57-612: The Evergreen Extension (previously known as the Evergreen Line ) is a 10.9-kilometre-long (6.8 mi) extension of the Millennium Line of Metro Vancouver 's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The extension runs from Lougheed Town Centre in Burnaby to Lafarge Lake–Douglas in Coquitlam and included six new SkyTrain stations and an upgraded existing station (Lougheed Town Centre) on
114-564: A community update issued May 2007, TransLink summarized the state of the project as follows: Work continues to resolve several outstanding issues before the project proceeds. Until there is project certainty, the planned consultation process in support of detailed design, the planned submission of the Application for an Environmental Assessment Certificate and the anticipated start date of the project construction are delayed. This statement prompted local news agencies to assume TransLink had shelved
171-541: A contract with Bombardier Transportation to supply 28 SkyTrain cars. On December 8, 2012, the final early works contract for the Evergreen Line was awarded and was to be completed by March 2013. The statement also promised that the project was still on track for completion in 2016. On February 5, 2013, Thales Canada announced that it had been awarded a contract by Partnerships BC to install the company's SelTrac communications-based train control (CBTC). On March 23, 2013,
228-459: A crossover junction just before Burquitlam Station, where trains crossed back to right-track running. Westbound Millennium Line trains crossed over to left-hand running just south of Burquitlam station, which allowed them to access westbound Platform 2 at Lougheed Town Centre station. This unusual service design allowed same-platform interchange for Expo Line passengers arriving at Lougheed Town Centre and continuing west towards VCC–Clark station on
285-655: A depth of 15 to 20 metres (49 to 66 ft) below the surface. The two machines were named Elsie and Phyllis, honoring two influential Vancouver residents: aeronautical engineer Elsie MacGill and mountaineer Phyllis Munday . Elsie began tunneling the eastbound tunnel from Great Northern Way–Emily Carr station in October 2022, with Phyllis beginning work on the westbound tunnel in late November. Both machines had reached Broadway–City Hall station by May 26, 2023, and South Granville station by February 8, 2024. Phyllis completed boring at Arbutus station on March 20, 2024, and
342-541: A light rail line was the best option, as it would better blend in with the neighbourhood, cost less, better fit ridership patterns, and not compete with customers from the existing West Coast Express . Detailed design began in October 2006, when the TransLink Board approved the Evergreen Light Rail Transit (LRT) project definition phase. Despite a series of public consultations held during this period, in
399-491: A plan to have a contractor selected by April 2020 to allow for construction to begin later that year. On July 17, 2020, the provincial Ministry of Transportation announced that Acciona Infrastructure , a Spanish conglomerate, and Ghella , an Italian company, would be in charge of construction. Demolition of buildings, to make room for station entrances and construction staging areas, began in February 2021. Major construction on
456-465: A potential extension. After completion of the Millennium Line, TransLink undertook several studies regarding the fate of the extension, considering a variety of possible options, including a diesel multiple unit -based railway, a light rail transit line, a new SkyTrain line, and an express bus service. In September 2002, the 97 B-Line express bus service was launched. In 2004, it was decided that
513-601: A proposed route for the extension: the line would continue west under Broadway, with stations at Macdonald and Alma Streets. It would then deviate slightly north to a station serving the redevelopment at the Jericho Lands . In the University Endowment Lands , the line would either take an elevated route following University Boulevard, or a tunnelled route underneath the University Golf Club , to get to UBC at
570-521: A result of the COVID-19 pandemic . A rapid transit extension to Coquitlam was intended to be phase 2 of the new Millennium Line that was completed in 2002. As the costs of the project rose, however, plans to extend the line into Coquitlam were cancelled, though not before a third incomplete concrete platform on the westbound side of the Lougheed Town Centre station was built, with a spur of tracks for
627-667: A revised business case for the Evergreen Extension, preferring the Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT) used by SkyTrain over the light rail technology that had been proposed. The expected completion date was pushed back from 2011 to 2014. On April 18, 2008, the Transport Ministry and TransLink announced that of the two routes proposed in the business case, the North West route was selected after consultation with
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#1732838416832684-486: A short spur east of Columbia station, which was later incorporated into the new Millennium Line. In 1995, the British Columbia government announced that an entirely new line, a street-level light rail line, would be built along Broadway and Lougheed Highway to Lougheed Mall (served by Lougheed Town Centre station ), as the first phase of the "T"-Line (one of three Intermediate Capacity Transit System lines) outlined in
741-835: A station under the University Boulevard bus loop. The station locations at Macdonald Street, Alma Street, and the Jericho Lands were approved by the Vancouver City Council in March 2022. When the Evergreen Extension was built, the first few metres of track and a track switch to allow for an eventual eastward extension to Port Coquitlam were built at Coquitlam Central station . This would create two branches where trains would alternate between going east to Lafarge Lake–Douglas station or to Port Coquitlam. A feasibility study
798-522: A subsidiary of TransLink , and links the cities of Vancouver , Burnaby , Coquitlam and Port Moody . The line was opened in 2002 and was named in recognition of the new millennium . The Millennium Line operates from VCC–Clark station in Vancouver to Lafarge Lake–Douglas station in Coquitlam. The line is elevated to Burquitlam station , where it then goes through a 2-kilometre (1.2 mi) bored tunnel to
855-519: A westbound Millennium Line train. For passengers arriving eastbound at Lougheed, transfers between eastbound Millennium and Expo Line trains were now same-platform. TransLink stated the change to traditional right-track running would provide faster and more reliable trips for passengers as the many track changes the initial service pattern required had resulted in delays. When the Expo Line was opened in 1985, an extension to Lougheed Mall in east Burnaby
912-558: The "Moving Forward" 2012 Supplemental Plan to fund various transportation projects in the Metro Vancouver region, including the Evergreen Line. Funding would be provided in part by a two-cents-per-litre increase in the Metro Vancouver fuel tax that was to be implemented in April 2012, with further funding from new sources that had yet to be determined. Of the projected $ 1.4 billion cost for the Evergreen Line, TransLink would provide $ 400 million,
969-601: The BC Liberal caucus on June 11, 2010 over the implementation of the Harmonized Sales Tax , a policy that he had previously endorsed. Following the election of Christy Clark as the party's new leader in 2011 , Lekstrom rejoined the Liberals on March 3 that year, and was appointed to Clark's cabinet as Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure on March 14. He announced on September 4, 2012 that he would not run again in
1026-459: The City of Coquitlam, and Coquitlam Centre Mall reached an agreement to add Lincoln station to the Evergreen Line project with the federal government contributing $ 7 million to the public–private partnership that built the station. On October 4, 2012, SNC-Lavalin was chosen as the primary contractor to construct the Evergreen Line. On December 3, 2012, the provincial government and TransLink signed
1083-443: The Evergreen Extension instead of the Evergreen Line. On October 22, 2016, Expo Line and Millennium Line route changes took effect to accommodate the Evergreen Extension. The changes, announced on September 19, 2016, were implemented ahead of the Evergreen Extension opening to familiarize riders with the new operating pattern. On November 7, 2016, TransLink announced that the extension would open on December 2, 2016. Funding for
1140-524: The Evergreen Line project office. Also in the design plans was a short spur at Coquitlam Central station, added to allow for a possible future extension of the line to Port Coquitlam . Millennium Line The Millennium Line is the second line of the SkyTrain rapid transit system in the Metro Vancouver region of British Columbia , Canada. The line is owned and operated by BC Rapid Transit Company,
1197-768: The Evergreen Line, including the following: The LRT-based plan foresaw eleven stations. As part of the decision to use ALRT technology, four planned stations were cut: Cameron, Buller, Lansdowne, and Coquitlam Civic Centre. Six new stations were confirmed for the opening of the Evergreen Extension: Two existing SkyTrain stations were upgraded to serve the Evergreen Extension: The design blueprints showed allowances for two future stations, at Queens Street in Port Moody and Falcon Drive in Coquitlam, should future development warrant their construction, according to
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#17328384168321254-498: The Metro Vancouver's Livable Region Strategic Plan that extended into Coquitlam . An 18-month review of rapid transit was scheduled and started in January 1998 but was cut short by the government's announcement of its choice of Bombardier's technology in June 1998. This meant that the first phase of the line would have to connect to the existing Expo Line to use its maintenance yard. Connecting
1311-421: The Millennium Line. On June 25, 2018, service patterns were changed to eliminate all left-track running. This change meant passengers arriving westbound at Lougheed on the Expo Line who wished to continue towards VCC–Clark could either change platforms at Lougheed or remain on their Expo Line train until its terminus at the next station, Production Way–University , where they could make a same-platform transfer to
1368-578: The Millennium Line. It began operations on December 2, 2016. Since the extension opened, the Millennium Line has operated between VCC–Clark and Lafarge Lake–Douglas . In 2012, the Evergreen extension was expected to see 50,000 riders daily in its first year of operation, rising to 70,000 passengers per day by 2021. Actual usage, however, has consistently been lower than this, with 30,000 trips taken on an average weekday in January 2017, rising to almost 40,000 trips per day in 2019, before usage dropped sharply as
1425-560: The Port Moody–Coquitlam (PMC) Line), which would have provided a "one-seat ride" from Coquitlam to VCC–Clark station. A short spur and switches to the PMC Line were installed to the east of Lougheed Town Centre station and a third platform was roughed-in in anticipation of the extension. Phase II was placed on hold following a change in provincial government. A SkyTrain extension from Lougheed Town Centre station to Coquitlam Town Centre
1482-501: The Surrey section of the Expo Line. In 2009, it was estimated that ridership had grown to at least 80,000 passengers per day. Initially, the Millennium Line service followed the Expo Line from Waterfront to Columbia stations, then looped back into Vancouver via the new route, passing through Commercial–Broadway again at a different platform, and terminating at VCC–Clark station. After a reconfiguration on October 22, 2016, in preparation for
1539-435: The city of Port Moody . In Port Moody, the line runs at grade level, rising to cross railway tracks. From Coquitlam Central station , the line is elevated to the terminus at Lafarge Lake–Douglas station. When the Evergreen Extension opened in late 2016, eastbound trains crossed the westbound tracks to access the new northernmost platform (Platform 3) at Lougheed Town Centre station. Trains then operated left-track running to
1596-615: The existing system should be prioritized before the construction of the Evergreen Line. Later that month, the second project update was released by the Evergreen Line Project. The update stated that contractor selection would begin in early to mid-2010, environmental assessment would be completed in 2010, and construction would proceed in late 2010. The update also announced open houses for the environmental assessment process for September 2009 and open houses for preliminary design in October and November 2009. It did not make reference to
1653-425: The extension began on May 13, 2021. "Traffic decks" began to be installed over Mount Pleasant, Broadway–City Hall, Oak–VGH, South Granville, and Arbutus stations, to avoid closing Broadway while station construction takes place underneath. Construction of the elevated guideway at the eastern end of the extension began on December 13, 2021. This 700-metre-long (2,300 ft) guideway is the only above-ground portion of
1710-471: The extension, and connects the existing VCC–Clark station to a tunnel portal adjacent to the Emily Carr University of Art and Design . The tunnel boring machines for the project were delivered to Vancouver between April and June 2022. Two identical machines, each 6 metres (20 ft) in diameter and 150 metres (490 ft) in length, would dig about 18 metres (59 ft) of tunnel per day, at
1767-446: The extension, to facilitate higher ridership, shorten travel times and to integrate seamlessly with the existing SkyTrain network. As a result, the junction tracks and roughed-in third platform at Lougheed Town Centre station were used as part of the Evergreen Extension. Construction of the Evergreen Extension began in 2013 and was completed in late 2016. The extension opened for revenue service on December 2, 2016. On March 16, 2018,
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1824-527: The final names of the Evergreen Line stations were announced. It was also announced that construction of the Evergreen Line guideway would start in the Burquitlam area of Coquitlam in mid-2013 and continue south to Lougheed Town Centre station. The stations were to be built in the following order: In October 2014, the elevated guideway section between Lougheed Town Centre station to the South Tunnel Portal
1881-531: The funding issues that remained unresolved at the time. On October 26, 2009, the TransLink Mayors' Council voted against the increased funding necessary to pursue the Evergreen Line, instead voting for keeping existing services as they are. However, on October 28, 2009, Premier Gordon Campbell stated that the project would continue even though it had been voted down. On October 7, 2011, the Mayors' Council approved
1938-438: The line was extended to its present terminus, VCC–Clark station , on January 6, 2006. The Millennium Line was now completed at a cost of $ 1.2 billion, $ 40 million under budget. In 2007, the non-interlined portion of the Millennium Line served an average of 70,000 passengers per day. Of these, 14,000 passengers arrived on trains travelling from Expo Line stations west of Columbia station, and 7,000 transferred from
1995-463: The line. In May 2012, preliminary construction began, including the removal of some buildings and the construction of underground utility tunnels in certain areas of Port Moody and Coquitlam . At the same time, the province also awarded contracts to widen sections of North Road that were to be affected by construction of the line in the middle of the year. On July 19, 2012, the Government of Canada,
2052-446: The opening of the Evergreen Extension , the Millennium Line ran between VCC–Clark station in the west to Lougheed Town Centre station in the east. Transfers to the Expo Line were now made possible at Production Way–University and Lougheed Town Centre stations. Braid and Sapperton stations were reassigned to the Expo Line. The second phase of the Millennium Line was to be an extension from Lougheed Mall to Coquitlam (then known as
2109-529: The prior two days), with trains operating between Waterfront station on the Expo Line and Braid station in eastern New Westminster. For the second phase, service was extended to Commercial Drive station (since merged with Broadway station to form Commercial–Broadway ) on August 31, 2002 (with full integration with the bus network occurring on September 3, 2002). Lake City Way station , located between Sperling–Burnaby Lake and Production Way–University stations, opened on November 21, 2003. Three years later,
2166-411: The project was 85% complete, including trackwork in elevated and at-grade guideways, guideway construction, tunnel boring, tunnel base, station buildings, and testing between Lougheed and Burquitlam station . On September 8, 2016, it was announced that the line would be opening before the end of 2016 but that a concrete date had yet to be set. It was also announced that the line would be referred to as
2223-643: The project was provided from four major groups: The July 2012 project update gave the following description of the alignment: From the line's opening until June 24, 2018, trains ran in the direction of left-hand traffic instead of the standard right-hand traffic between Burquitlam and Lougheed Town Centre, and used two switches just south of Burquitlam station to return to normal travelling direction. Normal right-hand running between those two stations commenced on June 25, 2018, in order to reduce delays. The May 2009 Project Description Report and September 2009 Project Update provided previously unconfirmed details about
2280-475: The project. TransLink responded by issuing a subsequent statement on July 19: "The Light Rail Transit system for the Northeast Sector is the number one rapid transit priority for TransLink", TransLink Chair Malcolm Brodie said. "We have defined the project, and now we are waiting for funding to be confirmed from senior levels of government." On February 1, 2008, the provincial government and TransLink unveiled
2337-408: The project: Preliminary work on the extension began on February 19, 2019, with the installation of trolley poles and wires on 12th Avenue between Arbutus and Granville Streets that were required in order to reroute trolley buses off of Broadway for the duration of the construction of the subway. On June 22, 2020, trolleybuses were removed from Broadway. The provincial government initially had
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2394-415: The provincial government approved the construction of the "Broadway Subway Project", an initiative which will extend the Millennium Line west to Arbutus Street and add six new stations. The extension will be 5.7 kilometres (3.5 mi) long, all but 700 metres (2,300 ft) of which will be underground, and cost an estimated $ 2.83 billion. Originally scheduled for a 2025 opening, the expected opening
2451-412: The provincial government would contribute $ 583 million, and the federal government would contribute $ 417 million. Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom announced that construction was expected to begin in mid-2012, soon after a winning bid for construction had been chosen from three shortlisted builders. On January 25, 2012, the provincial government announced that pre-construction work would proceed on
2508-554: The release of the report on TransLink's 2010 ten-year plan by Martin Crilly, the Regional Transportation Commissioner appointed by the provincial government, indicated that rapid transit expansion, which included the Evergreen Line, was highly unlikely without a predictable source of operational funding. Although he stopped short of offering his opinion on the project, he agreed nonetheless with TransLink that upgrades to
2565-771: The riding of Peace River South from 2001 to 2013. A caucus member of the British Columbia Liberal Party , he served in several cabinet posts under premiers Gordon Campbell and Christy Clark . He was the mayor of Dawson Creek from 1996 to 2001, and served as city councillor on two separate occasions. Lekstrom was born in 1961 in North Battleford , Saskatchewan and moved to Dawson Creek , British Columbia later that year. He graduated from South Peace Secondary School , and worked with BC Tel starting in 1979 as an installer-repairman. He married his wife Vicki in 1982; they have two children together. He
2622-402: The riding of Peace River South . He was re-elected in 2005 , and was appointed to the cabinet by Premier Gordon Campbell in June 2008 to serve as Minister of Community Development, before being re-assigned as Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources in January 2009. He kept that portfolio after securing another term as MLA at the 2009 provincial election . Lekstrom resigned from
2679-457: The taxpayers and would instead be covered by the contractor. In June 2015, the project management team announced that they would begin testing trains between Lougheed station and Burquitlam station in July 2015. In the week of July 6, 2015, testing began. On November 27, 2015, the provincial government announced that the opening of the line would be further delayed until early 2017. As of April 2016,
2736-456: The tunnel boring phase was fully completed when Elsie reached Arbutus on April 26, 2024. On January 14, 2008, the Government of British Columbia announced a commitment to the expansion of the Millennium Line to the University of British Columbia (UBC) by 2020 as part of a $ 14-billion transit spending package to address global warming . It was not clear what route the new line would take, but it
2793-541: The two lines at Broadway station was deemed impracticable, so the lines were connected in New Westminster. Switches to the Millennium Line were installed on the Expo Line just east of Columbia station. Expo Line service was reduced to a single track over the Skybridge during the installation of these switches. The Millennium Line opened for revenue service on January 7, 2002 (a preview for SkyTrain passengers took place on
2850-473: The various municipalities. On August 5, 2008, the provincial government and TransLink agreed on Evergreen Line delivery. On May 4, 2009, the Ministry of Transportation released a Project Description Report for the Evergreen Line. The report provided more information about the scope and characteristics of the proposed line and detailed the project's environmental and socio-economic requirements. On September 3, 2009,
2907-409: Was completed. The launching truss was transported to Coquitlam Central station, where crews continued to build the elevated guideway north to Lafarge Lake–Douglas station. On February 13, 2015, the provincial government announced that the opening of the line would be delayed until late 2016, due to a slower-than-expected tunnel boring process. Any costs associated with the delay would come at no cost to
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#17328384168322964-642: Was conducted, started during early 2020 and running for about six months. Port Coquitlam mayor Brad West, the Port Coquitlam city council, and the Coquitlam City Council all voiced support for the extension. However, as of 2022, no funding had been secured nor a formal plan created. Blair Lekstrom Blair Lekstrom (born 1961) is a Canadian politician. He was formerly a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia , representing
3021-494: Was elected to Dawson Creek City Council in 1993, serving one term as councillor. He then won election as the city's mayor in 1996 and served in that role for two terms. During that time, he was the president of the North Central Municipal Association for the 1999–2000 term. He ran as a BC Liberal candidate in the 2001 provincial election , and was elected member of the legislative assembly (MLA) for
3078-582: Was hinted that there would be less use of cut-and-cover tunnelling to minimize disruption to businesses along Broadway and avoid the same problems seen during the Canada Line construction along Cambie Street . This expansion failed to materialize. On February 15, 2019, the TransLink Mayors' Council again approved an extension of the line to the UBC campus, although funding for this continuation past Arbutus Street had not yet been secured. In 2022, TransLink unveiled
3135-428: Was proposed when the original Millennium Line was built and the necessary junction tracks for such an extension were built at the station during its initial construction. At one point prior to 2008, the mode planned for the extension was changed to light rail instead of SkyTrain, which meant that the junction tracks would have remained unused. However, in February 2008, plans reverted to the use of SkyTrain technology for
3192-472: Was proposed. The most likely junction point for the spur to Lougheed Mall would have been from Royal Oak station , up Edmonds Street to Lougheed Mall, although early SkyTrain route maps also suggested an extension northeast from New Westminster . Neither plan was realized, although the extension of Expo Line tracks to Columbia Station in 1989 and the completion of the SkyBridge to Surrey in 1990 resulted in
3249-539: Was pushed back to early 2026 in November 2022. The delay was caused by a labour dispute involving concrete workers which started in June 2022. On May 24, 2024, the province revealed that the project would be delayed further, to late 2027. While six new stations are confirmed for the Broadway extension, one will become part of the existing Broadway–City Hall Canada Line station, which is scheduled to be upgraded as part of
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