Burnaby council has endorsed a proposed Metro Vancouver rapid transit project which would see a portion of the route come along Hastings to Brentwood and Metrotown.
In 2018, the Integrated North Shore Transportation Planning Project (INSTPP) initiated a near-term action to investigate the feasibility of rapid transit across the Burrand Inlet, which would connect urban centres of the North Shore to the rest of Metro Vancouver, according to a Burnaby staff report dated Jan. 19, 2022.
In September 2020, the second and last phase of the study was concluded, finding multiple rapid transit alignment options.
"The alignment options included those located generally in the First Narrows corridor, a mid-Inlet option and two options along the Second Narrows crossing," the report states.
"The array of alignment options provided the basis for the subsequent BIRT benefit assessment."
The Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit assessment study was completed in 2021 by analyzing the potential benefits of two alignments along the Second Narrows corridor.
Both options share a western terminus at Park Royal and the crossing of the Inlet via the Second Narrows.
At the intersection of the Cassiar Connector and Hastings Street, the alignments then split with one continuing westward to Waterfront Station along Hastings Street in Vancouver while the other traverses east on Hastings Street into Burnaby before turning south at Willingdon Avenue and continuing to terminate into Metrotown Station.
"The gold alignment would appear disruptive to existing and future east-west transit services along Hastings Street, forcing a mode change and transfer in the south approach to the (Ironworkers bridge), whereas the Purple alignment provides more grid-like network connections to different transit routes, allowing for a broader range of transit accessibility in Burnaby and beyond," the report says.
"More significantly, the purple alignment connects directly to Brentwood Town Centre, BCIT and the Metrotown Town Centre. The Purple alignment is highly supportive of Connecting Burnaby."
The city added that the benefit assessment shows there would be "significant" local, regional, provincial and federal benefits from connecting the North Shore to the rest of Metro Vancouver through rapid transit.
"The BIRT connection would provide reliable transportation connections, benefiting not only communities and businesses on the North Shore and within Metro Vancouver, but also those along the Sea-to-Sky corridor and Sunshine Coast.
"The purple alignment supports Burnaby's land use framework by connecting directly to Brentwood Town Centre, BCIT and the Metrotown Town Centre along the Willingdon corridor.
"The purple alignment is highly supportive of Connecting Burnaby. Connecting Burnaby identifies the Willingdon Corridor as an area for "Transit Priority Measures / study corridor for Rapid Bus or better" (Burnaby Public Transit Network Priority map). Improved public transit along this corridor would not only bring transit ridership benefits, but would also reinforce and support active transport investment and mode share goals along the route."
On Jan. 24, in a closed council meeting, council endorsed Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit with a preference for the "purple alignment" as a new initiative in Mayors' Council's New Vision prioritized for project development and implementation in TransLink's next 10-year investment plan.
