VANCOUVER — Major work has started on Vancouver’s Broadway Subway project, a 5.7-kilometre extension of the Millennium Line from VCC-Clark Station to Broadway and Arbutus. The project includes building six new stations along the route.
“I’m happy to see another important step forward for the construction of the Broadway Subway, which will help residents along the city’s busiest corridor get around in faster, cleaner and more affordable ways,” said Catherine McKenna, federal minister of infrastructure and communities, in a statement. “This project will help reduce traffic congestion, commute times and air pollution, while keeping pace with the city’s growing population.”
Government officials estimate the project will cost $2.83 billion with more than half coming from the province. The rest of the cost will be shared by the federal government and City of Vancouver. It is projected to create more than 13,000 direct and indirect jobs during the construction phase.
“This is an exciting milestone for a critical infrastructure project that will transform the way people travel in and around the Broadway corridor and create good-paying jobs to support B.C.’s economic recovery,” said Rob Fleming, B.C.’s minster of transportation and infrastructure. “Investments in public transit infrastructure are crucial to improving commute times, reducing carbon pollution and laying the foundation for strong economic growth.”
The province noted the subway is scheduled to open in 2025. Their data shows the commute from VCC-Clark to Arbutus Station will take 11 minutes, saving the average transit user almost 30 minutes a day.
Crews have been conducting site preparation work for the past few months include doing demolition and utility relocation. Over the next few weeks crews will begin traffic deck construction at Mount Pleasant Station. For the decks, engineers plan to drill and place vertical columns to support steel plates. Traffic decks will keep people travelling through the station blocks on Broadway while excavation and construction continues underground.
Later this year, work will begin on the elevated guideway and tunnel portal that will provide access to the underground portion of the new line.
The majority of the line will be built underground using a pair of tunnel-boring machines. Next year, two machines will have a staggered launch from the Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station.
Transportation Investment Corporation is leading the delivery of the Broadway Subway Project on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure. It will provide the controls, practices and other oversight for the project.
Soletanche Bachy Canada is pleased to be participating on this project installing soldier piles for a few of the stations.