Bus Projects

The new transit centre will be located at 502 West Kent Avenue South in Vancouver and will include:

• Three-level bus garage building for bus staging and storage at ground level, bus charging infrastructure and an electrical substation on the second level, and administrative facilities as well as employee and visitor parking on the third level;

• Two-level maintenance building including bus maintenance and repair bays, body shops, parts storage, and support areas for mechanics and maintenance staff;

• Bus fueling facility and a bus wash and detailing facility

Besides being part of TransLink’s low carbon fleet strategy, the new centre will provide a more reliable bus service for customers across Metro Vancouver. The Center was included in the Mayors’ Council’s Ten-Year Vision and funded through the Phase Two Investment Plan, The Marpole Transit Centre is key to reaching TransLink’s goal of a 100% net-zero GHG emissions by 2050.

For more information, please see the Marpole Transit Centre - DP Board Presentation

Site demolition work is scheduled to begin in April/May 2023 and will include some loud work to break and remove the existing concrete foundations, followed by geotechnical ground improvement works. Neighbours can expect to see construction trailers and fencing around the site in mid-to-late-April.

Together with the contractor, TransLink is making every effort to minimize the impact of this project on our neighbours. When possible, work will take place during the day without impacting roads.

The estimated opening of the Marpole Transit Centre is in 2027.

The upgrades will improve the comfort and safety of transit passengers, better integrate the exchange with the neighbourhood, and provide more capacity for growing customer demand and future service expansion.

Upgrade Highlights:

• Improved comfort and safety for transit passengers through better lighting, more weather protection, and enhanced accessibility with better connections for pedestrians and cyclists;
• A boomerang-shaped passenger platform along the perimeter to serve major bus routes, a necessary upgrade to support future bus service improvements;
• New and vibrant landscaping; and
• Improved passenger amenities to create a welcoming environment for the growing Lynn Creek Town Centre community, connecting transit services on the North Shore and throughout the region.

The Phibbs Exchange upgrades are made possible by all levels of government working together and with provincial and federal contributions through the Investing in Infrastructure Canada Program (ICIP).

Construction on the exchange began in November 2022. The first six months of work will involve relocating existing transit operations to make space for construction of the new exchange. We anticipate the work inside the exchange will begin in late spring 2023 with the project’s completion in summer 2024.

Bus Impacts:

• All buses currently serving Phibbs Exchange will continue to operate during the upgrade and the exchange will remain accessible.
• Some bus stops will be temporarily relocated near the exchange once work inside the exchange begins.
• We will provide notice to customers prior to bus relocation with signage on site to help with directions.

May, 2023 bus bays changes:

Effective Monday, May 22, as part of the Phibbs Exchange rebuild to accommodate the construction of the new operator crew room, Bay 4 will be permanently closed, and the following routes will be relocated:

• Bay 1 – relocate 28 Joyce from Bay 5
• Bay 4 – closed – relocate 209/210/211/214 Burrard Stn to Bay 10
• Bay 5 – relocate 214 Blueridge from Bay 1
• Bay 10 – relocate 130 Metrotown Stn to Bay 11
• Bay 11 – share 130 Metrotown Stn with 222 Metrotown Stn

The closure of Bay 4 and associated bay relocations will remain in place until the opening of the temporary exchange anticipated for later in summer 2023.

Temporary sidewalk closure:

• Beginning on Monday, Dec. 12, 2022, the sidewalk on the north side of Main Street will be temporarily closed.
• We expect the closure to remain in place until late spring 2023.
• The closure is necessary for the construction of several elements, such as the new, temporary bus bays that will be relocated along Main Street in 2023 and new multi-use paths and cycling connections.
  • The temporary bus bays are needed so construction can take place inside the exchange, which is expected to begin by summer 2023.
• The temporary sidewalk closures will require pedestrians who travel west along Main Street from the exchange to take an alternate route.
• The alternate route is accessible, although customers should expect the detour to add approximately 10-15 minutes of travel time.
• Signage is in place to assist pedestrians.

Drop-off area closed:

• The drop-off area on the south side of Oxford Street is closing May 1st to accommodate two temporary bus bays. Short-term loading options and time-restricted parking options are being considered on Oxford Street after the new exchange is complete.

As construction impacts change, we will continue to keep our customers and neighbours informed.

We thank everyone for their patience as we work to upgrade the exchange.