After operating for more than three decades, one of the busiest SkyTrain stations in Downtown Vancouver will close for a few years as it undergoes a major overhaul.

TransLink announced on July 13 that it will launch an upgrade project for Burrard SkyTrain Station in early 2022.

In time for Expo 86, the station was built in 1985 but has not had any significant upgrades since opening. TransLink explained that although it is the fourth busiest station on the SkyTrain system, it only has three escalators and one elevator, which leads to congestion on platforms and the concourse level during peak usage periods.

TransLink CEO Gigi Chen-Kuo stated in a news release that the station had over 7.6 million annual boardings in 2019 and that the upgrades will help the station prepare for increased demand as Metro Vancouver’s population grows in size, with “one million new residents by the year 2050”.

The upgrades will include:

• increasing to six escalators and two elevators;
• relocating the Burrard Street entrance to align with the pedestrian crossing for easier access, and better access to buses on Dunsmuir Street;
• redesigning the station’s outdoor plaza with pedestrian needs as a priority;
• upgrading the station’s power supply and mechanical systems due to new power demands at the renovated station.

The project is expected to take about two years to complete, and the station will be closed during that time period.

TransLink explained in a news release that the closure will “allow the work to be done safely and more efficiently than were it to remain partially open during construction”, and include:

• ensuring customer and worker safety by eliminating risks of customer movement through a major underground and active construction site;
• avoiding confusion caused by numerous changes to customer travel patterns through numerous and complex construction phases;
• reducing overall construction time, which shortens the impacts to customer travel by approximately two and a half years;
• providing cost savings of approximately $35 million.

During the construction project, passengers will be redirected to Waterfront and Granville stations, which TransLink says can accommodate based on pre-COVID-19 ridership data. Also, more bus service will be added. HandyDART customers will have to use Waterfront Station to access the Expo Line.

TransLink will reveal more details as plans are finalized later this year.