TransLink's first three Bus Rapid Transit routes could cost over $1 billion

The VIVA BRT system in the York region of Ontario. (TransLink)

Metro Vancouver is not accustomed to major investments on road infrastructure dedicated for higher-frequency, higher-capacity arterial public transit bus services, but this will change with TransLink’s new Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) mode.

In its funding request submission to the federal government today, TransLink indicated each of the first three BRT routes could cost between $250 million and $300 million for a combined total approaching $1 billion, based on highly preliminary estimates.

These estimates will be further refined and finalized by early 2025 in the final business case for the projects.

The figures so far only account for road infrastructure works, such as fully separated bus-only lanes along the vast majority of the length of all three corridors, traffic signal priority and queue jumpers for buses at intersections, and large bus stop shelters that resemble light rail transit stations.

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When other BRT costs are accounted for, the cost of these projects pushes beyond $1 billion.

On top of the road infrastructure works, TransLink is looking to spend an additional $375 million on an expanded bus fleet for both overall service improvements and the acquisition of BRT vehicles, $1.4 billion to expand bus depot for added storage capacity and maintenance facilities to support the BRT fleet and other bus service expansion, and $120 million for the Golden Ears Way corridor improvement project to improve commercial vehicle traffic movement and support the corridor’s BRT project.

In contrast, the road infrastructure works for bus priority measures along Scott Road and 72 Avenue in Delta and Surrey for the new R6 RapidBus carry a total cost of $33 million. The 12 km long R6 RapidBus will begin service in early 2024, after road construction is finished.

Centre median busway for Calgary BRT. (City of Surrey)

Map of three new rapid transit corridors using buses. (TransLink)

Announced last week, TransLink’s first BRT projects include a 22 km route linking Langley City, Langley Township, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge between the future SkyTrain Expo Line terminus in Langley City Centre and Haney Place via 200 Street, Golden Ears Bridge, and Lougheed Highway.

Another prioritized BRT service will be a 23 km route linking Guildford Town Centre, Surrey City Centre, Newton bus exchange, South Surrey, and White Rock via 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard. This will be a route extension and upgrade of the existing 11 km R1 RapidBus (former 96 B-Line), which currently has a southernmost extent of the Newton bus exchange.

The third corridor will serve the North Shore, linking Park Royal, Lonsdale, Phibbs bus exchange, Brentwood Town Centre, and Metrotown via the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and Willingdon Avenue. Although this is identified as one of the three projects, there is less certainty that this will be pursued as BRT, as TransLink has instead decided to study potential BRT or rail-based rapid transit. In the near term, the existing 10 km R2 RapidBus service ending at Phibbs bus exchange will be extended southwards to reach Metrotown, bringing its total length to 21 km.

No specific designs, routes, stop locations, cost estimates, or firm implementation timelines have been provided at this time. With last week’s finalization of the first corridors for implementation, TransLink will now begin work with the municipal governments to carry out detailed design and planning work and perform public consultation.

Public consultation on BRT could begin in Spring 2024, followed by procurement and construction starting in 2025, which depends on funding, and then potential service on the first new route beginning in 2027.

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