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SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES FOR BROADWAY, MAIN STREET, AND METROTOWN SKYTRAIN STATIONS

Translink, the Greater Vancouver Transportation Authority, intends to conduct significant upgrade to three high volume SkyTrain stations along the Expo Line - Broadway, Main, and Metrotown stations.

These stations play a central role in the transportation network and currently experience significant access and capacity constraints. Demands on these stations will continue to grow with expansion of the regional transit network, regional population growth and land use change around the stations.
Translink has recently completed design work for these three stations that, when implemented, will allow the stations to meet current and future ridership demands. These major station upgrades will be completed by the end of 2009, prior to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Given the importance of these station to the network and the limited time available for construction, a Phasing Strategy for these projects is critical to the successful implementation of the station plans. The Phasing Strateg will manage system and operational impacts and maximize cost and time effieciencies gained from taking a coordinated approach to the upgrades.



ARCHITECTS

Broadway Station: Via Architecture/Stantec Architecture
Metrotown Station: Busby Perkins & Will Architects
Main Street-Science World Station: Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects





Broadway Station
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Metrotown Station
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Main Street-Science World Station
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Metro Vancouver Rapid Transit Map (2011)
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BROADWAY STATION REDESIGN

The planned Broadway Station renovations can be summarized as follows:

1) Station entrance on Broadway
- Remove existing 2 coiling grilles,
- Remove elevator,
- Relocate eletrical riser next to new elevator
- Install 2 new coiling grilles,
- Create a CRU

2) Centre stairs
- Reduce the width of the stairs, and install a new escalator

3) Centre of the station
- Accommodate the exist from Safeway and provide connection between Safeway and Station fire alarm systems
- Extend the concourse space by enclosing the currently exterior space to the south of the station
- Extend the concourse space by replacing west wall by glazing,
- Create 2 CRU's

4) South of the Station
- Remove existing emergency stairs,
- Create new stairs,
- Install a new elevator,
- Install 2 new coiling grilles.

5) General improvements
- improved lighting,
- improved signage/wayfinding,
- new flooring,
- replacing metal mesh screens with glass panels.

6) Other
- expanded passarelle between Broadway and Commercial Drive Stations
- expanded entry to Commercial Drive Station from Commercial Drive
- integration of adjacent paved area and implementation of customer amenities.

7) Cost
- $25 million



New South Entrance
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Concourse level
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Platform level
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METROTOWN STATION REDESIGN

Starting in January 2006, Translink and the City of Burnaby hired a team of consultants to recommend options for upgrading Metrotown Station, the second highest ridership SkyTrain station in the greater Vancouver region. The team engaged a variety of stakeholders from both agencies, along
with representatives from SkyTrain and Coast Mountain Bus Company. A Station Assessment report was completed, “Metrotown SkyTrain Station Transit Village Plan – Site Assessment & Design Concepts Report.” That report identified five key issues for the station plan to address:

• Ridership at Metrotown Station exceeds the existing station capacity, and ridership is projected to grow.
• No direct, accessible paths are provided at the station from any direction.
• The bus loop does not meet existing capacity needs and presents pedestrian safety hazards.
• The superblock pattern of development at Metrotown reduces the station catchment area, particularly to high density housing to the north.
• The streets throughout the station area are oriented toward automobiles only and do not support high levels of walking.


In addition the site assessment recommended more detailed analysis of the following design options:


A) STATION BUILDING

1) West Entrance
- Improves circulation and expands capacity, including both vertical circulation and platform capacity.

2) Lengthened platform
- To improve the utility of a new west entrance, the platform may be lengthened by 20 metres to the west.

3) South platform
- Possible means to expand vertical circulation and platform capacity, but introduces operational, wayfinding and circulation challenges.

4) Expanded Mezzaine
- Connecting the east Station House to the existing elevator can provide accessible connection to passarelle and mall.
- Connecting the existing elevator to a future Station Square passarelle can provide an accessible connection to the mall.

5) Passarelle
- The existing passarelle to Metropolis can be widened to improve capacity
- A new passarelle can connect the existing elevator to Station Square.
- A new passarelle could connect a new west station house to a redeveloped Station Square

6) Bus Exchange
- Narrow Exchange: In this option, buses are looped around the station
building, with a new bus-only road between Central and Beresford. The BC Parkway would be routed on a dedicated path between the busway and Beresford.
- Wide Exchange: In this option, buses are looped around the station building, with a new bus-only road between Central and Beresford. The BC Parkway would be routed on a dedicated path between the busway and Beresford.

7) Bus Layover
- Central/Beresford: Buses laying over would be provided curb spaces
alongside the BC Parkway along Central and/or Beresford, immediately adjacent to the bus exchange
- Bus Loop: The existing bus loop would be used for layover.

8) Cost
- $25.071 million



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Station Area Strategies
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Planning Area Strategies
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Recommended Upgrade Elements

There is a package of station improvements that clearly meet the study’s technical requirements and evaluation criteria. These include:

• Lengthened platform. The original Metrotown Station was designed to allow the platform to be lengthened to the west, in acknowledgement that this would be a high ridership station. Lengthening the platform allows trains to be staggered at the station, reducing crowding from passengers waiting to board trains. Lengthening the platform also puts the base of the stairs and escalators for a new west entrance precisely at the middle of a relocated bus exchange.

• West Station House. This is critical for two primary reasons: 1) It balances loads of passengers waiting for trains on the platform, relieving current crowding at the east end of the platform, and 2) It provides critical additional vertical circulation to the platform with out compromising passenger circulation on the platform through additional mid-platform stairs and escalators. A new West Station House strongly complements a lengthened plat form and relocation bus exchange.

• New elevators. The existing elevator is slow, opaque and inefficient. It would be replaced by a pair of modern, transparent elevators located at the new midpoint of the lengthened platform, allowing the existing elevator to remain in place during construction. The new elevators would provide redundancy, allowing one to maintain access to the platform while the other was closed for maintenance.

• Improved East Station House. Once the new West Station House is completed, the existing East Station House can be modernized. It would be made level with the passarelle, eliminating the existing steps. It would also be made more transparent, as in the Millennium Line Gilmore Station.

• Improved passarelle. The existing station passarelle would be widened and made more transparent to provide better passenger comfort and personal security. Stairs at the east Station House would be eliminated. The passarelle would also be redesigned to highlight the regional significance of the Metrotown station and area.

• Station roof and enclosure. A redesigned station roof and enclosure would not only provide weather protection for the entire length of the platform, but also provide more transparency and mark the station as a major landmark.

• Bus exchange. The bus exchange would be moved out of the current bus loop area and routed around the station itself. The bus loop would be maintained for bus layover, and as an important bus stop serving the front door of Metropolis.

• BC Parkway Improvements and urban plaza. Separated bicycle and pedestrian paths are included through the station area, connecting to continuous paths being implemented between New Westminster and Vancouver. At the station, care is taken to address conflicts between through cyclists and transit passengers. A very high level of design amenity is provided at the ground level to ensure both the functionality of the space as a major transit exchange, as well as a destination in its own right, as one of the symbolic “front doors” of Burnaby.

• Neighbourhood connections. Improved pedestrian access is provided on all sides, connecting to Maywood, ground level destinations north of Central, and second level destination at Metropolis and the MetroTowers.



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MAIN STREET STATION REDESIGN

In December 2006, Hotson Bakker Boniface Haden Architects + Urbanistes, BTY Quantity Surveyors Ltd., and Earth Tech Consulting Engineers were engaged by Translink to undertake schematic design and costing for renovations to the Main Street Expo Line Skytrain Station.

Key Design Considerations
• Enhancement of elevator and escalator access to the east end of the platform.
• Improving visual and experiential connections between the bus pick up and
drop off points (on both sides of Main Street) and the station entries.
• Enhancement of the mezzanine level on the west side of the platform.
• Enhancement of general pedestrian flow on both sides of the platform.
• Enhancement of adjacency challenges with respect to adjoining retail and residential space on the west side of Main Street.
• Improving the urban design condition.
• Increasing the revenue opportunities for the station if possible.
• Improving the platform experience.
• Enhancing the station’s overall architectural, visual and experiential qualities.



Design Solution

Skytrain/Bus Connection Improvements
- The design proposes extended canopies (bus shelters) on both sides of Main Street to enhance links between the Skytrain and the bus loading and offloading. In addition, stairs and escalators are reoriented to face Main Street.

Eastside Improvements
- A new station house is provided on the east side with reoriented two stage escalators, an elevator, and an architecturally unique oval security screen.

Westside Improvements
- A re-alignment and addition of an escalator onto the eastern face of the platform provides a direct visual link between the vertical circulation to the mezzanine level and the major bus offloading and loading point. The existing south facing entry will be upgraded with the an escalator and stairs will be
replaced. New retail space will be inserted along the Terminal Avenue street front.

Platform Improvements
- The existing platform remains intact with the exception of the east end addition. Architectural improvements include a clip-on to conceal the existing truss structure and a new glass safety barrier to replace the existing chain link barrier.

Cost
- $9.693 million




Preferred Option

The preferred option was then developed in terms of architectural form.


1) Skytrain/Bus Connection Improvements

In order to enhance the links between the Skytrain and the bus loading and offloading points on both side of the street, the preferred design proposes extended canopies (bus shelters) on both side of Main Street. The intention of these canopies is to allow transferring passengers to move under cover
from the bus to the Skytrain station and vice versa. In addition, in order to enhance these links, stairs and escalators are reoriented to face Main Street on both the west and east side of the platform.


2) Eastside Improvements

The insertion of a new station house on the east side with reoriented two stage escalators, and elevator, and an architecturally unique oval security screen is proposed. This accommodates the enhanced functional requirements for both escalators and elevators, minimizes the platform extension, and provides a dramatic architectural statement of station enhancement.



3) Westside Improvements

On the west side, a re-alignment and addition of an escalator on to the eastern face of the platform provides a direct visual link between the vertical circulation to the mezzanine level and the major bus offloading and loading point. While this design requires the reconfiguration of the existing Starbucks, it will enhance pedestrian flow and visual links between the bus passengers and the Skytrain entry. In addition the existing south facing entry will be upgraded with the addition of an escalator and the replacement of the stairs. Finally, new retail space will be inserted along the Terminal Avenue street
front. These new commercial spaces will enhance revenue opportunities and provide an inhabited streetscape along Terminal, while reducing the number of overhung dead spaces. This will have a positive impact from a CPTED perspective.


4) Platform Improvements

After reviewing several alternatives, it was decided that the most cost effective solution was to maintain the structure of the existing platform intact. This meant that there could be no increases (with the exception of the eastside escalator and elevator) to platform access capacity. Because of the nature of the existing station geometry any substantial increase in platform size would be extraordinarily costly. Consequently the focus was on an appropriate configuration of enhanced access at the street and mezzanine level. However, the east side enhancements would provide a much more effective way of accessing a somewhat undersized platform.

The design proposes a clip-on to conceal the existing truss structure of the platform roof. The intention of this clip-on is that there be a visual transformation of the canopy of the Main Street Station without any structural interventions. The agenda would be to create an aluminum face to the north and south side of the existing canopy structure. A lighting feature would be incorporated in this face. The clip on would allow the preservation of the existing skylights.

In addition, one of the weakest design aspects of the existing station is the chain link safety barrier. This is both visually unacceptable and does not provide any screening for the adjoining residences. The preferred design proposes a replacement of the chainlink fence with a glass railing. This glazing
could also provide a dramatic signage opportunity indicating both the name of the station and that of adjoining areas or buildings such as Southeast False Creek and/or Science World. The new barrier would also resolve the ongoing problem of neighbor complaints about lack of privacy.

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Proposed Ground Floor Plan
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Proposed Mezzaine and Eastern Landing Floor Plans
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Proposed Platform Floor Plan
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Thanks for posting.

Wow, that looks snazzy.

Looks great! This has been in the works for a while, hasn't it?
When will construction start?

What about New Westminster Station, won't it get affected dramatically by all that sourrounding development?

Looks great! This has been in the works for a while, hasn't it?
When will construction start?

What about New Westminster Station, won't it get affected dramatically by all that surrounding development?

New Westminster Station will also get a huge redesign, but it's not in the hands of Translinks but rather part of an adjacent condo/retail development adjacent to the station.

maybe for the Main Street Science world station it will offer a walkway or a connection to Pacific Central Station

is there pics of main Street Science world station with the pacific central station because i hear that the amtrak cacades and VIA and other railroads stop there

Any significance with the blue and yellow "circle T"?

http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/Environment/utsp/images/transitvillagevancouver.jpg

maybe for the Main Street Science world station it will offer a walkway or a connection to Pacific Central Station

is there pics of main Street Science world station with the pacific central station because i hear that the amtrak cacades and VIA and other railroads stop thereStation St. isn't that big a deal to cross. You just use the cross walk, which is easy enough. Also, I don't consider the flow of pedestrians from Pacific Central Station as constant or busy, like you see at Metrotown Mall. I think Amtrack has plans to make just two trips here per day. It's not exactly like Victoria Station in London. :)

but does anybody has pics of the pacific central station and inside the station with the track level and that

it could be ones you took you know

Pacific Central Station adjacent to Main Street SkyTrain Station
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Some platforms are now coach bus stations.
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thank you MR X thank you for the photos it gives me a clear view because in wikipedia it doesn't provide enough photos

but very nice station i heard there are two main stations in Vancouver

pacific Central Station and Waterfront Station

is there pics of the waterfront station as well since i hear the construction of the new subway to the airport and richmond

Waterfront Station is basically like Vancouver's own Grand Central Station. It's the regional transit hub, located on the downtown waterfront. It's the access point for the Expo and Millennium SkyTrain Lines, Seabus ferry, West Coast Express commuter rail, transit buses, the future Canada Line to the airport, and the future Vancouver streetcar.

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SkyTrain Waterfront Station platform
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SeaBus Waterfront Station ferry platform
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West Coast Express Waterfront Station platform
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oh so vancouver has two different main stations

so Waterfront is like the grand central of Vancouver yet pacific Central Station is like Penn Station of vancouver?

anyways thank you Mr X for another insight to these stations did you take this pics or you found them?

vancouver streetcar is it going to happen?

oh so vancouver has two different main stations

so Waterfront is like the grand central of Vancouver yet pacific Central Station is like Penn Station of vancouver?

anyways thank you Mr X for another insight to these stations did you take this pics or you found them?

vancouver streetcar is it going to happen?

Yup.

I found the pictures on Fickr.

Phase "0" of the streetcar will be completed in time for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, linking Granville Island (a tourist/arts precinct) to the Olympic Village. Major extensions will happen after the Olympics.


And here's info on the new Canada Line to the airport: http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=460966

Pacific Central Station adjacent to Main Street SkyTrain Station
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1134/574509337_f550b2469b.jpg?v=0are my eyes fooling me? It looks like a Toronto CLRV is parked in front of the station, to the right of the main entrance......:nuts:

Cheers, m

I didn't notice any dates - are these station upgrades goign to start soon and be done in time for the olympics? or will they be post olympic projects?

about metrotown got an update - its a nightmare - the new connection to station square will fit in nicely with their revamping plans and moving the bus loop too :) - interesting how they envision a third tower next to the twins

main street will be vastly improved - right now its a bit of a mess considering how many people exit off main street busses than have to trek across or around to get to the station - having the main entrance on termional always seemed a little odd and disjointed - i guess it helped with expo 86 foot traffic

some more retail in the stations will be nice too :)

are my eyes fooling me? It looks like a Toronto CLRV is parked in front of the station, to the right of the main entrance......:nuts:

Cheers, m

its one of the tourist trams probably

http://www.eyeseavancouver.com/images/dt/vantrolleyco.jpg

I didn't notice any dates - are these station upgrades goign to start soon and be done in time for the olympics? or will they be post olympic projects?

about metrotown got an update - its a nightmare - the new connection to station square will fit in nicely with their revamping plans and moving the bus loop too :) - interesting how they envision a third tower next to the twins

main street will be vastly improved - right now its a bit of a mess considering how many people exit off main street busses than have to trek across or around to get to the station - having the main entrance on termional always seemed a little odd and disjointed - i guess it helped with expo 86 foot traffic

some more retail in the stations will be nice too :)

They will be done right before or after the 2010 Olympics. Mind that there are 2 years and 5 months until the opening ceremonies.

ah great

i know broadway is being done in phases so as long as the new south entrance and elevator is moved - great stuff

according to the RFS they are intended to be done before the olympics. But that is easier said then done.

are my eyes fooling me? It looks like a Toronto CLRV is parked in front of the station, to the right of the main entrance......:nuts:

Cheers, m
Looks like it's just a coach bus.
http://i5.tinypic.com/4kamgeh.jpg

^ probably is, Pacific Central is also Vancouver's coach bus terminal.