Richmond against bus-only lanes for TransLink's BRT route to Metrotown

City of Richmond staff opposed to bus-only lanes for TransLink's new Bus Rapid Transit route to Metrotown

The proposed route for the R7 RapidBus between Richmond-Brighouse Station and Metrotown Station. (City of Richmond)

A RapidBus route linking the Canada Line’s Richmond-Brighouse Station and the Expo Line’s Metrotown Station has been planned for years, long before the finalization of TransLink’s Transport 2050 plan.

Under TransLink’s Transport 2050’s 10-year priorities, this RapidBus route between Richmond City Centre and Metrotown in Burnaby would be one of 11 new additional RapidBus routes launched between 2025 and 2035, with this particular route implemented within the first five years of the decade-long plan. This route will be called the R7 RapidBus.

Within Richmond, the R7 RapidBus is proposed to run along short segments of No. 3 Road, Lansdowne Road, and Garden City Road, before traversing along Cambie Road to reach the Knight Street Bridge.

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According to the City of Richmond, Cambie Road’s use for the R7 RapidBus’ west-east, cross-town route within Richmond is preferred over Bridgeport Road and Alderbridge Way as it has a higher population density, more destinations, and therefore more ridership potential.

Within Vancouver and Burnaby, after crossing the Knight Street Bridge, the R7 RapidBus would use a short segment of Marine Drive, then Victoria Drive, 49th Avenue, Imperial Avenue, and Willingdon Avenue, before arriving at Metrotown.

The R7 RapidBus is expected to replace the existing No. 430 bus, which also runs between Richmond-Brighouse and Metrotown stations via the Knight Street Bridge. The key difference is the No. 430 runs along Bridgeport Road within Richmond, and along Knight Street until 49th Avenue within Vancouver.

Existing No. 430 local bus:

translink 430 bus route richmond-brighouse metrotown

The route of the existing No. 430 local bus between Richmond-Brighouse Station and Metrotown Station. (TransLink)

Proposed R7 RapidBus route:

translink r7 rapidbus route richmond-brighouse metrotown

The proposed route for the R7 RapidBus between Richmond-Brighouse Station and Metrotown Station. (City of Richmond)

Bus-only lanes will increase traffic delays by 50%

Within the 10-year priorities timeline, the public transit authority has indicated the future R7 RapidBus is a candidate to be upgraded to TransLink’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mode.

TransLink is planning to launch nine BRT routes under the 10-year priorities, with a key BRT standard envisioned to be fully traffic separated and dedicated bus-only lanes. In contrast, RapidBus has fewer bus-priority measures, and generally operates as a higher frequency, limited-stop express bus route. BRT is seen as an evolution of the existing RapidBus (B-Line) service standard.

While the region’s existing HOV lanes enable general vehicle traffic to enter the high-occupancy lane, TransLink’s planned fully traffic separated and dedicated bus-only lanes for BRT would be physically inaccessible to general traffic through the use of barriers for the entire length of the BRT route.

Ahead of next week’s Richmond City Council public meeting over the matter of deciding the municipal government’s support for BRT, staff with the City of Richmond have expressed their opposition to removing general vehicle traffic lanes for the proposed BRT. City Council is expected to endorse City staff’s recommendations ahead of TransLink’s Mayors’ Council’s meeting later this month finalizing the list of projects under the 10-year priorities.

Instead, City staff are recommending the endorsement of BRT, but through the revised design with HOV lanes — also called bus-priority-lanes — that are accessible by general vehicle traffic instead of TransLink’s proposed physically segregated bus-only lanes.

Diagram of bus-priority (HOV) lanes on Joyce Street between Kingsway and Joyce-Collingwood Station for the R4 41st Avenue RapidBus. (City of Vancouver)

72 avenue bus priority lane surrey rapidbus

September 2023 construction progress of bus-priority (HOV) lanes along 72 Avenue in Surrey for the future R6 Scott Road RapidBus. (TransLink)

City staff suggest segregated bus-only lanes are “more easily implemented” on roads with at least six vehicle lanes or three lanes in each direction, a wide road shoulder, or where a curbside parking lane can be reallocated. As Richmond’s main roads — including the roads eyed for the R7 RapidBus — are generally four vehicle lanes or two vehicle lanes in each direction, a reallocation of one vehicle traffic lane in each direction for buses would result in a 50% reduction in road capacity for other road users, according to City staff.

Furthermore, City staff’s preliminary analysis indicates a reduction in road capacity to a single vehicle lane in each direction for general vehicle traffic will increase traffic delays by at least 50%.

“TransLink’s requirement for an exclusive transit lane for the length of the corridor achieved through reallocation of existing road space presents concerns for degradation of service for other road users along the R7 corridor. Staff recommend the City’s commitment for a dedicated transit lane be replaced with a High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane,” reads the City staff report.

“Staff have confirmed the current peak traffic volumes on the R7 corridor warrant two travel lanes in each direction… On this basis, staff do not believe public perception will view the conversion of a traffic lane to a bus only lane as an efficient use of limited road capacity on City streets.”

City staff also note the municipal governments of Vancouver and Burnaby have not endorsed TransLink’s recommendation for segregated bus-only lanes for their segments of the future BRT route running through their jurisdiction. A recent motion approved by Vancouver City Council endorsed more bus priority measures on select corridors and a new RapidBus along Marine Drive/Marine Way, but came short of directly supporting TransLink’s BRT concept as proposed.

scott road southbound bus lane bus stop 72 avenue rapidbus

September 2023 construction progress on Scott Road’s segregated bus-only lane for the 72 Avenue southbound bus stop for the future R6 RapidBus. (TransLink)

“The majority of delay for buses is at traffic signals”

While City of Richmond staff are against segregated bus-only lanes, they support the bus-priority measures of turn restrictions at intersections, queue jump lanes ahead of intersections, traffic signal priority of extended green lights for buses approaching intersections, and HOV lanes.

According to City staff, based on their analysis of TransLink’s findings with the performance of bus-priority measures for existing RapidBus routes, the largest reductions in travel time are achieved with fewer bus stops, queue jump lanes, and traffic signal priority. They believe the combination of such enhancements “will achieve significant travel time savings for buses while balancing the needs of other traffic on the R7 corridor.”

“Even without road widening between bus stops, staff believe the other bus priority interventions can provide considerable travel time saving through prioritizing buses at the signalized intersections. Unlike long stretches of uninterrupted highway where an additional bus lane is beneficial to bypass congestion, it is staff’s opinion of TransLink’s Bus Speed and Reliability study that the majority of delay for buses is at traffic signals.”

Based on TransLink’s findings, according to City staff, the region’s existing RapidBus routes reduce weekday travel times by 24% to 35% compared to the previous local bus route. Specific bus-priority measures such as bus stop reductions reduce travel times by 5% to 10%, queue jumper lanes reduce travel times by 15% to 35%, in-lane bus stops using a bus bulge reduce travel times up to 15%, traffic signal priority upgrades reduce travel times up to 20%, and vehicle turn restrictions reduce travel times by about 10%.

It is estimated the 15% travel time reduction from segregated bus-only lanes will “disproportionately penalize other traffic (passenger cars, freight) on the R7 route.”

Previous condition of the intersection of Scott Road and Old Yale Road before the installation of bus-only lanes for the future R6 Scott Road RapidBus. (TransLink)

Future condition of the intersection of Scott Road and Old Yale Road for the R6 Scott Road RapidBus. (TransLink)

r6 scott road rapidbus stop design 72 avenue

Artistic rendering of the southbound centre bus stop on Scott Road with segregated bus-only lanes near 72 Avenue for the R6 Scott Road RapidBus. (TransLink)

r6 scott road rapidbus kwantlen polytechnic university

Artistic rendering of bus-priority (HOV) lanes on 72 Avenue next to Kwantlen Polytechnic University for the 128 Street stop of the R6 Scott Road RapidBus. (TransLink)

City staff add that the use of HOV lanes as part of an initial BRT service standard allows for phased implementation, with traffic pattern changes monitored and assessed to determine whether the corridor warrants a segregated bus-only lane in the future.

With that said, City staff also believe the BRT service typology is a “short-to-medium term” solution for the region, and they are recommending the City’s support of BRT be based on the “understanding this service is a transitional product in preparation for Rail Rapid Transit on the R7 route.”

“The Canada Line has proven effective at encouraging transit trips and the development of high-density, mixed-use, and walkable environments… Ultimately, a bus-based transit line will not have the ability to reach the high frequency and people moving capacity as a rail system that will be required in the future,” assert City staff.

Along with the revisions to TransLink’s BRT proposal for the R7 RapidBus corridor, City staff are also recommending a “Council champion” and internal dedicated City staff team to support the public transit authority’s BRT planning, the expressed willingness to expedite municipal processes and approvals related to the project, and the allocation of municipal resources and in-kind support, but not municipal financial support for infrastructure upgrades.

In 2020, TransLink completed construction on the long-planned bus loop serving Richmond-Brighouse Station. This off-street, bus exchange was designed to be specifically large enough to fit the public transit authority’s articulated buses for its planned RapidBus route reaching Metrotown.

According to TransLink’s 2022 statistics, the existing No. 430 local bus route between Richmond-Brighouse Station and Metrotown Station via the Knight Street Bridge is the 33rd busiest bus route out of Metro Vancouver’s 203 bus routes.

In 2022, the No. 430 saw 1.87 million annual boardings, 5,610 average weekday boardings, 4,540 average Saturday boardings, and 3,670 average Sunday/holiday boardings. This is down from its pre-pandemic 2019 ridership of 2.186 million annual boardings, 6,810 average weekday boardings, 4,540 average Saturday boardings, and 3,670 average Sunday/holiday boardings.

This is the full list of TransLink’s proposed 11 new RapidBus routes under the 10-year priorities:

New RapidBus routes in the first five years:
1. Langley to Haney Place via 200th Street
2. Downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale via Lions Gate Bridge
3. Marine Drive Station to 22nd Street Station via Marine Drive/Marine Way
4. R1 King George Boulevard route extension from Newton to White Rock
5. Richmond Centre to Metrotown via Knight Street Bridge, Victoria Drive, and 49th Avenue
New RapidBus routes for the second five years:
1. Downtown Vancouver to Ambleside via Lions Gate Bridge
2. Carvolth exchange to Scott Road Station via 96 Avenue
3. Commercial Drive/Victoria Drive
4. Langley to White Rock via 24th Avenue
5. New Westminster Station to Brentwood Town Centre Station via Canada Way
6. Newton to Guildford via 152nd Street

This is the full list of TransLink’s proposed nine BRT routes under the 10-year priorities:

RapidBus to BRT upgrade: R3 Lougheed Highway (Coquitlam Central Station to Haney Place in Maple Ridge)
RapidBus to BRT upgrade: R5 Hastings Street (Burrard Station to SFU Burnaby)
RapidBus to BRT upgrade: R6 Scott Road (Scott Road Station to Newton exchange). R6 will be launched in early 2024 before its potential eventual upgrade to BRT.
New BRT: Surrey to White Rock via King George Boulevard
New BRT: Langley to Haney Place in Maple Ridge via 200th Street, Golden Ears Bridge, and Lougheed Highway
New BRT: Marine Drive Station to 22nd Street Station via Marine Drive/Marine Way
New BRT: Richmond Centre to Metrotown via Knight Street Bridge, Victoria Drive, and 49th Avenue
New BRT: Downtown Vancouver to Lonsdale via Lions Gate Bridge
New BRT: Metrotown to Park Royal via Ironworkers Memorial Bridge

In addition to the new RapidBus and BRT routes, TransLink’s 10-year priorities also call for up to seven new longer-haul Express bus routes for regional/interregional services — mainly running along highways reaching the easternmost and southernmost Metro Vancouver areas, the Fraser Valley, and the Sea to Sky corridor.

translink r4 rapidbus oakridge cambie 41st avenue vancouver bus

TransLink’s R4 41st Avenue RapidBus in Vancouver. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

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