Ridership on TransLink's Evergreen Extension of the Millennium Line is off to a good start, with 30,000 trips taken on an average weekday in January. There is strong evidence that people are trying the system and taking advantage of the value, convenience and time savings offered now that rapid transit is available in the Tri Cities for the first time. Over an eight-week period following opening day December 2, ridership grew by 10%.
Statistics from the first two months of operation
- Approximately 30,000 trips were taken on an average weekday in January on Evergreen Extension.
- By comparison, the 97 B-Line, which largely covered the same route before it was discontinued, had only 10,000 boardings per weekday.
- 150,000 people tried the Evergreen extension during first eight weeks of operation, the equivalent of every resident of Coquitlam trying the line once.
- 46% of weekday transit boardings in the Tri Cities happen on the Evergreen Extension, while that number jumps to 60% on weekends.
- 20% of Evergreen extension trips start and end within the Tri Cities.
Ridership expected to grow
- Ridership rose by 10% over the first eight weeks of operation, a trend similar to what was seen when Canada Line first launched.
- Development around stations is expected to impact ridership on Evergreen Extension and throughout the SkyTrain network.
- For example, the opening of a single major development at Marine Gateway Station boosted Canada Line ridership at that station by 35%.
- The attractiveness of transit as a travel option will continue to grow as implementation of the 10-Year Vision proceeds.
- Upcoming improvements will make transit more flexible and convenient, and TransLink is confident this will be reflected in ridership numbers on Evergreen, as well as across the system.
