5 new east-west crosstown Vancouver bus routes: TransLink proposal | Daily Hive

5 new east-west crosstown Vancouver bus routes proposed by TransLink, including 1st Avenue and 57th Avenue

TransLink articulated bus. (Kenneth Chan/Daily Hive)

TransLink is in the process of contemplating launching brand new bus routes across Vancouver, Burnaby, and New Westminster, including on streets that currently do not have any bus routes.

This is all part of the public transit authority’s proposed Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan, which will undergo public consultation starting on February 10, 2025.

This includes five brand-new, long east-west crosstown bus routes primarily serving the city of Vancouver, operating along extensive stretches of roads that currently lack any bus service.

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One of the most significant new crosstown services is a local bus route between SkyTrain’s Main Street-Science World Station in Vancouver and SkyTrain’s Brentwood Town Centre Station in Burnaby, running along Terminal Avenue and East 1st Avenue.

The continuous roadway of Terminal Avenue and East 1st Avenue is currently a major regional arterial thoroughfare — a key route for vehicle traffic between Highway 1 and downtown Vancouver. This new bus route would replace the existing Terminal Avenue segment of the No. 22 Downtown/Knight bus route, which makes limited trips along the segment. Currently, there are no bus routes along East 1st Avenue.

TransLink has indicated there is a need to provide Terminal Avenue/East 1st Avenue with a new bus route due to the existing east-west bus service gap (the nearest east-west bus services are on East Hastings Street to the north and East Broadway to the south), and the significant future high-density developments catalyzed by the City of Vancouver’s upcoming Rupert Station and Renfrew Station Area Plan and the continued densification of Burnaby’s Brentwood district.

A second new major east-west local bus route is proposed along Grandview Highway and Canada Way between SkyTrain’s Commercial-Broadway Station in Vancouver and SkyTrain’s Holdom Station in the Brentwood district. Currently, there are no bus routes on Grandview Highway. However, there is an identified need for such a new bus route to support future major developments in the Rupert Station and Renfrew Station Area Plan and at Cascade Heights, the future Kwasen Village development, and Brentwood.

translink proposed new bus routes burrard peninsula area transport plan

Map of proposed new local bus routes in the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan. (TransLink)

rupert and renfrew station area plan vancouver

June 2024 draft concept for Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan. (City of Vancouver)

The third brand new crosstown local bus route would run between Dunbar bus loop and Commercial Broadway Station via Dunbar Street, West 33rd Avenue, Cambie Street, and East 16th Avenue. It would also have a mid-route connection with SkyTrain’s King Edward Station.

Currently, there are no bus routes along West 33rd Avenue between Dunbar Street and Cambie Street, and along 16th Avenue east of Cambie Street (16th Avenue west of Cambie Street is already served by the No. 33 UBC/29th Avenue Station). This new bus route would span not only unserved major streets, but also provide more public transit service to support the significant development growth around Dunbar bus loop, the Heather Lands development, Oakridge Municipal Town Centre, and the Cambie Corridor Plan and Broadway Plan areas, while also improving access to Mount St. Joseph Hospital.

The fourth new east-west Vancouver local bus route would run between the Dunbar bus loop and SkyTrain’s Marine Drive Station, following a short segment of Dunbar Street and Southwest Marine Drive, then continuing along West 57th Avenue and Cambie Street. This route addresses the need for bus service on West 57th Avenue and supports the significant future transportation demand generated by the massive Pearson Dogwood and Langara Gardens developments next to the intersection of Cambie Street and West 57th Avenue.

Also serving the Cambie Corridor, the fifth new crosstown local bus route would run between SkyTrain’s Langara-49th Avenue Station and SkyTrain’s Metrotown Station — traversing short segments of West 49th Avenue and Main Street, followed by its lengthy route along East 57th Avenue, Argyle Drive, East 54th Avenue. It would then use short segments of Arlington Street and East 49th Avenue, before transitioning onto Imperial Street to reach Metrotown. Currently, there is an east-west gap in bus services between 49th Avenue and Marine Drive.

Map of proposed new local bus routes in the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan. (TransLink)

Langara Gardens 7051 Ash Crescent Vancouver 2023

2023 revised artistic rendering of Langara Gardens at 7051 Ash Crescent, Vancouver, with Pearson Dogwood also depicted. (James Cheng Architects/Concert Properties/Peterson Group)

In summary, these are the five new east-west crosstown Vancouver local bus routes:

Main Street-Science World Station to Brentwood Town Centre Station (Terminal Avenue and East 1st Avenue)
Commercial-Broadway Station to Holdom Station (Grandview Highway and Canada Way)
Dunbar bus loop to Commercial-Broadway Station (Dunbar Street, West 33rd Avenue, Cambie Street, and East 16th Avenue)
Dunbar bus loop to Marine Drive Station (Dunbar Street, Southwest Marine Drive, West 57th Avenue, and Cambie Street)
Langara-49th Avenue Station to Metrotown Station (West 49th Avenue, Main Street, East 57th Avenue, Argyle Drive, East 54th Avenue, Arlington Street, East 49th Avenue, and Imperial Street)

Beyond these five new major east-west crosstown local bus routes, TransLink is also considering a few other new short local bus routes.

This includes a new north-south Vancouver local bus route between SkyTrain’s Joyce-Collingwood Station and the growing residential density of River District in southeast Vancouver (running along Tyne Street and Champlain Crescent), a new east-west New Westminster local bus route between SkyTrain’s 22nd Street Station and SkyTrain’s Braid Station (running along 10th Avenue), a new east-west local bus route between Metrotown Station and SkyTrain’s Edmonds Station, and a new bus route that follows the entirety of Stanley Park Drive.

Map of proposed new local bus routes in the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan. (TransLink)

All of the additional bus routes described so far are local-serving routes with frequent stops.

In addition, TransLink has proposed launching at least eight new Express Bus routes serving Vancouver, Burnaby, and the North Shore, which would make fewer stops. This includes limited-stop variations of the existing busy services of No. 19 Downtown/Stanley Park (Express Bus on Kingsway between Main Street and Metrotown only), No. 20 Downtown/Victoria (Commercial Drive/Victoria Drive), No. 25 UBC/Brentwood (King Edward Avenue), and No. 49 UBC/Metrotown (49th Avenue).

Other local bus service changes, along with broader bus network improvements, entail the shortening, lengthening or rerouting of existing bus routes. Various changes are also planned to coincide with the 2027 opening of the SkyTrain Millennium Line’s Broadway extension to Arbutus.

Map of the proposed future Express Bus network. (TransLink)

translink stanley park proposed bus route

Map of the new proposed Stanley Park Drive bus route. (TransLink)

translink broadway subway future bus network changes.jpg

Map of the proposed 2027 east-west bus route changes in the Vancouver Westside due to the opening of SkyTrain’s Millennium Line Broadway extension to Arbutus. (TransLink)

None of this should be misconstrued for TransLink’s separate plans to launch new additional RapidBus and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) routes.

Currently, all proposed changes and additions to the bus route network are conceptual and intended for planning purposes. The second phase of the planning process for the Burrard Peninsula Area Transport Plan is set to begin public consultation on February 10, 2025.

It is important to note that these significant bus network improvements depend heavily on addressing TransLink’s looming fiscal challenges in 2026. Resolving this funding gap is essential to maintaining existing service levels and securing substantial new funding for expansion. Under its 10-year plan through 2035, TransLink aims to double bus service levels across the region.

In the meantime, TransLink is also consulting the public on its first two proposed BRT routes: the King George Boulevard BRT and the Langley-Haney Place BRT lines. An online survey for these BRT routes is open until February 9, 2025.

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