TransLink has completed renovations to its 22 Street Bus Exchange. The transit provider says the upgrades deliver a space that is more easily accessible, convenient and modern. The exchange is a multimodal hub that serves more than 9,000 average weekday customers across six regional municipalities.
Upgrades to the exchange included enhanced lighting, a widened waiting area, new bus shelters with additional seating, electric bus charging station and what TransLink describes as captivating artwork by a local award-winning artist, Laiwan.
“The exchange is a major hub for thousands of community members, customers who rely on bus, and those transferring to the Expo Line,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. “It’s been over 30 years since the exchange was built, and with bus ridership continuing to rise, it’s critical that we invest in our infrastructure and provide our customers with a better transit experience.”
The artwork titled Wander: Toward a Lightness of Being, is spread-out across the exchange. The art consists of 14 haikus (short poems) and 22 graphic icons of phytoplankton, which inhabit the Fraser River nearby. The images were inspired by microscopic imagery taken by Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Science students at the University of British Columbia.
“Beyond the upgraded infrastructure, the artwork adds vibrancy and spirit to help the exchange fit right in with New Westminster culture,” said Mayors’ Council Chair and Mayor of New Westminster Jonathan Coté. “This is another example of the Mayors’ 10-Year Vision working towards making transit experiences better and more convenient for the people of this region.”
As part of TransLink’s Maintenance and Repair Program, the C$2.8 million (US$2.14 million) retrofit was made possible through funding from the 10-Year Investment Plan.
Quick facts:
• 13,500 transfers between the exchange and SkyTrain on an average weekday (Fall 2018).
• 1,600 evening bus boardings at the exchange on an average weeknight (Fall 2018).
• Over 3.3 million boardings at 22nd Street SkyTrain station in 2018 with a 6.9 per cent increase in ridership from 2017.
