UBCx - Millennium Line Extension Arbutus to UBC | Proposed

[gaviscon]

Originally Posted by Tvisforme

Shouldn't the question be:

Having lived in Metrotown before, I don't think so. That 49 + R4 ride to UBC is painful.
A lot more people living along the Expo Line will choose to subway all the way to Arbutus and use the 9/99 to UBC.

Not to mention the students living DT who will Canada Line to City Hall and transfer to the Broadway Line.

When I mean the buses from Arbutus to UBC will be jam-packed, I mean being unable to catch a few buses in a row because no space.

This extension to Arbutus is actually a poisoned chalice for UBC students who will use the Millenium/Expo Lines

[WarrenC12]

I seem to remember some studies showing that most people actually got off the 99 before Arbutus, suprisingly.

The Arbutus-UBC link after the extension opens should be more like an express shuttle than anything.

I still support Skytrain there obviously. It should drive more destination level development out there. MLS park anyone?

[gaviscon]

Originally Posted by WarrenC12

I seem to remember some studies showing that most people actually got off the 99 before Arbutus, suprisingly.

The Arbutus-UBC link after the extension opens should be more like an express shuttle than anything.

I still support Skytrain there obviously. It should drive more destination level development out there. MLS park anyone?

Just to be clear I support the Skytrain extension too. I think they should have figured out the UBC extension before the Arbutus extension broke ground.

About the 99 being empty before Arbutus, I can say this is true from personal experience as a previous commuter, except during rush hours. 99 can stay packed all the way to UBC during extended hours of the day in the weekdays. Now consider all the densification that's happening along Broadway and at UBC.
Remember that it's not uncommon to miss 1~2 99s in a row at B/C station during rush hours even when the bus starts empty.

We're talking about a bunch of students and workers using the Canada Line + Expo + Millenium + 49 + R4 preferring to be shuttled all the way to Arbutus by train just to catch the 99 or the 9 to UBC. I don't think this extension will relieve the ridership on the R4, either.

Again, if I were to go back being a student at UBC I'd live in Brentwood, DT, or near B/C and take the empty 99, 25, or 44 and avoid the R4 and the 99 in the middle transit nodes like Oakridge/41st, Arbutus/Broadway, or Broadway/City Hall

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by gaviscon

Just to be clear I support the Skytrain extension too. I think they should have figured out the UBC extension before the Arbutus extension broke ground.

About the 99 being empty before Arbutus, I can say this is true from personal experience as a previous commuter, except during rush hours. 99 can stay packed all the way to UBC during extended hours of the day in the weekdays. Now consider all the densification that's happening along Broadway and at UBC.
Remember that it's not uncommon to miss 1~2 99s in a row at B/C station during rush hours even when the bus starts empty.

We're talking about a bunch of students and workers using the Canada Line + Expo + Millenium + 49 + R4 preferring to be shuttled all the way to Arbutus by train just to catch the 99 or the 9 to UBC. I don't think this extension will relieve the ridership on the R4, either.

Again, if I were to go back being a student at UBC I'd live in Brentwood, DT, or near B/C and take the empty 99, 25, or 44 and avoid the R4 and the 99 in the middle transit nodes like Oakridge/41st, Arbutus/Broadway, or Broadway/City Hall

If we'd waited to fund the whole line, the thread for the VCC to Arbutus wouldn't exist. What we're getting is still better than trying to raise another $3bn+ for the UBC section.

If demand warrants it Translink can double the frequency of 99 buses once the SkyTrain is operating without adding any additional operating costs.

[jollyburger]

And you wouldn't get the Jericho Lands projects at the currently envisioned density which also probably helps the business case.

[Lexus]

It’s only 7 KMs from arbutus to UBC bus loop. By car that’s 15-20 mins. If they make some priority lanes for buses and even express version - it should be a relatively quick connection.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Lexus

It’s only 7 KMs from arbutus to UBC bus loop. By car that’s 15-20 mins. If they make some priority lanes for buses and even express version - it should be a relatively quick connection.

Yes with far less lights and congestion than the current section of Broadway covered by the Skytrain extension.

And yes they can optimize the route and even have express nonstop buses if there is demand.

[Migrant_Coconut]

I think a lot of people are underestimating the induced demand that's going to be placed on the 99.

Right now, UBC spillover makes up a large chunk of ridership on the 4, 9, 14, 25, 33, 41, 49, 84, et al... and once the Arbutus extension suddenly makes the B-Line the indisputably fastest bus in and out of the West Side, guess what they'll switch to? Yeah, with or without Jericho, we'll need another SkyTrain.

[svlt]

Originally Posted by Changing City

If we'd waited to fund the whole line, the thread for the VCC to Arbutus wouldn't exist. What we're getting is still better than trying to raise another $3bn+ for the UBC section.

If demand warrants it Translink can double the frequency of 99 buses once the SkyTrain is operating without adding any additional operating costs.

This point always gets missed. So glad we actually have the Arbutus to VCC extension opening next year. Would rather have that than wait for a "guaranteed" funding to UBC opening in the 2030s.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Spr0ckets

I guess a key part of how urgently this next phase gets treated and progressed depends a lot on what's going to happen with the Jericho Lands development since that's a major node of the route that will have a station, and there's a case to be made that the viability of one relies on the existence or progress of the other (as to which is the heavier reliance? Chicken and Egg debate all over again).
Regardless of how much UBC might want it progressed quickly for their obvious benefit.

But since the extension project's continuation also relies on outside sources for funding (Provincial and possibly the Feds), then you also have that little spanner to throw into the works, given the current state of finances and budgeting of the two.

So with the cities and the province already jacking up taxes to deal with their respective deficit and budgetary issues rather than to fund capitol projects, I imagine most of us aren't expecting to see any progress on it for some time after the main extension line to Arbutus opens.

Which is why I always thought it was silly to do it piece-meal like this rather than funding and building the whole route in one go.

Moved to UBC extension thread.

Jericho lands development could always have its phasing shuffled. There's still a relatively high amount of transit in the corridor that would easily service some of the mid-rises they want to build, as well they'd have an easier time finding demand for them in this market compared with the more grand first two phases. In fact, according to the below post, they are already intending on building the first phase with the anticipation of Skytrain coming later:

Originally Posted by jollyburger

This wasn't posted from June
https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/...n-contracts-could-appear-in-2027?lang=es

Cook said once the geo-technical site work, route alignment and station location is finalized, the development company will have a clearer idea of how many buildings, the height and what amenities might be sited in the first phase build-out.

The UBC extension still remains Provincial priority number 1 for the next Skytrain project, however that may change if the Eby government doesn't get the ball rolling more prior to the next election. If there is a change in government, that priority might change.