas the road turned into oreo cookie crumbs because it couldn't handle the weight of the buses.

The map shows a couple of useful things. The turning radius for the articulated buses and the trolley buses are significantly different. As well, much of the plaza adjoining the Student Union Building could be co-opted for a new bus loop. It may be possible to preserve some of the grassy knoll or to recreate part of it's utility. The grassy knoll serves as a social condensor in the same way as the microarchitectural articulations: because it has no set use it can be used as seating in the summer, a ski/snowboard hill in the winter and serves many other functions.

Because UBC has B-lines, trolley buses, gas-powered buses and community shuttles, I think it would be a good idea to separate the community shuttles from the rest of the buses and put them above ground. This would mean that the only buses using the loop would be from off campus which could then affect how the loop is laid out.

Most of the vehicles that leave campus go down University Boulevard to 10th Avenue, but the 25 and some other buses travel past the hospital. Any bus loop would have to take into consideration the different directions of buses leaving and organise the loop to minimize confusion on the part of drivers and users.