Major work is happening along the North Shore’s RapidBus corridor as projects to speed up the commute and make it more pleasant advance.
TransLink and the City of North Vancouver have broken ground on a six-month project to extend the eastbound bus-only lane all the way along Third Street and Cotton Road between Queensbury Avenue and Gladstone Avenue.
Currently, the transit lane stops part-way down the Third Street hill, requiring transit buses to merge with frequently congested vehicle traffic, which TransLink estimates adds an additional six minutes onto the length of the commute at peak periods.
The intent of the project is to make the RapidBus a more reliable and attractive option for commuters, boosting ridership and reducing the number of vehicles on the road.
The $2.5-million project now underway involves removing and rebuilding the existing concrete medians, relocating traffic signals and light poles and painting new lines.
TransLink has committed to keeping one lane of traffic open at all times during the construction period, and work hours are slated to be between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. to mitigate impacts on the afternoon rush.
Other North Shore projects on the horizon
Even with the Third Street/Cotton Road transit lane extension, there remain gaps in the route farther east. The city now has completed designs for a replacement of the Main Street bridge over Lynn Creek, which currently has no room for transit lanes and only small sidewalks shared by cyclists and pedestrians. The existing 1951 bridge is also in need of seismic improvements, according to the city, however, the project cannot proceed until it receives funding.
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure is also working on designs for a bus lane immediately south of Phibbs Exchange.
Phibbs Exchange update
The total revamp of Phibbs Exchange, meanwhile, is entering its next phase, and TransLink is warning passengers the entire bus loop will be shut down with the usual bus stops relocated to the neighbouring streets starting on Monday, July 24.
Signs posted at the site will direct passengers to their new bus bay locations on Main Street, Orwell Street and Oxford Street, and TransLink recommends planning for a few extra minutes in your commute to complete transfers.
The bus stops will be moved back into the new-and-improved Phibbs Exchange when it is completed in mid-2024, according to TransLink.
When the project was announced in 2022, readers noted the absence of a public washroom in the plans. According to TransLink, a decision as to whether one will be added to the site will be made later this year, although Phibbs has been designed to include the appropriate plumbing infrastructure.
About 16,000 passengers pass through Phibbs per day, according to TransLink.
