We’ve replaced two escalators in Commercial–Broadway’s south stationhouse with brand new models. These new, heavier-duty models are able to support passenger loads today and for years to come. They’re also more resistant to the elements and easier to maintain. This means less downtime and better ability to keep passengers moving at the second busiest hub in the TransLink system.

The project is part of the Expo Line Escalator Replacement Program, replacing 37 escalators in service since 1986-1990 at 13 SkyTrain Stations along the Expo Line and at select West Coast Express stations.

TransLink began the upgrade program in May 2018 with the three longest, most complex escalators on the system at Granville Station. We’ve completed escalator replacements at Granville and Columbia Stations earlier this year. Several more projects are underway throughout the SkyTrain system, including at Surrey Central, Gateway, Waterfront, Nanaimo and King George.

Many of the escalators on the Expo Line have been in service for more than 30 years and were installed at a time when there was significantly fewer passengers than today. Expo line traffic is four times what it was 30 years ago, so these new, heavier-duty escalators will be able to accommodate higher passenger volumes, improving their safety and reliability. As work moves along Expo Line, the full program is expected to be complete by the end of 2023. This critical investment in the system will enhance the customer experience well into the future.