FAQs on the Evergreen Line

1. What is the Evergreen Line?
   • The Evergreen Line is a new rapid transit line that will connect Coquitlam to Vancouver via Port Moody and Burnaby.
   • The Evergreen Line will be a fast, frequent and convenient SkyTrain service, connecting Coquitlam City Centre through Port Moody to Lougheed Town Centre in approximately 13 minutes.
   • The Evergreen Line is an essential element of the Provincial Transit Plan and the Federal Building Canada Plan.
2. What is the Evergreen Line route?
   • Lougheed/Burquitlam
     The Evergreen Line will run north from Lougheed Town Centre Station on an elevated guideway along the centre of North Road. Burquitlam Station will be on the east side of Clarke Road near Burquitlam Plaza. Leaving Burquitlam Station, the line will cross to the west side of Clarke Road, before entering a tunnel towards Port Moody.
   • Port Moody
     The Evergreen Line will emerge from the tunnel just east of Barnet Highway. It will travel at ground level along the south side of the Canadian Pacific Rail (CPR) tracks to Port Moody Station, located at the Port Moody transit exchange site. Continuing east, the line will cross the CPR tracks just before Ioco Station, located north of Barnet Highway.
   • Coquitlam
     The line will continue along the north side of the CPR tracks towards Coquitlam Central Station, located at the Coquitlam transit exchange site. Turning north, the line will run on an elevated guideway along the west side of Pinetree Way, and will cross to the east side near Northern Avenue, before ending at Douglas College Station, north of Guildford Way.
3. Where will the stations be?
   • Six station locations have been identified to date, including:
     • Lougheed Town Centre Station (Burnaby)
     • Burquitlam Station (Burquitlam)
     • Port Moody Station (Port Moody)
     • Ioco Station (Port Moody)
     • Coquitlam Central Station (Coquitlam)
     • Douglas College Station (Coquitlam)
4. Will additional stations be built?
   • Three potential additional stations are being reviewed: Queens Street, Falcon Drive and Lincoln Avenue.
   • Up to two additional stations will be considered based on their ability to shape future land use, promote transit-oriented development and increased ridership, and affordability. The project may protect for future stations if additional stations are not included on opening day.
5. How can I find out more about the Evergreen Project?
   • Visit the Evergreen Line Project Office located at the corner of Barnet Highway and Mariner Way. The office is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 – 5:00 pm.
   • More information can also be found by calling 604-927-4452.

   Evergreen Line Benefits

6. What are the Project Benefits?

   Benefits of the Evergreen Line include:

   • 8,000 new employment opportunities
   • Stimulating community growth and new development
   • Creating compact, livable communities
   • Shorter commutes
   • Direction connection, without transfer, onto the Millennium Line
   • Frequent service (every three minutes during peak periods, service almost 20 hours a day)
   • Better connections between regional centres in Metro Vancouver

   Evergreen Line Project Status and Cost

7. How much will the Project cost? Is the funding in place?
   • Capital costs for the Evergreen Line are estimated at $1.4 billion.
   • The Province and federal government have committed over $800 million to the Project. The Province has committed $410 million.
   • TransLink has identified the Evergreen Line as a priority project and the Province continues to work with TransLink to secure a regional funding contribution for the Project. The Project will not be delayed while a regional funding contribution is secured.
     
8. Who will build the Evergreen Line?
   • The Province has initiated a procurement process to select a contractor to build the Evergreen Line.
     
9. When will the Project be complete?
   • Evergreen Line construction will begin in early 2011, once the Environmental Assessment Certificate has been issued by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office, and will be complete by the end of 2014.
     

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT

10. How is the Evergreen Line Project addressing environmental impacts?
    • The Evergreen Line Project is subject to and Environmental Assessment Review under the British Columbia Environmental Assessment Act (BCEAA). The Environmental Assessment (EA) includes a full review of potential project-related impacts and proposed mitigation measures and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure must obtain an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC) before the Project can proceed.
    • The Environmental Assessment Application outlines the significant social, economic and environmental benefits of the Evergreen Line Project, as well as construction and operational impacts for certain residents and businesses.
      
    • The following timeline outlines the Environmental Assessment process to date:
    • May 2009 - Evergreen Line Project Description Report filed.
    • September – October 2009 - 30-day Public Comment Period on the Evergreen Line Draft Application Information Requirements, which specified the studies to be conducted.
    • May 2010 - Evergreen Line Project submitted its Environmental Assessment Certificate Application and supporting studies to the EAO for internal review.
    • June 30 – August 29, 2010 - Public comment period on the Application for Environmental Assessment Certificate. Public open houses on the Environmental Assessment are being held on July 6, 7 and 8, 2010.
    • Fall 2010 - Assessment Report documenting the findings of the assessment, how public comments have been addressed and whether any issues remain outstanding prepared by the BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO). Once the Assessment Report is finalized, it is submitted to the Minister of Environment and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure or Minister of Community and Rural Development for decision.
      
      For more information please see the Environmental Assessment Review section of the website.
11. How does public input factor into the decision to grant an Environmental Assessment Certificate (EAC)?
    • The BC Environmental Assessment Office (EAO) will consider public input and the proponent’s response to questions and comments in making a recommendation to the Minister responsible for granting an EAC.
    • Comments received from the public will be considered by the Project team, as well as reviewing agencies and where applicable responses to comments will be provided.
12. What information is included in the Environmental Assessment Application?
    • The Environmental Assessment Application clearly identifies the significant social, economic and environmental benefits of the Evergreen Line including providing a transportation alternative to personal vehicle use, resulting in a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the region, positive economic benefits for municipalities along the alignment and providing opportunities for densification and the development of more compact, livable, transit-oriented communities.
    • The Environmental Assessment Application indicates that while the benefits of the Evergreen Line clearly outweigh the impacts, construction and operational impacts have been identified including noise and vibration impacts for certain local residents and businesses, some removal of trees, and loss of creek-area vegetation, as well as potential traffic delays during construction.
    • More detailed information from the Environmental Assessment application is available in the Environmental Assessment Review section of the website, and copies of the individual Environmental Assessment Fact Sheets are available in the Document Centre on the website.
13. Does the Evergreen Line Project need to acquire any property?
    • Yes. If the property you own or occupy is under consideration to be acquired by the Evergreen Line Project, a member of our property team will contact you to discuss the process in more detail. If you wish to speak to a representative about your property, please call the Evergreen Line Project Office at: 604-927-4452.
14. Will construction of the project impact businesses?
    • A key goal of the Evergreen Line Project is to minimize impacts during construction. The Evergreen Line Project is committed to open two-way communication with potentially impacted businesses in the commercial areas of Burnaby, Port Moody and Coquitlam. A Business Liaison Program has been established by the Evergreen Line Project Team to liaise with corridor businesses throughout the Project.
15. How will you manage traffic during construction?
    • Ensuring effective traffic management during construction is a priority for the Evergreen Line Project.
    • A traffic management plan will be developed with input from stakeholders, and will outline construction hours of work and strategies to minimize disruption and maximize traffic flow predictability for travelers.

Technology

16. Why was the technology for the Evergreen Line changed from Light Rail Transit (LRT) to Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT)?
    • The Business Case, released February 1, 2008, recommends Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT) because it:
    • will carry two and a half times the ridership of LRT (based on 2021 ridership modelling), ensuring it will meet current and future demand and support The Provincial Transit Plan goal of doubling ridership by 2020;
    • will enable faster travel times and can operate with greater frequency; and
    • will seamlessly connect to the current SkyTrain network, including the Expo and Millennium Lines, and can integrate with the Canada Line and regional bus and West Coast Express network and move people almost twice as fast as LRT technology.
17. What is the difference between Advanced Light Rapid Transit (ALRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT)?
    • ALRT (SkyTrain) is automated and driverless and runs primarily along an elevated guideway, thus avoiding the potential for conflict with vehicular traffic inherent with at-grade LRT operations particularly at intersections. ALRT has greater capacity than LRT and also provides the opportunity for full integration with the existing SkyTrain system which would eliminate the need for passengers to transfer at Lougheed Station.
    • LRT (Light Rail Transit) is a driver-operated system. Vehicles operate within a largely at-grade and segregated right-of-way with grade-level crossings at intersections requiring signal priority.

Consultation

18. How are the communities along the Evergreen route being consulted?
    • The following consultation has been completed to date:
      • Route Selection Consultation: March-April, 2008
      • Environmental Assessment - Public comment period on the Draft Application Information Requirements: September 2009.
      • Preliminary Design Consultation: October 5 – November 13, 2009.
      • Environmental Assessment- Public comment period on the Application for Environmental Assessment Certificate: June 30-August 29, 2010.
      • Station Area Design Consultation: October 4 - November 5, 2010.
    • For more information, please see the Public Consultation section of the website