The government of Canada and TransLink will provide joint funding of more than C$34.9 million (US$26 million) to support a rail maintenance project for the SkyTrain.
The investment will enable the proactive replacement of running rail and rail pads for TransLink’s Expo SkyTrain Line over the next four years. Between 2023 and 2027, an estimated 20.2 kilometers (12.5 miles) of running rail and an estimated 24,000 rail pads will be replaced.
The Expo Line sees an average of approximately 40 million kilometers (24 million miles) of vehicular travel annually. Replacing the running rail and rail pads of the existing SkyTrain Line will optimize TransLink’s service, allowing residents of the Metro Vancouver area to get where they need to go safely and efficiently. It will also reduce noise levels for communities located near the Expo Line. The Skytrain Running Rail Replacement Project is part of TransLink’s 2018 Investment Plan, of which the government of British Columbia funded 40 percent of total capital costs.
“SkyTrain service is essential to better connecting communities in Metro Vancouver and helping people get where they need to go. The maintenance project announced today will ensure the continued safety and reliability of the Expo Line while also helping reduce noise pollution. Our government is committed to investing in quality public transit infrastructure that prioritizes Canadians,” said Joyce Murray, minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard and member of Parliament for Vancouver Quadra.
“The SkyTrain rails being replaced have been around for nearly 40 years, with more than 2 million trains that have run over them in that time frame. I’m pleased the running rails are getting replaced to keep our infrastructure in good condition and to keep SkyTrain reliable for the people that depend on it every day,” said Brad West, chair of the Mayors’ Council on Regional Transportation and mayor of Port Coquitlam.
The government of Canada and TransLink are each contributing C$17,498 (US$13,040) in the project. The government of Canada’s funding comes from the Public Transit Infrastructure Stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program. The stream supports the building, expansion and upgrading of urban and rural transit networks.
The government of Canada is investing C$15 billion over the next eight years in reliable, fast, affordable and clean public transit.
“We pride ourselves in providing a safe and reliable SkyTrain system for this region and to do that, we require ongoing investment in key areas, such as track maintenance. This important funding package will ensure the Expo SkyTrain lines remain safe and reliable for years to come,” said Kevin Quinn, CEO, TransLink.
