An Alternatives Evaluation, conducted by global transportation consultants Steer Davies Gleave, evaluated seven technology and alignment options in detail. Each alternative was assessed using a Multiple Account Evaluation approach, which considers a wide range of factors to identify benefits and impacts using planning tools such as transportation demand forecasting and financial models, and qualitative assessments. The options were screened from over one hundred possible alternatives to determine which ones could best address the needs in the Broadway corridor.

Future of UBC Line Rapid Transit

Based on the technical study, TransLink's Findings are that:

• Rapid transit is required on the Broadway corridor
• Three options could meet project objectives (LRT 1, Combo 1, and RRT/SkyTrain), at a range of costs (from $1.1 to $3 billion) and with a range of benefits.
• These alternatives will be advanced to the Regional Transportation Strategy for consideration alongside other investment needs and available funding.

The preferred rapid transit alternative for the UBC Line will ultimately be decided by the region, as part of the Regional Transportation Strategy planning process in 2013. Future expansion plans will then determine its implementation timing and funding. These processes will involve significant regional dialogue and public consultation.

The UBC Line Rapid Transit Study was led by TransLink and the Government of British Columbia in partnership with the City of Vancouver, University of British Columbia, University Endowment Lands and Metro Vancouver. From 2009 to 2012, this detailed technical study identified and evaluated rapid transit alternatives for the Broadway corridor from Commercial Drive to UBC. Public and stakeholder consultation occurred throughout.

The Broadway corridor is one of the region's busiest bus corridors and features major population, job, and institutional centres. At the outset, the study identified the following problem statements given the transportation issues in the corridor:

• Capacity and Reliability: Existing transit services in the Broadway corridor don't provide sufficient capacity or service reliability to the major regional destinations and economic hubs within the Broadway Corridor. 
• Transit trips and mode share need to increase to reduce vehicle kilometres travelled (VKT) and GHG and CAC emissions, both directly and by supporting the Regional Growth Strategy and other regional objectives.
• Affordability: Limitations on regional funding for transit and the need to balance a range of investment priorities were identified as regional problems for consideration; a single corridor study can't provide the regional assessment but can provide inputs to it.

Phase 1 of the study narrowed a list of hundreds of possible alternatives to the seven that were evaluated in detail in Phase 2. Each alternative used one or a combination of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Rail Rapid Transit (RRT/SkyTrain) technologies.

The study used a Multiple Account Evaluation approach, which provides qualitative and quantitative evaluations of a wide range of factors or "accounts" to identify the benefits and impacts of each alternative. These included the benefits and impacts rapid transit might have to economic development, environment, financial, social and community, transportation, urban development and deliverability. 

Read the Alternatives Evaluation to learn more.

Three rapid transit technologies are being considered in the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study: Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), Light Rail Transit (LRT) and Rail Rapid Transit (RRT) - or some combination of these technologies. Use the tabs below to find out more about each of the technologies.

Phase 1 Stakeholder Consultation: Summer 2009 - April 2010

Through 17 meetings between June 2009 and April 2010, stakeholders, including representative from residents, communities, business, faculty and staff, students and other groups, provided input on the evaluation criteria and helped to define the need for rapid transit. They also learned more about the rapid transit technologies and provided feedback on the recommended rapid transit alternatives.

Phase 1 Public Consultation: April - May 2010

In April and May 2010, the study team presented the recommended alternatives for the UBC Line to stakeholders and the public, and asked them to confirm if these were the right starting point for more work and identify other potential alternatives.

Through 2,300 online questionnaires, 240 comments submitted online and five community workshops with 400 attendees, six alternatives were confirmed and one additional alternative was identified.

Stakeholder and public feedback was considered in designing and evaluating the alternatives presented in Phase 2 consultation.

Phase 2 Public Consultation: March - April 2011

In March and April 2011, the study team presented preliminary design assumptions and evaluation of the seven alternatives to the public for their input. Based on the 1,500 feedback questionnaires received and the discussions at four community workshops, key design assumptions were confirmed and refined. The detailed evaluation of the seven alternatives was updated to reflect those changes.

Learn more about what we heard during these consultation phases by visiting the consultation section of the UBC Line Rapid Transit Study document library.