Production Way–University station explained

Production Way–University
Symbol Location:vancouver
Symbol:expo
Symbol2:millennium
Type:SkyTrain station
Style:TransLink (BC)
Style2:SkyTrain
Address:3298 Production Way, Burnaby
Structure:Elevated
Platform:Centre platform
Tracks:2
Parking:220
Architect:Hotson Bakker Architects
Opened:August 31, 2002
Accessible:yes
Code:PW
Owned:TransLink
Zone:2

Production Way–University is an elevated station on the Expo and Millennium Lines of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system. The station is located at the intersection of Lougheed Highway and Production Way in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. Initially a Millennium Line station, a reorganization of SkyTrain service patterns in 2016 made Production Way–University a terminus for a branch of the Expo Line.

History

Production Way–University station was opened in 2002 as part of the original Millennium Line project. The station was designed by the architecture firm Hotson Bakker Architects.[1]

In 2016, SkyTrain service was reconfigured in anticipation of the opening of the Evergreen Extension; as a result, Production Way–University station became a terminus station of an Expo Line branch running between this station and Waterfront station in Downtown Vancouver. At the same time, the Millennium Line service was altered with trains running between VCC–Clark and Lougheed Town Centre stationslater extended to Lafarge Lake–Douglas station when service began on the Evergreen Extensioninstead of the previous service between VCC–Clark and Waterfront stations.[2]

Services

Production Way–University station is a major transfer point for Simon Fraser University, as well as providing connections to local suburban buses. It is the terminus of the 145 bus route running to SFU, which carries just over half of all bus traffic to the university. The station's commercial spaces include a convenience store and several restaurants. The station also has a 220-space parking lot.

Proposed gondola

The SFU Community Trust has proposed extending the TransLink system from this station through the installation of a tri-cable gondola lift that would travel up Burnaby Mountain to the SFU Transit Exchange. The proposed lift would use a 30-passenger Doppelmayr Garaventa 3S Gondola, the same model as the Whistler Blackcomb Peak 2 Peak Gondola. The Trust has proposed the gondola because it felt the system is not weather-dependent like buses, cheaper to maintain, and more environmentally friendly. The provincial government commissioned a feasibility study for the proposal,[3] but in 2012, a business case concluded that building and operating a gondola would cost $12 million more compared to continuing to serve the SFU campus by bus. Therefore, the construction of a gondola was shelved.[4] In December 2018, Kevin Desmond, TransLink's CEO, indicated that while a gondola to SFU had been added to the second phase of the TransLink 10-Year Investment Plan in 2018, its construction hinged on funding from senior levels of government.[5]

Station information

As there is no crossover at the station itself, terminating Expo Line trains proceed to a crossover located west of the station to reverse.

Entrances

The main point of entry to Production Way–University station is located on the western side of the stationhouse at the northeast corner of Production Way and Lougheed Highway. A secondary entrance is located adjacent to the stations bus exchange.[6]

Transit connections

See also: List of bus routes in Metro Vancouver. Bays 1 to 3 are located inside the loop while bay 4 is located on Lougheed Highway, westbound.

BayRoute numberDestination
1145SFU
2110Metrotown Station
136Lougheed Station
N9Coquitlam Station
3110Lougheed Station
136Brentwood Station
4145Production Way Station
N9Downtown

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Taggart . Jim . Vancouver's Millennium Line . Canadian Architect . July 1, 2001 . March 31, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190331192810/https://www.canadianarchitect.com/features/vancouver-s-millennium-line/ . March 31, 2019 . dead .
  2. Web site: Everything Evergreen: New SkyTrain operating pattern for Expo and Millennium Lines . September 19, 2016 . Coling . Adrienne . The Buzzer Blog . TransLink . November 12, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161005155327/http://buzzer.translink.ca/2016/09/everything-evergreen-new-skytrain-operating-pattern-for-expo-and-millennium-lines/ . October 5, 2016 . dead .
  3. Web site: Gondola aired. February 19, 2009. Simon Fraser University. August 20, 2009.
  4. Web site: Burnaby Mtn. gondola shelved by TransLink. January 11, 2012. CBC News. April 1, 2019.
  5. Web site: Planned SFU gondola needs funding, says TransLink CEO. Chan. Kenneth. December 31, 2018. Daily Hive. April 1, 2019.
  6. TransLink. Production Way–University Station Entrance Locations. March 31, 2019.