Frequently Asked Questions

In December 2018, the regional Mayors' Council on Transportation directed TransLink to proceed immediately with planning and project development for a Surrey Langley SkyTrain Project. In July 2019, the mayors directed TransLink to proceed with developing a full business case to submit to TransLink's Board of Directors, Mayors' Council and senior levels of government for approval.

The proposed project would extend the Expo Line 16.5 kilometres on an elevated guideway from King George Station to Langley City Centre along Fraser Highway. It includes eight stations, three bus exchanges, park and ride spaces, 55 SkyTrain vehicles, an Operations and Maintenance Centre, and supporting system upgrades.

At the request of Surrey City Council, the Mayors' Council endorsed a TransLink recommendation to suspend the Surrey LRT Project, pausing all work and spending on it.

The Mayors' Council also directed TransLink to refresh the plan for rapid transit on the 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard corridors, consistent with the 10-Year Vision for 27-kilometres of rapid transit.

This planning work includes design requirements, costing, public engagement, First Nations engagement, an environmental review, municipal partnership agreements with the City of Surrey, City of Langley and Township of Langley, and drafting a business case for senior government approval.

Project development will take approximately 15 months until spring 2020. Following this, a procurement process would take another 15 months, and construction would take approximately four years. It is anticipated that the extension would be in-service 5.5 years from project approval.

No. The project requires business case approval by federal, provincial and the Mayors' Council as well as TransLink's Board of Directors.

Updated estimates puts the capital cost of the proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain – from King George SkyTrain Station to Langley City Centre – at $3.12 billion. Currently there is approximately $1.6 billion available in funding, which is enough to see the project reach Fleetwood, subject to business case approval by funding partners. As such, the project may be constructed and delivered in phases.

The BCR of the entire project is 1.24, which is comparable to previous SkyTrain business cases: the Canada Line (1.25) and Evergreen Extension (1.27). All major projects undergo this form of analysis to determine whether an investment represents good value.

Station locations are based on current and future ridership data. The proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain includes eight new stations, as follows:

• 140 Street, City of Surrey
• 152 Street, City of Surrey
• 160 Street, City of Surrey
• 166 Street, City of Surrey (Fleetwood scenario, interim terminal)
• 184 Street, City of Surrey (Clayton scenario, interim terminal)
• 190 Street, City of Surrey
• 196 Street, Township of Langley
• 203 Street, City of Langley (Langley scenario, final terminal)

The Surrey Langley SkyTrain project would see trains operate every 4 to 5 minutes during peak periods. A trip from Langley City Centre to King George SkyTrain Station would take around 22 minutes.

TransLink is committed to sustainable best practices and will conduct an environmental review of the area.

The area south of the Fraser is one of the fastest growing areas in the region. The population of Surrey, Langley City and Langley Township is projected to increase by another 280,000 people by the year 2035, and a further 200,000 people by 2050. As the population in communities south of the Fraser continues to grow, so does demand for transit. A SkyTrain along Fraser Highway will help meet current and future transit needs. It will also connect commuters travelling between Langley and Surrey as well as the broader region, providing commuters with a frequent, reliable and convenient mode of rapid transit.

In December 2018, the Mayors' Council directed TransLink to initiate a planning process to refresh the South of Fraser Rapid Transit Plan, consistent with the 10-Year Vision of building 27 kilometres of rapid transit on the 104 Avenue, King George Boulevard and Fraser Highway corridors. An update was provided to the mayors on July 25. Any decision would require more detailed work and public engagement.

While the Fraser Highway B-Line would be a welcome service along the corridor, until rapid transit is implemented, it isn't cost-effective to invest resources in new B-Line infrastructure that would only be dismantled for construction.

Resources for the proposed B-Line bus service along Fraser Highway will be directed toward improving existing local bus services, such as the 502, 503 and the 96 B-Line.

Other bus services for south of the Fraser include new B-Lines:

• Scott Road via 120th Street

• White Rock Centre via King George Boulevard and 152 Street

SkyTrain is not proprietary to a specific manufacturer. There are multiple manufacturers with the ability to construct vehicles and components for TransLink's SkyTrain system. Procurement for rail infrastructure and SkyTrain vehicles go through a competitive bidding process. This process would be similar for all types of transit technology.

From April 4 to 26 2019, we sought feedback on:

• Priorities, opportunities, considerations, and level of support for the proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain that extends 16 kilometres from King George Station in Surrey to Langley City

• Priorities, opportunities, and considerations for rapid transit options on the 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard corridors

• What's important when thinking about rapid transit options

Public engagement attracted a record-level response, with over 21,000 survey responses and over 1,000 participants at four open houses.

The survey results indicated widespread support for the proposed Surrey Langley SkyTrain. In Surrey and Langley, 85% of respondents support the proposed project, and in the rest of the region, support lies at 84%.

No. This is because:

• Communities connected by the Interurban have neither the population density nor transit demand that exists along Fraser Highway, King George Boulevard and 104 Avenue;
• Estimated travel times are not competitive with rapid transit;
• It would require substantial infrastructure investments to provide frequent service;
• TransLink is committed to delivering the Mayors' Vision, which includes rapid transit south of the Fraser;
• The Interurban is one of many ideas that will be considered as part of TransLink's new regional transportation strategy, Transport 2050.

For more information, please see the Report on Interurban Passenger Rail PDF.