UBCx - Millennium Line Extension Arbutus to UBC | Proposed

[chowhou]

Originally Posted by idunno

Has anyone heard whether UBC is interested in subsidizing an extension to Wesbrook Village?

UBC is explicitly interested in helping finance the extension via land in lieu and developer fees. (There's also "additional transit fares from more riders" but that's not really UBC doing anything)

UBC remains committed to exploring a meaningful financial contribution

UBC is exploring a financial contribution to the regional share of the project, provided the contribution does not divert any funding from the academic mission. Funding will not be derived from the provincial operating grant, current endowments, research funding nor student tuition.

A UBC contribution to rapid transit could take many forms:

Land for stations – Land for routes and stations comprise a major part of rapid transit costs. UBC could contribute land for stations on campus.
Charges Collected from Developers – Local governments collect charges from developers to pay for the infrastructure and amenities that support growth. UBC collects charges from market land development, some of which could support rapid transit construction costs.
Transit-Enabled Revenue – Rapid transit can help generate new revenue. For UBC, some revenue could come from land development as well as from more people accessing the campus for recreation, culture and services. This new revenue will only be realized with a SkyTrain connection to campus.

https://skytrain.ubc.ca/about-the-project/

[Diegotheartist1]

Update on the Jericho Lands Project, related to the UBC extension: https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/jeri...uver-june-2023

[mcj]

Does anyone know if Translink has selected a contractor to do the detailed design and planning for the UBC extension yet?

This private contractor is expected to be selected by June 2023, and they will complete their work by December 2024,

[Mac Write]

Being realistic could they complete the UBC extension by end of 2028/earky 2029. Then Both UBC and Langley extensions would come online within 6-12 months of each other.

[VancouverOfTheFuture]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Being realistic could they complete the UBC extension by end of 2028/earky 2029. Then Both UBC and Langley extensions would come online within 6-12 months of each other.

technically, i dont see why not. but funding wise? when is the next federal election?

[Changing City]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Being realistic could they complete the UBC extension by end of 2028/earky 2029. Then Both UBC and Langley extensions would come online within 6-12 months of each other.

Being realistic, no, the earliest UBC extension could complete would probably be in the early 2030s.

Currently there's an anticipated decision on a multi-disciplinary Technical Advisor team to support the Province in the development of a robust Business Case Inputs Report and associated Reference Concept Design for UBCx which will form the basis for the Provincial Business Case that will be developed by the Province. The work is expected to commence as soon as possible after award and be completed by December 31, 2024.

The business case for the Arbutus link currently being built was published in March 2018. To opening, that'll be eight years. Even if the business case for UBCx was approved 'immediately', and the Province and Feds and TransLink and the First Nations Developers and UBC all came forward with the necessary funds, it would probably take until 2026 or early 2027 to select the contractor, and we wouldn't see trains running before 2032-33. And that's if there are no delays, or funding holdups.

[mcj]

Originally Posted by Mac Write

Being realistic could they complete the UBC extension by end of 2028/earky 2029. Then Both UBC and Langley extensions would come online within 6-12 months of each other.

Assuming this study is completed in 2024, approved in 2025, with construction starting in 2026, it might be possible by 2031/2032. Although I think Changing City's projection of 2032/2033 is more accurate, things don't happen that fast and even if they do there's bound to be something that happens in the next decade that causes a delay.

It's going to be about ~7km with 4 stations, compared to the 5.7km 6 station Broadway extension currently under construction which is taking about ~5 years. So fairly similar in scope, slightly longer but with less stations so should take about 5/6 years of actual construction (although portions west of Alma could be cut and covered speeding things up).

Originally Posted by VancouverOfTheFuture

technically, i dont see why not. but funding wise? when is the next federal election?

Next provincial will be 2024, next federal will be 2025 or earlier.

[Changing City]

I'm bumping this thread because there's discussion on the Arbutus extension thread about the continuation to UBC, and this thread was created to avoid clogging up the construction updates.

In spring it was suggested that TI Corp, the provincial agency overseeing the construction of the Arbutus extension, would be appointing consultants in the summer who would carry out the potential route investigation, including the geotechnical work, to complete at the end of 2024, that would feed into the business case for the UBC extension. I haven't seen any announcement of that consulting contract being let. Does anyone know where it's at?