Plans to upgrade Burrard SkyTrain station shelved due to rising construction costs
Station was going to close for 2 years, but now TransLink is going back to the drawing board
A decades-old Vancouver transit station is no longer getting an expected facelift due to rising prices in the construction industry.
TransLink previously announced it was planning to close the Burrard SkyTrain station in early 2022 for two years to upgrade infrastructure that is almost 40 years old. Now, the transit company says it is going back to the drawing board for a new plan because the old one is too expensive.
"This is due to ongoing pressures in the construction industry caused by global supply chain issues and higher construction costs," said TransLink in a statement released Friday.
This means the station will not be closing to commuters while the company, and its stakeholders, come up with a new budget and timeline. The scale of the project now also needs to be discussed.
The work was going to include doubling the number of escalators and elevators at the station, relocating the Burrard Street entrance and redesigning the station's outdoor plaza. Crews were also going to upgrade the station's power supply and mechanical systems.
TransLink said while the details are being finalized, it will still prioritize some upgrades to make sure the station remains in a good state of repair.
Burrard Station was originally built in 1985 ahead of Expo 86 as part of the original Expo Line. TransLink says the station is the fourth busiest on the SkyTrain network.