TransLink selects three rapid transit routes for planning, including two as BRT

TransLink selects three rapid transit routes for planning, including two BRT services

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

After much debate on both the regional and individual municipal levels, TransLink and its Mayors’ Council have finalized three new rapid transit corridors for priority implementation, including Metro Vancouver’s first two BRT routes.

Out of nine BRT routes considered across the region, TransLink announced today it will be moving forward with detailed planning for high-frequency, faster arterial bus services along King George Boulevard linking Guildford Town Centre, Surrey City Centre, and White Rock.

There will also be a new BRT route linking Langley City Centre, Langley Township, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge via 200 Street and the Golden Ears Bridge.

As well, TransLink will soon advance a route extension of the existing R2 RapidBus service linking the North Shore to Metrotown via the Second Narrows.

“This transit expansion is going to be a game changer for the region. It’s going to help a lot of people,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn during today’s press conference.

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Currently, the existing RapidBus or B-Line standard provides limited stops, frequent service, and some bus priority measures.

TransLink’s new BRT mode will build on the RapidBus standard by establishing a high degree of bus-priority measures, including fully separated bus-only lanes along the vast majority of the routes and traffic signal priority at intersections, as well as bus stops akin to train stations with a wide range of amenities and features, and the use of “distinctive and high-capacity” vehicles.

According to the public transit authority, these three routes were selected based on ridership potential, job access, future housing and development growth potential, the feasibility of implementing new bus priority infrastructure, and support from the municipal governments to implement the street changes needed to achieve fast speeds and reliable operations.

“Simply put, these rapid transit projects will help us unlock housing potential, and keep up with record-setting population growth,” said Brad West, the chair of TransLink’s Mayors’ Council and the Mayor of Port Coquitlam, during today’s press conference.

“From a regional standpoint, each of these corridors will provide major improvements to residents in need of better transit.”

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

The provincial government will provide funding to support the detailed design & planning work for #TransLink‘s first 3 #BRT routes. #bcpoli #vanpoli #vanre pic.twitter.com/h1DPs3FT7F

— Kenneth Chan (@iamkennethchan) November 16, 2023

No specific designs, routes, stop locations, cost estimates, or firm implementation timelines have been provided at this time. With the 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.

The provincial government will provide funding to help cover the costs for the forthcoming detailed design and planning work, but no commitments have been made by senior governments to cover the future construction and implementation costs. All three bus routes are under TransLink’s 10-year priorities between 2025 and 2035.

When TransLink first announced its BRT strategy in Spring 2022, the average estimated cost of BRT was pegged at $15 million per km.

“We know from other parts of the world that BRT is good technology,” said BC Minister of Transportation Rob Fleming. “We want to be here as the provincial government, continuing to work with TransLink on a whole range of transportation projects… we want to be there as a reliable partner on the provincial level, and we want to anchor the BRT plan that is under discussion today to new legislation that we passed around transit-oriented development.”

Here is a breakdown of the three bus routes under the selected first phase of projects:

North Shore to Metrotown

TransLink states that in the “near term,” the existing R2 RapidBus service will be upgraded and extended from its current easternmost terminus of Phibbs bus exchange near the north end of the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge.

The R2 RapidBus will cross the bridge to connect with SkyTrain Brentwood Town Centre Station and terminate at SkyTrain Metrotown Station, with stops at major destinations such as the BCIT Burnaby campus.

Currently, the R2 RapidBus runs west-east along the North Shore, starting from Park Royal in West Vancouver. The future route extension means passengers can take a one-bus ride without any transfers between Metrotown and Park Royal, which provides a total corridor length of 21 km.

Although this was previously touted as a BRT route for direct implementation, that is no longer the case. Instead, TransLink will work with the municipal governments to study potential BRT and other rail-based rapid transit alternatives. This work will then determine the permanent long-term rapid transit solution for the corridor.

“I welcome this [RapidBus extension] forward, but rest assured, it’s just the beginning of the work we’ll do to deliver rapid transit to the North Shore,” said Linda Buchanan, the Mayor of North Vancouver City.”

“For too long, we have not had a competitive alternative to travel to, through, and from the North Shore. The result has been consistent long hours in backups and either direction, gridlocking our economy and communities.”

During today’s press conference, TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn noted there are no plans to remove any general vehicle lanes on the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to accommodate the route extension.

translink rapidbus r2 marine drive north shore

TransLink R2 Marine Drive RapidBus on the North Shore. (TransLink)

King George Boulevard in Surrey

BRT in Surrey will be both an upgrade and route extension of the existing R1 RapidBus route, which is currently an 11 km route linking Guildford Town Centre, SkyTrain Surrey Central Station in Surrey City Centre, and Newton bus exchange. The R1 RapidBus was previously known as the 96 B-Line.

The route extension along King George Boulevard south of Newton bus exchange to reach South Surrey and White Rock will bring the total corridor length to 23 km.

The R1 RapidBus will be upgraded to the BRT standard, with the City of Surrey indicating it is highly supportive of fully separated bus-only lanes along King George Boulevard to at least Highway 10, such as a median busway down the centre of the street. It could incorporate some of the design considerations of the cancelled Surrey Newton-Guildford light rail transit project.

“This high-frequency service will help alleviate significant overcrowding on our transit system, and provide residents with reliable alternative options on this very busy corridor,” said Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke.

This BRT will connect to the future SkyTrain Expo Line extension to Langley at King George Station and the future R6 RapidBus at Newton bus exchange, which will begin service in early 2024. The R6 RapidBus will run along Scott Road and 72 Avenue between SkyTrain Scott Road Station and Newton bus exchange.

Langley to Haney Place

The BRT route linking the municipalities of Langley City, Langley Township, Pitt Meadows, and Maple Ridge will be the most significant project of the three routes, given that the corridor is currently not served by any major arterial bus service, with no RapidBus as its precursor.

The south-north BRT will largely run along 200th Street starting from SkyTrain Expo Line’s future easternmost terminus station at 203 Street in Langley City Centre, linking major destinations such as Langley Events Centre and Carvolth bus exchange, as well as other areas of Langley seeing growing residential density.

The BRT will cross the Golden Ears Bridge before using Lougheed Highway to reach Haney Place in Maple Ridge, which will enable a connection to the existing R3 RapidBus along Lougheed Highway between SkyTrain Coquitlam Central Station and Haney Place. Altogether, this BRT corridor will stretch 22 km.

Langley Township has expressed a willingness to enable fully separated bus-only lanes along 200 Street, given the wide width of the street.

“Township of Langley has been waiting for this kind of investment into the Willoughby area on the 200 Street corridor since I was in high school,” said Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward, who laments his jurisdiction being the “largest municipality within the Metro Vancouver region that does not have any rapid transit.”

“It is so important for us, it cannot be understated what it means to see this kind of investment potential going into the area, and the growth the Township of Langley is experiencing mostly along the 200 Street corridor,” continued Woodward.

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