TransLink exploring renos for SkyTrain's 22nd Street and Gateway stations

TransLink exploring major renovations for SkyTrain's 22nd Street and Gateway stations

SkyTrain Gateway Station in Surrey City Centre. (Google Maps)

Two more SkyTrain stations are being eyed for potential station upgrade projects.

TransLink recently ended the intake for requests for proposals (RFP) to land on a consultant contract to perform a feasibility study of upgrading 22nd Street Station in New Westminster and Gateway Station in Surrey. Both stations are on the Expo Line.

“These two stations are among the high priorities for the Station Access and Safety Project,” TransLink spokesperson Thor Diakow told Daily Hive Urbanized in an email.

“As a result, TransLink undertook work to study how the stations could be upgraded in the future; this consultant work is now confirming the feasibility of potential future upgrades.”

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The consultant will create two concept upgrade approaches for each of these stations.

The RFP description states TransLink is seeking to address functional deficiencies in a way that is also “responsive to the evolving needs of the cities in which they are located, and opportunities presented by future development in the neighbourhoods they serve.”

The City of New Westminster is conducting an area planning process around 22nd Street Station that will provide a framework for high-density redevelopments in the area.

As well, 22nd Street Station is set to see more passenger traffic over the coming years, as it will be the eastern terminus of TransLink’s future RapidBus or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route. This higher-capacity, frequent, express bus service will have its western terminus located at SkyTrain Marine Drive Station, running along Marine Drive and Marine Way.

In 2019, TransLink completed a $2.8 million overhaul of the bus loop at 22nd Street Station.

skytrain 22nd street station new westminster

SkyTrain 22nd Street Station in New Westminster. (Google Maps)

skytrain gateway station platform expo line f

SkyTrain Gateway Station platform. (Nick Woo/Google Maps)

Gateway Station serves the northern areas of Surrey City Centre, where there is immense densification. Thousands of new homes and job spaces are proposed or approved within very close proximity to the station, including the City of Surrey’s plan to build about 1,600 homes immediately west of the station.

In pre-pandemic 2019, 22nd Street Station saw 3.45 million boardings over the course of the year, with averages of 10,920 boardings per weekday, 7,170 per Saturday, and 5,620 per Sunday/holiday. It ranked as the 20th busiest SkyTrain station out of the entire network of 53 stations.

Gateway Station saw 1.92 million boardings in 2019, making it the 29th busiest SkyTrain station. It saw averages of 6,000 boardings per weekday, 4,160 boardings per Saturday, and 3,270 boardings per Sunday/holiday.

TransLink is also exploring major future upgrade projects for Stadium-Chinatown Station, Edmonds Station, and Columbia Station.

About a year ago, TransLink began construction on a $33 million upgrade and expansion of Brentwood Town Centre Station.

As part of the Oakridge Park (Oakridge Centre) mall redevelopment, SkyTrain Oakridge-Centre Station will gain a secondary entrance from a new underground mall corridor, in addition to street access upgrades. These upgrades are being spearheaded by the mall owner, not TransLink.

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