Burrard SkyTrain station to close for 2 years for upgrades

A major downtown Vancouver SkyTrain station will shut downfor two years, forcing riders to find alternativeways to commute, as TransLinkpreparesto upgrade the decades-oldBurrardStation.

In a statement Tuesday, the transit authority said starting in early 2022, thestation will close completely in order to upgrade the 36-year-oldinfrastructure.

It says the closureis necessary to allow crews to more safely and efficiently upgrade the stationthan if it were to remain partially open during construction.

"These upgrades will greatly improve the customer experience, and as the region prepares to welcome one million new residents by the year 2050, this important project allows us to be prepared for additional future demand," said TransLink interim CEO Gigi Chen-Kuo.

The work includesdoublingthe number of escalators and elevators at the station,relocatingthe Burrard Street entrance and redesigning the station's outdoor plaza.

Entrances are hard to access, and the station will require upgrades to the electrical equipment in order to meet the power demands of the new station.

Crews will also upgrade the station's power supply and mechanical systems,.

Burrard Station was originally built in 1985 ahead of Expo 86as part of the original Expo Line.

TransLink says the station is the fourth busieston the SkyTrain network, with more than 7.6 millionboardings in 2019 alone.

It plans towork with the City of Vancouverand local businesses and residents to minimize impacts while the work is completed.

The Waterfront and Granvillestations can accommodate the additional passenger flow during the closure, and additional bus service will be added in the area to help minimize the impact, according to the statement.

Its HandyDARTbus service will remain largely the same throughout the construction period, and customers connecting to the Expo Line will have access at Waterfront Station, TransLink said.