Millennium Line - Evergreen Extension | Completed

[nname]

Originally Posted by NucksFanInVan

Or better still: replace the Lougheed-Columbia section with LRT and extend the Millenium Line along the existing rail ROW to meet the Canada Line at Marine Drive!

If we have a couple of billions for something like that, we'll rather see them invest in the Broadway or Surrey line...

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

The challenge is fitting the trains into the gaps, not how far they run once they're slotted into place. And with two stops between Columbia and Lougheed there's plenty of leeway for the automated system to adjust dwell times and speeds so as to effect an efficient "merge" between trains.

If they don't run far enough and the schedule is adjusted to make way to increase the gap to make the train fit in, then the rest of the line will face some long gap in between trains. This certainly doesn't work quite well in Surrey, as during peak hours there are often a very crowded train after a long gap, followed by a not-so-crowded train very closely after. This makes the line appears to be far more crowded than it really is. I think many of the forumers here would argue that the trains over SkyBridge is very crowded, but according to TransLink's data, its the least crowded segment (65% full) followed by Broadway to Main (92% full) and Millennium Line entering Commercial Drive (80% full).

By the way, I really not sure how TransLink would be able to run the Evergreen-Millennium Line with 2-car trains every 3min. From their own 2021 ridership estimate, this config will give trains that are 115% full coming into Lougheed and 170% full coming into Commercial

[officedweller]

Originally Posted by aberdeen5698

I think in the long term the stretch that includes Braid and Sapperton is going to be a problem.

There was that SkyTrain report that suggested the Millennium Line would be pared back to just a shuttle between Columbia and Lougheed - but of course, that would require a new platform at Columbia.

Originally Posted by Zassk

In the long term, a rebuild of Columbia seems like a necessity. A three- (or four-) platform Columbia Station would allow for lots of flexibility in the network. Translink could short-turn Expo trains at Columbia, or run Millennium Line as a "tail" off of either Expo or Evergreen lines, or run a short Millennium Line shuttle between Lougheed and Columbia.

It may also support a route from Coquitlam to Columbia (with a reversing change in direction at Lougheed).
The original T-Line was supposed to have Lougheed station oriented north-south with trackage configured as a "Y" opening to the south (not to the east), with the "through" routes being Coquitlam-VCC and Coquitlam-Columbia (not Coquitlam-VCC and Columbia-VCC, as-built).
That would have allowed cross-regional commutes from Coquitlam to Surrey with only 1 transfer at Columbia (however, as-built and with the proposed operating plan, it would require 2 transfers). The phasing of the T-Line, however, resulted in the Lougheed platform being oriented east-west instead of north-south.

[queetz@home]

It looks like work is about to start for the Inlet Station area already....

http://egrtconstruction.ca/media-centre/...ruction-at-barnet-highway-and-ioco-road/

Beginning the week of June 10 and continuing for approximately one week, temporary night-time drilling work to build support structures in the Inlet Station area will be required at the intersection of Ioco Road and Barnet Highway. Night-time lane closures will also be required.

It seems June will be the start of the busyness of construction from Lougheed Mall up to the Inlet Station area. So far, the stations areas that have had some activity starting up are Burquitlam, Lougheed, Moody Station and Inlet. I guess the ones in the Coquitlam Centre area won't really begin until next year, eh?

[adrianroam95]

Traffic lights have been installed at Charles Street and St Johns/Clarke Rd. The signals still under wraps for now; it looks like they'll be switched on any day now.

[STEELWHEELS]

I see the very first Evergreen Line guideway structure taking shape! Just north of Como Lake Ave., a re-bar/concrete form is being constructed. It looks like the landing transition from elevated to ground level, ahead of the southern tunnel portal.

[Mac Write]

Pictures Pictures please!!!!

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by STEELWHEELS

I see the very first Evergreen Line guideway structure taking shape! Just north of Como Lake Ave., a re-bar/concrete form is being constructed. It looks like the landing transition from elevated to ground level, ahead of the southern tunnel portal.

Nice! I'm guessing this is where the houses and a couple of small commercial buildings that were demolished used to be, right?

I will try to take a look either tonight or tomorrow, maybe try to take a photo (very discreetly by Samsung, and only if the stop light goes red) but it will depend as there isn't a easy place to make a stop in that particular intersection right now (because of the new Safeway construction site, and cordoned off areas for the Evergreen)

[nname]

You can stop by the KFC parking on the opposite side of Safeway and the Evergreen construction site...

Weird, I go by that intersection everyday, but couldn't find anything special other than new wooden fencing at the back of the construction site...

[SpongeG]

i just discovered they have a facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/evergreenline

just don't read the comments lol

[Mininari]

Originally Posted by adrianroam95

Traffic lights have been installed at Charles Street and St Johns/Clarke Rd. The signals still under wraps for now; it looks like they'll be switched on any day now.

Let us know how the traffic adapts to having lights there. I know its a minor point, but I'm curious, since I used to live at that intersection

Btw, is Sobey's purchase of Safeway Canada Ltd. going to delay the Burquitlam safeway rebuild? Its stil a prime location for a grocery store... even before evergreen.

I still can't believe this is finally happening. My 12-year old self would be very happy.

[GeeCee]

Originally Posted by Mininari

Let us know how the traffic adapts to having lights there. I know its a minor point, but I'm curious, since I used to live at that intersection

Btw, is Sobey's purchase of Safeway Canada Ltd. going to delay the Burquitlam safeway rebuild? Its stil a prime location for a grocery store... even before evergreen.

I still can't believe this is finally happening. My 12-year old self would be very happy.

Probably not substantially. I'd imagine that Bosa is doing the development aspect of the project while Safeway is (was) merely the real estate owner.

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by nname

You can stop by the KFC parking on the opposite side of Safeway and the Evergreen construction site...

Weird, I go by that intersection everyday, but couldn't find anything special other than new wooden fencing at the back of the construction site...

I thought that wooden fencing was the rebar form being referred too. And if I have known it was a little to the back, I would have stopped at the KFC. I was expecting it to be visible from the intersection, and was in the wrong lane to get in the KFC lot.

Since you pass by the area all the time, perhaps you can take the photo. New things I noticed...

1. A small commercial building has since been demolished at Clake and Smith
2. More stuff is now at the Burquitlam Station site
3. I saw the new parking lot underconstruction in the Moody Centre Station
4. Heavy equipment at Ioco...I have a photo of this and will post later... (posting from a Galaxy Tab right now)

[GeeCee]

http://burquitlamstation.blogspot.ca/ has some pictures of the recent demolitions in the area.

[nname]

Originally Posted by queetz@home

Since you pass by the area all the time, perhaps you can take the photo. New things I noticed...

Its hard to take photo when the #97 are crowded everyday.. Weird that this time last year the bus were always quite empty, but now they seems to be packed everyday... Maybe everyone just go this way to see the Evergreen construction?

On top of that, they are mostly just fence, dirt, demolished buildings, and empty lots right now. Maybe I'll take it later when there are actual structures going up.

[jsbertram]

I was thinking that it would be fun to have a time-lapse camera set up to capture this construction up North Road from Lougheed Stn.

Who wouldn't want to watch a short video compressing several years of construction as the pillars go up in the centre of the road, then the trackway beams are put in place as the construction truss works its way up (or down) North Rd from Lougheed to Burquitlam.

And the transformation of the Lougheed north platform from unfinished concrete to a working train stop.

Perhaps at the end of the video a few frames of the test trains going zoom-zoom by on the new tracks.

Maybe they are already planning a few WebCams to watch the construction?

[queetz@home]

Originally Posted by nname

Its hard to take photo when the #97 are crowded everyday.. Weird that this time last year the bus were always quite empty, but now they seems to be packed everyday... .

I was just kidding, of course. Feel free to take photos when you can, but you're not obligated too if you don't want too or can't.

Originally Posted by GeeCee

http://burquitlamstation.blogspot.ca/ has some pictures of the recent demolitions in the area.

Perhaps this blog is a solution for those of us that don't have easy accesss to the Burquitlam area. Thanks for posting, GeeCee, I have book marked it.

[queetz@home]

Just saw this in Facebook. It has a cool aerial diagram of the Lougheed Station. I can't recall if its been posted here already but here it is again...

http://www.evergreenline.gov.bc.ca/documents/InformationSheets/130607_LougheedTownCtrStation.pdf

[Spork]

I propose an SSP meetup on June 15,2014 for a bike ride along the evergreen line to survey construction progress.

[jsbertram]

Originally Posted by Spork

I propose an SSP meetup on June 15,2014 for a bike ride along the evergreen line to survey construction progress.

not sure if I can make it, I've got the plumber coming by to fix a leak.

[idunno]

It's too bad they've cheapened out on the Lougheed Station canopy design for the new platform. As i recall from much earlier renders, the new canopy had a similar grey 'tent-like' appearance, instead of this white glass-looking thing that they have now proposed. It's too bad that after the Millennium Line was finished, high design quality of new Skytrain stations seems to have gone out the window (other than the airport stations that is).

Although if it's Skytrain Line with minimally designed stations or no Skytrain Line at all, I'll pick the former.