Evergreen Line
Encyclopedia
The Evergreen Line is a planned 10.9 kilometre (6.8 mi) long SkyTrain
rapid transit
line of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink) in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
, Canada
, which is expected to begin construction near summer 2012. This will extend the SkyTrain network from Lougheed Town Centre
in Burnaby to Douglas College
in Coquitlam, with the addition of five new SkyTrain stations and major upgrades to two existing stations (Commercial-Broadway and Lougheed Town Centre).
Upon opening of this extension, SkyTrain route operations are planned to change to best serve passenger demand, with the Millenium Line being shortened to operate from Waterfront to Lougheed Town Centre
, and the Evergreen Line operating between VCC-Clark
and Douglas College
. Service is planned to begin by summer 2016 and to serve 70,000 passengers per day in 2021. Current plans for the line call for the use of tunnels and elevated guideways, using the same automated technology as the existing SkyTrain
rapid transit
lines currently operated by TransLink elsewhere in Metro Vancouver.
Evergreen Line uses the colour green on route maps, wayfinding and station signage.
After completion of the Millennium Line, TransLink has undertaken several studies regarding the fate of the Coquitlam line, considering a variety of possible options including a diesel multiple unit
-based railway, a tram
line, a new SkyTrain line, and an express bus service. In September 2002, the 97 B-Line
express bus service was implemented. Eventually, in 2004, it was decided that a tram line was the best option, as it would better blend in with the neighbourhood, cost less, better fit the 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 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 prompted local news agencies to interpret the statement as meaning TransLink had shelved the project. TransLink responded by issuing the following 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 a revised business case for the Evergreen Line, preferring the Advanced Light Rapid Transit
(ALRT) currently used by SkyTrain over the previously accepted light-rail
technology. However, the expected completion date has been 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 the various municipalities. On August 5, 2008, The Province of British Columbia 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, the release of the report on TransLink's 2010 10-year Plan by Martin Crilly, the Regional Transportation Commissioner appointed by the Province of BC, has indicated that rapid transit expansion, which includes the Evergreen Line, is 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 the existing system should be placed before the construction of the Evergreen Line.
On September 11, 2009, the second project update was released by the Evergreen Line Project. The update stated that contractor selection will begin in early-to-mid 2010, environmental assessment to be completed in 2010, with construction to 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. The project update did not make reference to the funding issues that remain unresolved.
On October 26, 2009, the TransLink Mayors' Council voted against the increasing funding necessary to pursue the Evergreen Line expansion, instead voting for keeping existing services as they are. However on October 28, 2009, Premier Gordon Campbell stated that the line will continue even though it had been voted down.
On October 7, 2011, the Mayor's Council approved the "Moving Forward" 2012 Supplemental Plan to fund various transportation projects in the Metro Vancouver region, including the Evergreen Line. Funding will be provided in part by a two-cents-per-litre increase in the Metro Vancouver fuel tax to be implemented in spring 2012, with further funding from new sources that have yet to be determined. Of the projected $1.4 billion cost for the Evergreen Line, TransLink will provide $400 million, provincial government will contribute $583 million and the federal government will contribute $417 million. Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom
announced construction is expected to begin in summer 2012, soon after a winning bid for construction is chosen from three shortlisted builders.
Two existing SkyTrain stations will be upgraded to serve the Evergreen Line:
The initial LRT-based plan foresaw eleven stations. As part of the decision to use ALRT technology, four previously planned stations were cut:
One or two additional stations (likely Queens and Lincoln) are under review, and may be built should conditions warrant their construction.
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line of the South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority (TransLink) in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, which is expected to begin construction near summer 2012. This will extend the SkyTrain network from Lougheed Town Centre
Lougheed Town Centre Station
Lougheed Town Centre Station is a station on the Millennium Line, part of the SkyTrain rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.-Location:...
in Burnaby to Douglas College
Douglas College Station
Douglas College Station will be a SkyTrain terminus station along the planned Evergreen Line extension to Coquitlam, in Metro Vancouver, Canada. It will be located just northeast of the Pinetree Way / Guildford Way intersection, and will serve the David Lam campus of Douglas College and Coquitlam...
in Coquitlam, with the addition of five new SkyTrain stations and major upgrades to two existing stations (Commercial-Broadway and Lougheed Town Centre).
Upon opening of this extension, SkyTrain route operations are planned to change to best serve passenger demand, with the Millenium Line being shortened to operate from Waterfront to Lougheed Town Centre
Lougheed Town Centre Station
Lougheed Town Centre Station is a station on the Millennium Line, part of the SkyTrain rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.-Location:...
, and the Evergreen Line operating between VCC-Clark
VCC-Clark Station
VCC–Clark Station is a station on the Millennium Line of the SkyTrain system in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Named after the nearby Vancouver Community College, adjacent to Clark Drive, the station serves as the terminus of the Millennium Line...
and Douglas College
Douglas College Station
Douglas College Station will be a SkyTrain terminus station along the planned Evergreen Line extension to Coquitlam, in Metro Vancouver, Canada. It will be located just northeast of the Pinetree Way / Guildford Way intersection, and will serve the David Lam campus of Douglas College and Coquitlam...
. Service is planned to begin by summer 2016 and to serve 70,000 passengers per day in 2021. Current plans for the line call for the use of tunnels and elevated guideways, using the same automated technology as the existing SkyTrain
SkyTrain (Vancouver)
SkyTrain is a light rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. SkyTrain has of track and uses fully automated trains on grade-separated tracks, running mostly on elevated guideways, which helps SkyTrain to hold consistently high on-time reliability...
rapid transit
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
lines currently operated by TransLink elsewhere in Metro Vancouver.
Evergreen Line uses the colour green on route maps, wayfinding and station signage.
History
Originally, a rapid-transit line going into Coquitlam was intended to be part of the new Millennium Line that was completed in 2002. As the costs of the project rose, however, the plans to build the extension to the new line into Coquitlam were halted, though not before a third incomplete platform on the westbound side of the Lougheed Town Centre station was built, with a spur of tracks for the extension.After completion of the Millennium Line, TransLink has undertaken several studies regarding the fate of the Coquitlam line, considering a variety of possible options including a diesel multiple unit
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
-based railway, a tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
line, a new SkyTrain line, and an express bus service. In September 2002, the 97 B-Line
97 B-Line
The 97 B-Line is a bus rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It connects Coquitlam Central Station on the West Coast Express system to Lougheed Town Centre Station on the SkyTrain system. It is operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and funded by TransLink. Going west,...
express bus service was implemented. Eventually, in 2004, it was decided that a tram line was the best option, as it would better blend in with the neighbourhood, cost less, better fit the ridership patterns and not compete with customers from the existing West Coast Express
West Coast Express
West Coast Express is the interregional commuter railway in British Columbia, Canada. Opened in 1995, it links Mission, Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam, and Port Moody with Waterfront Station in Downtown Vancouver, where it interchanges with SkyTrain rapid transit, SeaBus and...
.
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 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 prompted local news agencies to interpret the statement as meaning TransLink had shelved the project. TransLink responded by issuing the following 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 a revised business case for the Evergreen Line, preferring the Advanced Light Rapid Transit
Bombardier Advanced Rapid Transit
Advanced Rapid Transit or ART is the current name given to a rapid transit system manufactured by Bombardier Transportation. The original versions look like small subway cars that typically run in two-, four- or six-car trains, but the latest versions are more streamlined two-car articulated...
(ALRT) currently used by SkyTrain over the previously accepted light-rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
technology. However, the expected completion date has been 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 the various municipalities. On August 5, 2008, The Province of British Columbia 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, the release of the report on TransLink's 2010 10-year Plan by Martin Crilly, the Regional Transportation Commissioner appointed by the Province of BC, has indicated that rapid transit expansion, which includes the Evergreen Line, is 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 the existing system should be placed before the construction of the Evergreen Line.
On September 11, 2009, the second project update was released by the Evergreen Line Project. The update stated that contractor selection will begin in early-to-mid 2010, environmental assessment to be completed in 2010, with construction to 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. The project update did not make reference to the funding issues that remain unresolved.
On October 26, 2009, the TransLink Mayors' Council voted against the increasing funding necessary to pursue the Evergreen Line expansion, instead voting for keeping existing services as they are. However on October 28, 2009, Premier Gordon Campbell stated that the line will continue even though it had been voted down.
On October 7, 2011, the Mayor's Council approved the "Moving Forward" 2012 Supplemental Plan to fund various transportation projects in the Metro Vancouver region, including the Evergreen Line. Funding will be provided in part by a two-cents-per-litre increase in the Metro Vancouver fuel tax to be implemented in spring 2012, with further funding from new sources that have yet to be determined. Of the projected $1.4 billion cost for the Evergreen Line, TransLink will provide $400 million, provincial government will contribute $583 million and the federal government will contribute $417 million. Transportation Minister Blair Lekstrom
Blair Lekstrom
Blair Lekstrom is a Canadian politician, currently a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. He has represented the riding of Peace River South since the 2001 election....
announced construction is expected to begin in summer 2012, soon after a winning bid for construction is chosen from three shortlisted builders.
Route description
The September 2009 project update gave the following description of the alignment:Design
The May 2009 Project Description Report and September 2009 Project Update provided previously unconfirmed details about the Evergreen Line, including the following:- Travel time from Coquitlam City Centre to Lougheed Town Centre will be 15 minutes;
- Service will be every 3 minutes during peak hours;
- Operating hours will be approximately 20 hours/day on weekdays, less on weekends
- The line will provide direct connections, without transfers, to what is currently the Millennium Line;
- Projected ridership is 70,000 per day in 2021;
- Peak hour system capacity will be 10,400 passengers in 2021;
- Operations will be integrated with the existing SkyTrain facility near Edmonds Station on the Expo Line.
Stations
Five new stations have been confirmed for the opening of the Evergreen Line:- Burquitlam StationBurquitlam StationBurquitlam Station is a planned SkyTrain station along the Evergreen Line, which is currently under planning in Coquitlam, a suburb of Vancouver, Canada. It will be in the Burquitlam area of Coquitlam. Its expected date of completion is summer 2016....
- on the east side of Clarke Road near Burquitlam Plaza - Port Moody StationPort Moody StationPort Moody Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the south side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Port Moody, at the north foot of William Street, approximately north of St....
- located at the Port Moody transit exchange site - Ioco StationIoco StationIoco Station is a SkyTrain station along the planned Evergreen Line in Coquitlam, in Metro Vancouver, Canada. It will be located underneath the Barnet Highway overpass for CP Rail at Ioco Road, with the guideway leading into the station running parallel to CP Rail. The Evergreen Line is expected to...
- north of Barnet Highway, on north side of CPR tracks - Coquitlam Central StationCoquitlam Central StationCoquitlam Central Station is a station on the West Coast Express commuter rail line connecting Vancouver to Mission, British Columbia, Canada. The station is located on the north side of the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Coquitlam, just west of the Lougheed Highway rail overpass, near the...
- located at the Coquitlam transit exchange site - Douglas College StationDouglas College StationDouglas College Station will be a SkyTrain terminus station along the planned Evergreen Line extension to Coquitlam, in Metro Vancouver, Canada. It will be located just northeast of the Pinetree Way / Guildford Way intersection, and will serve the David Lam campus of Douglas College and Coquitlam...
- east side of Pinetree Way, north of Guildford Way
Two existing SkyTrain stations will be upgraded to serve the Evergreen Line:
- Lougheed Town Centre StationLougheed Town Centre StationLougheed Town Centre Station is a station on the Millennium Line, part of the SkyTrain rapid transit system in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia.-Location:...
- an additional platform will be constructed on the east side of the station, completing a roughed-in platform and track that were constructed previously in anticipation of the Evergreen Line extension. When the extension opens, this platform will be used for Douglas College Station bound trains. The existing center platform at this station will be used for the terminus of the Millennium Line as well as VCC–Clark bound trains, allowing for cross-platform transfers between those two services. - Commercial–Broadway StationCommercial–Broadway StationCommercial–Broadway Station is located on an elevated portion of the Expo Line and Millenium Line and an at-grade portion of the Millennium Line, a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system...
- as Evergreen Line trains will run from VCC–Clark Station to Douglas College Station, increased ridership is expected to lead to larger transfer volumes at Commercial–Broadway Station in Vancouver, already the busiest public transit hub in Metro Vancouver. Commercial–Broadway Station is to receive major upgrades to platforms and passageways to facilitate larger volumes of passengers. Included is an additional platform for WaterfrontWaterfront Station (Vancouver)Waterfront Station is a major intermodal public transportation facility and the main transit terminus in Downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Location:...
-bound Expo and Millennium Line trains which will likely see the relocation of the SafewaySafeway Inc.Safeway Inc. , a Fortune 500 company, is North America's second largest supermarket chain after The Kroger Co., with, as of December 2010, 1,694 stores located throughout the western and central United States and western Canada. It also operates some stores in the Mid-Atlantic region of the Eastern...
directly east of the station. This new platform will assist platform 3 with the implementation of the Spanish solutionSpanish solutionThe Spanish solution is a method of using two railway platforms, one on each side of the track, in order to speed up boarding and alighting from trains. Alighting passengers get off the train on one side and boarding passengers get on from the other...
, a first for Vancouver's SkyTrain system, allowing extra platform capacity for quicker and more efficient boarding and exiting. When completed, Waterfront-bound trains at this station will open one side of the doors on arrival to let passengers exit on one platform, then after a short delay open the doors on the other side of the train to let passengers board from the other platform.
The initial LRT-based plan foresaw eleven stations. As part of the decision to use ALRT technology, four previously planned stations were cut:
- Cameron
- Buller
- Lansdowne
- Coquitlam Civic Centre.
One or two additional stations (likely Queens and Lincoln) are under review, and may be built should conditions warrant their construction.