Escalator upgrades bring new disruptions at Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain

Escalator replacements bring new major disruptions at Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station

Accessibility changes at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station due to the closure of the Expo Line's north escalators. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

The highly disruptive project to replace aging escalators at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station reached its halfway milestone last week.

The pair of brand new replacement escalators reaching the station’s Millennium Line platforms have now opened. These escalators have been temporarily closed since late December 2023, resulting in major bottlenecks at the staircases.

But in turn, construction crews have now moved onto the second phase of the station’s escalator replacements, which bring on even more significant disruptions over a prolonged period.

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As of last week, the set of escalators on the north side of East Broadway (next to Shoppers Drug Mart) that reach the station’s Expo Line centre platforms have now closed for the second phase of the replacement project. As part of the construction staging and storage area, and for passenger safety considerations, the adjacent staircase has also closed, but the north elevator reaching the west pedestrian overpass to reach the centre Expo Line platforms will remain open.

skytrain commercial broadway station escalator replacement october 3 2024

Newly completed replacement escalators reaching the Millennium Line platforms at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Accessibility changes at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station due to the closure of the Expo Line’s north escalators. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Most passengers looking to board the Expo Line to travel outbound (towards King George Station and Production Way-University Station) from the north side of East Broadway will need to take a detour by exiting the north side’s fare-paid zone, crossing the street, and re-entering the station from the south side.

Recently, all four crosswalks at the intersection of East Broadway and Commercial Drive were improved with widened zebra markings to enhance safety and visibility for the anticipated higher pedestrian volumes.

It should be noted that the south side’s 2018-built escalators, staircase, elevators, and east pedestrian overpass reaching the Expo Line’s side platform for the inbound direction only (towards Waterfront Station) will remain fully open.

There are no changes to the accessibility of Commercial-Broadway Station’s entrances on the south side of East Broadway (next to Safeway).

According to the public transit authority, passengers should build in an extra five minutes of travel time for interchanging at Commercial-Broadway Station. The new replacement north escalators reaching the west pedestrian overpass and the Expo Line centre platforms are expected to reach completion and open in Fall 2025.

Accessibility changes at SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station due to the closure of the Expo Line’s north escalators. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

Upgraded pedestrian crosswalk at the intersection of East Broadway and Commercial Drive, next to SkyTrain Commercial-Broadway Station. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

TransLink notes that all four escalators have been operation for over 20 years. They were built for the 2002 opening of the original Millennium Line, which transformed this station into a major regional hub.

Currently, Commercial-Broadway Station is the third busiest station on the entire SkyTrain network of 53 stations. It saw 6.23 million boardings in 2023, with averages of 19,100 boardings per weekday, 14,800 per Saturday, and 11,400 per Sunday/holiday.

In Fall 2027, when the Millennium Line’s Broadway extension reaching Arbutus opens and the 99 B-Line route is truncated, Commercial-Broadway Station is expected to experience a significant increase in passengers circulating between the Millennium Line and Expo Line platforms.

The new escalators are said to be more durable, feature variable speed options for power saving, and are easier to maintain and will minimize future downtime. The cost of replacing all four escalators is $10.5 million.

In mid-September 2024, construction also began on a major reconstruction of the street-level entrance into SkyTrain Oakridge-41st Avenue Station. When complete, it will feature two new escalators between the street and ticketing concourse levels (introducing a down escalator), a new entrance canopy for better weather protection, and a new additional secondary entrance into the station from an underground level to reach the new Oakridge Park mall.

These upgrades to Oakridge-41st Avenue Station are expected to reach completion by the end of 2025, but station access will be retained.

Later in Fall 2024, a 6,000 sq ft mezzanine level expansion and an upgraded north street entrance for SkyTrain Brentwood Town Centre Station are expected to reach completion. This includes new additional escalators between the mezzanine and platform levels.

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