98 B-Line

The 98 B-Line was a bus rapid transit line[1][2] in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It linked Richmond to Downtown Vancouver, with a connection to Vancouver International Airport. It travelled mainly along Granville Street in Vancouver and a dedicated bus lane on No. 3 Road in Richmond. It was operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and was funded by TransLink. The route was 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) long. The line carried over 18,000 passengers daily.[3] It was discontinued on September 7, 2009, two and a half weeks after the opening of the Canada Line, which replaced it.

98 B-Line
98 B-Line bus on Anderson Road
Overview
SystemTransLink
OperatorCoast Mountain Bus Company
VehicleNew Flyer Industries D60LF
Began serviceSeptember 4, 2000
Ended serviceSeptember 7, 2009
Route
StartBurrard Station
EndBrighouse (Steveston & Shell, evenings and morning only)
Length16 km (9.9 mi)
Stops22
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The 98 featured GPS technology, automated stop announcements, specialized bus stop displays that showed the amount of time until the next bus arrives, and special traffic light signals that sustained green lights long enough for buses to pass through.

The 98 B-Line had nine stops in Richmond (including the transfer point to the airport) and fourteen stops in Vancouver (including seven stops downtown). Waiting times were approximately five to seven minutes per bus during peak hours and ten minutes per bus during mid-afternoons. In the evening and at night, the waiting time was around fifteen minutes per bus, and in the early morning the waiting time was around 20 to 30 minutes. Total travel time from end to end on the route was approximately 42 minutes, but could increase to one hour during peak hours owing to traffic.

In Richmond, the 98 B-Line followed a dedicated bus lane separated from mainstream traffic on No. 3 Road, between the Lansdowne and Sea Island Way stops. On February 13, 2006, the 98 B-Line's bus lane in Richmond was closed as utility crews prepared for the construction of the Canada Line along No. 3 Road. Between February 2006 until its discontinuation in September 2009, the 98 B-Line travelled with regular traffic.

The route was modelled after the successful 99 B-Line, which operates between University of British Columbia and Commercial–Broadway SkyTrain station. Like its older counterpart, larger articulated buses were normally used for this route, each with a 120-passenger capacity. These buses were built by New Flyer Industries of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Typical 98 B-Line stop information poster

History

Prior to the introduction of the 98 B-Line, most bus routes in Richmond travelled into Downtown Vancouver during rush hours. These routes served all stops along their routes in Richmond, then would operate along Granville Street in Vancouver as express services.

Although the idea of a rapid bus line from Richmond to Vancouver had been discussed for decades, it was first proposed by BC Transit in 1994. In 1995, Vancouver city council approved a southbound high-occupancy vehicle lane for the evening peak hours in the Marpole neighbourhood in preparation for an express bus service. In 1997, the idea of a rapid transit line was re-introduced with the objective of providing the express service at regular fares. A study determined that the best route for the line would be via Granville Street in Vancouver.[4]

A typical 98 B-Line stop (from Seymour & Davie)

The project cost approximately CA$52 million to build;[3] this included the price of new vehicles, the construction of a dedicated bus lane in Richmond, installing new bus shelters, automated on-board announcements and similar technology, transit priority systems for traffic lights and a share of the new Richmond bus depot, as the old Vancouver Oakridge depot could not accommodate the longer 18-metre (60 ft) articulated buses used on the route.[5] The line opened as far as Sea Island on September 4, 2000,[6] later extending from Airport Station into central Richmond in August 2001.[7]

The introduction of the B-Line eliminated most other local bus services that travelled between Richmond and Vancouver, requiring a transfer between buses for most commuters. As a result of the added transfer and quicker travel times of the B-Line that did not materialize, commute times for passengers increased even though a commute time savings of several minutes had been promised. Within a few years, this prompted improved rush hour services on remaining Richmond to Vancouver routes.

The B-line was one of the most used routes in the TransLink system. In early 2001, the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project feasibility study, which examined replacing the 98 B-Line with light rail, held open houses.[8] This proposed line's working name was the "RAV Line" (Richmond–Airport–Vancouver). The estimated cost of $1.72 billion generated much controversy. Richmond city council, which favoured an at-grade line within the city limits for aesthetic reasons, also threatened the project. However, the city backed down because an elevated line was both preferred by the public, and offered faster trip times and lower operating costs. The TransLink board twice rejected the project because board members representing the northeast areas of Greater Vancouver wanted a line built to Coquitlam. The "RAV Line" project was saved after the board agreed to build both lines by 2010.[9] While not part of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Canada Line, completed in August 2009, replaced the 98 B-Line.

Beginning in February 2008, 98 B-Line route passengers with valid proof of payment were permitted to board using any of the three doors at any stop. To facilitate this, the bus driver controlled the operation of all three doors at each of the stops. Passengers paying cash or validating FareSavers had to board through the front door.

The 98 B-Line was discontinued on September 7, 2009, two and a half weeks after the Canada Line opened. Afterwards, the #10 Hastings/Downtown/Granville bus began running more frequently along Granville street to compensate.[10]

98 B-Line stops and transfer points
98 B-Line
SeaBus
to Lonsdale Quay
Waterfront
West Coast Express
to Mission City
Burrard
Granville
Burrard & Robson
Expo / Millennium Line
to King George / VCC–Clark
Nelson & Hornby
Seymour & Smithe
Howe & Davie
Seymour & Davie
5th Avenue
99 B-Line
to Commercial–Broadway
99 B-Line
to UBC Loop
Broadway
King Edward
41st Avenue
49th Avenue
70th Avenue
Airport Station
Sea Island Way
Capstan Way
Aberdeen
Alderbridge
Lansdowne
Westminster Highway
Richmond Centre
Brighouse
Legend
 98 B-Line (Bus)
 Expo/Millennium Line (SkyTrain)
 West Coast Express (Commuter Rail)
 SeaBus (Passenger-only Ferry)
 99 B-Line (Bus)
 Fare Zone 1
 Fare Zone 2

Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver
  • 5th Avenue – Served the southern False Creek area as well as Granville Island.
  • Broadway – Transfer point to the 99 B-Line as well as many trolley routes. It is a short distance away from Vancouver General Hospital and is also the transfer point for those going to Kitsilano.
  • King Edward – Transfer point to the #25 bus, which served the affluent Shaughnessy area, University, and North Burnaby. B.C. Children's Hospital and B.C. Women's Hospital were a short distance away from the stop
  • 41st Avenue – Transfer point to the #41 bus, which served the Kerrisdale area, particularly the shopping district, and the Oakridge area. Also served as transfer point to the #43 bus, which is an express version of the #41, but only runs during peak hours, and the #480, which is an express bus from Richmond Centre to UBC Loop.
  • 49th Avenue – Transfer point to the #49 bus, which operates eastbound to nearby Langara College and terminating at Metropolis at Metrotown, the biggest shopping mall in the province. During peak hours, the route's western terminus is at University of British Columbia, instead of Dunbar Loop.
  • 70th Avenue – Served the Marpole neighbourhood and acts as a transfer point to the #100 bus (which travels along Marine Drive).

Richmond
The stop for Richmond Centre
Demolition of the former 98 B-Line busway between Sea Island Way and Lansdowne stations on No. 3 Road, in preparation for the construction of the Canada Line
  • Airport Station – Transfer point to the #424 bus, which was a shuttle to Vancouver International Airport's main terminal. Also served the Burkeville neighbourhood of Sea Island, and was a transfer point to the #620 bus to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. Airport Station was closed the same day the 98 B-Line was discontinued.
  • Sea Island Way – Served River Rock Casino, the largest casino in Metro Vancouver.
  • Capstan Way – Served Yaohan Centre, Union Square Shopping Centre, and also the Asian shopping district along Capstan Way itself.
  • Aberdeen – Served the main Golden Village Asian shopping district, including Aberdeen Centre, Empire Centre, Parker Place, President Plaza, and south side of Yaohan Centre.
  • Alderbridge – Served the northern part of the Lansdowne Centre shopping mall as well as the Alexandra Road restaurant district.
  • Lansdowne – Served the southern part of Lansdowne Centre and the Richmond campus of Kwantlen Polytechnic University
  • Westminster Highway – Popular transfer point to the #401 and #407 buses to Steveston along No. 1 Road and Gilbert Road, respectively. Many passengers used those routes to reach Richmond Hospital and the headquarters of WorkSafe B.C., the workers' compensation and safety board.
  • Richmond Centre – The unofficial terminus of the line (owing to the fact that the bus's destination signs read "98 RICHMOND CENTRE"). Stops outside of the Richmond Centre shopping mall and is the main transfer point to almost all of the bus routes in Richmond.
  • Brighouse – The southern terminus of the line. Served the Richmond City Hall and the Brighouse area (particularly the Minoru cultural centre, which is home to the Richmond Public Library, the local skating rink and the local swimming pool.)

Route notes
  • For early morning and late evening trips, the 98 B-Line provided local non-express service between the Brighouse stop and the Richmond Transit Centre, along No. 3 Road (south of Granville Avenue) and Steveston Highway (until Shell Road). The buses going back to Richmond Transit Centre were signed "98 To Steveston & Shell B-Line".
  • On Mondays to Fridays, during peak hours, 98 B-Line service between Vancouver and Airport Station was supplemented by the #496 Railway/Burrard Station and #491 One Road/Burrard Station express routes. The #490 Steveston/Burrard Station express route also did this but went to Highway 99 via Marpole Loop instead of Airport Station.
  • Non-express service was also provided along some of the 98 B-Line's corridors, via the #10 Granville/Downtown (along Granville Street) and #410 Railway/22nd Street Station (between the Aberdeen and Brighouse stops) routes in Vancouver and Richmond, respectively.

See also

References
  1. "Intelligent Transportation Systems in 98 B-Line Rapid Bus Service: Advanced Technology at Work" (PDF). Federation of Canadian Municipalities. Transport Canada. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  2. "4.6 Intelligent Transportation Systems [ITS] – #98B-Line Bus Rapid Transit Evaluation Study (Quick View)". TransLink. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  3. Mills, Brian. ""Bus Rapid Transit in Vancouver: A Review of Experience" (PDF). TransLink. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 14, 2006.
  4. Hudberg, D. H. (February 23, 1998). "City of Vancouver Memorandum Re: Richmond Rapid Bus". City of Vancouver. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011.
  5. http://novax.com/products/media/98B-Line%20Final%20Report.pdf
  6. "The Buzzer, 1 Sep 2000" (PDF). www.translink.ca. TransLink.
  7. "The Buzzer, 8 Aug 2001" (PDF). www.translink.ca. TransLink.
  8. "Richmond Review, 18 Mar 2001". www.newspapers.com. p. 22. The Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project is currently assessing whether there is a need to build a rapid transit line that connects Richmond City Centre, the Airport, and downtown Vancouver in the next ten years.
  9. "RAV line gets final approval, construction to start in 2005". Vancouver Sun. December 2, 2004. Archived from the original on January 21, 2005.
  10. "Connecting Transit Services". TransLink. Archived from the original on August 9, 2009. Retrieved July 29, 2009.
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