Editing Millennium Line (section)

==History==
===Early proposals===
When the Expo Line was opened in 1985, an extension to [[Lougheed Town Centre|Lougheed Mall]] in east [[Burnaby]] was proposed. The most likely junction point for the spur to Lougheed Mall would have been from [[Royal Oak station (SkyTrain)|Royal Oak station]], up Edmonds Street to Lougheed Mall, although early SkyTrain route maps also suggested an extension northeast from [[New Westminster]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Michael |last=Charles |url=https://orangeraisin.wordpress.com/2019/05/14/skytrain-edmonds-cariboo-extension/ |title=A SkyTrain historical footnote: The Edmonds-Cariboo extension |website=orangeraisin.wordpress.com |date=May 14, 2019 |access-date=July 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715034326/https://orangeraisin.wordpress.com/2019/05/14/skytrain-edmonds-cariboo-extension/ |archive-date=July 15, 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |title=Skytrain Extension To Coquitlam Transit Planning Study Summary Report |date=September 25, 1986 |publisher=BC Transit SkyTrain Project}}</ref> Neither plan was realized, although the extension of Expo Line tracks to [[Columbia station (SkyTrain)|Columbia Station]] in 1989 and the completion of the [[Skybridge (TransLink)|SkyBridge]] to [[Surrey, British Columbia|Surrey]] in 1990 resulted in a short spur east of Columbia station, which was later incorporated into the new Millennium Line.

===Phase I: Columbia to Commercial Drive (2002)===
[[File:Commercial Drive station construction.jpg|left|thumb|[[Commercial–Broadway station|Commercial Drive station]] under construction in September 2001]]
In 1995, the British Columbia government announced that an entirely new line, a street-level light rail line, would be built along Broadway and Lougheed Highway to Lougheed Mall (served by [[Lougheed Town Centre station]]), as the first phase of the "T"-Line<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://burnaby.civicweb.net/document/5091 |title=Richmond-Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project/Northeast Sector Rapid Transit Alternatives |date=April 23, 2003 |access-date=February 24, 2016 |website=burnaby.civicweb.net |publisher=City of Burnaby}}{{dead link|date=February 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> (one of three Intermediate Capacity Transit System lines) outlined in the Metro Vancouver's Livable Region Strategic Plan that extended into [[Coquitlam]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.pmh1project.com/Policy%20Planning%20%20Reports/Liveable%20Region%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf |title=Livable Region Strategic Plan |date=April 28, 2000 |access-date = February 23, 2016 |website=pmh1project.com |publisher=GVRD |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305013226/http://www.pmh1project.com/Policy%20Planning%20%20Reports/Liveable%20Region%20Strategic%20Plan.pdf |archive-date=March 5, 2016}}</ref> An 18-month review of rapid transit was scheduled and started in January 1998 but was cut short by the government's announcement of its choice of Bombardier's technology in June 1998.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=November 20, 2008|title=TransLink History Nov 2008|url=http://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/about_translink/corporate_overview/corporate_reports/history/translink_history_nov_2008.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110080355/https://www.translink.ca/-/media/Documents/about_translink/corporate_overview/corporate_reports/history/translink_history_nov_2008.pdf|archive-date=November 10, 2018|access-date=February 23, 2013|website=translink.ca|publisher=TransLink}}</ref> This meant that the first phase of the line would have to connect to the existing Expo Line to use its maintenance yard. Connecting the two lines at [[Commercial–Broadway station|Broadway station]] was deemed impracticable, so the lines were connected in New Westminster. Switches to the Millennium Line were installed on the Expo Line just east of Columbia station. Expo Line service was reduced to a single track over the Skybridge during the installation of these switches. The main contractor for the project was SAR Transit, a joint venture of SC Infrastructure, Agra Monenco, and [[Rizzani de Eccher]] Inc.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=SkyTrain project racing down the tracks: designers and contractors push to meet schedule for rapid transit line |url=https://www.proquest.com/trade-journals/skytrain-project-racing-down-tracks-designers/docview/215179578/se-2 |date=November 27, 2000 |journal=Journal of Commerce |volume=89 |issue=94 |page=11 |last=Koehl |first=Stefan}}</ref>

The Millennium Line opened for revenue service on January 7, 2002 (a preview for SkyTrain passengers took place on the prior two days),<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2001/December/Bus-service-comes-to-the-new-Braid-Millennium-Station-January-7-2002.aspx |title=Bus service comes to the new Braid Millennium Station January 7, 2002 |date=December 28, 2001 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |website=translink.ca |publisher=TransLink |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309130215/http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2001/December/Bus-service-comes-to-the-new-Braid-Millennium-Station-January-7-2002.aspx |archive-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref> with trains operating between [[Waterfront station (Vancouver)|Waterfront station]] on the Expo Line and [[Braid station]] in eastern New Westminster.

For the second phase, service was extended to Commercial Drive station (since merged with Broadway station to form [[Commercial–Broadway station|Commercial–Broadway]]) on August 31, 2002 (with full integration with the bus network occurring on September 3, 2002).<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2002/June/TransLink-Prepares-for-September-Service-Enhancements.aspx |title=TransLink Prepares for September Service Enhancements |date=June 20, 2002 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |website=translink.ca |publisher=TransLink |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309130218/http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2002/June/TransLink-Prepares-for-September-Service-Enhancements.aspx |archive-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Millennium Line turns 10! |url=https://buzzer.translink.ca/2012/09/the-millennium-line-turns-10/ |website=The Buzzer blog |date=September 6, 2012 |access-date = February 23, 2016}}</ref>

===Lake City Way and extension to VCC–Clark (2003–2006)===
[[Lake City Way station]], located between Sperling–Burnaby Lake and Production Way–University stations, opened on November 21, 2003.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2003/November/TransLink-celebrates-opening-of-Lake-City-Way-SkyTrain-Station.aspx |title=TransLink celebrates opening of Lake City Way station |date=November 20, 2003 |access-date=February 23, 2016 |website=translink.ca |publisher=TransLink |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309130010/http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Media/2003/November/TransLink-celebrates-opening-of-Lake-City-Way-SkyTrain-Station.aspx |archive-date=March 9, 2016}}</ref> Three years later, the line was extended to its present terminus, [[VCC–Clark station]], on January 6, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Corporate-Overview/Operating-Companies/BCRTC/History-of-SkyTrain.aspx |title=History of SkyTrain |access-date=February 23, 2016 |website=translink.ca |publisher=TransLink |archive-date=November 10, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181110080407/https://www.translink.ca/en/About-Us/Corporate-Overview/Operating-Companies/BCRTC/History-of-SkyTrain.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Millennium Line was now completed at a cost of $1.2{{nbsp}}billion, $40{{nbsp}}million under budget.<ref name=":0" />{{rp|51}}

In 2007, the non-interlined portion of the Millennium Line served an average of 70,000 passengers per day. Of these, 14,000 passengers arrived on trains travelling from Expo Line stations west of Columbia station, and 7,000 transferred from the Surrey section of the Expo Line.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Documents/Get%20Involved/Buzzer/2007/Buzzer_2007_08_03.ashx |title=Millennium Line celebrates five-year anniversary with growing ridership |publisher=Translink |date=August 3, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091027161210/http://www.translink.ca/~/media/Documents/Get%20Involved/Buzzer/2007/Buzzer_2007_08_03.ashx |archive-date=October 27, 2009}}</ref> In 2009, it was estimated that ridership had grown to at least 80,000 passengers per day.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ubcskytrain.wordpress.com/skytrain-truths/aroundtheworld/ |title=SkyTrain in Vancouver |publisher=UBC SkyTrain Group |year=2009}}</ref>

Initially, the Millennium Line service followed the Expo Line from Waterfront to Columbia stations, then looped back into Vancouver via the new route, passing through [[Commercial–Broadway station|Commercial–Broadway]] again at a different platform, and terminating at VCC–Clark station. After a reconfiguration on October 22, 2016, in preparation for the opening of the [[Evergreen Extension]], the Millennium Line ran between VCC–Clark station in the west to Lougheed Town Centre station in the east. Transfers to the Expo Line were now made possible at [[Production Way–University station|Production Way–University]] and [[Lougheed Town Centre station|Lougheed Town Centre]] stations. [[Braid station|Braid]] and [[Sapperton station|Sapperton]] stations were reassigned to the Expo Line.<ref>{{cite news |title=Changes Coming to SkyTrain October 22 |url=http://www.translink.ca/skytrainchanges |date=September 19, 2016 |work=TransLink |access-date=September 19, 2016}}</ref>

===Phase II: Evergreen Extension (2016)===
{{Main|Evergreen Extension}}
The second phase of the Millennium Line was to be an extension from Lougheed Mall to Coquitlam (then known as the Port Moody–Coquitlam (PMC) Line),<ref>{{Cite web |date=June 4, 2007 |title=Audited Financial Statements of Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd. |url=https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/government-finances/public-accounts/2006-07/sup-e/rapid-transit-project-2000-fs-2006-07.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125053330/https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/british-columbians-our-governments/government-finances/public-accounts/2006-07/sup-e/rapid-transit-project-2000-fs-2006-07.pdf |archive-date=November 25, 2022 |access-date=November 25, 2022 |website=fin.gov.bc.ca |publisher=Government of British Columbia}}</ref> which would have provided a "one-seat ride" from Coquitlam to VCC–Clark station. A short spur<ref>{{Cite web|title = Evergreen Line spurs new travel choices and development {{!}} BC Gov News|url = https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/evergreen-line-spurs-new-travel-choices-and-development|website = news.gov.bc.ca|access-date = February 24, 2016|first = Todd|last = Stone|date = December 19, 2013|archive-date = February 2, 2017|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002101/https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/evergreen-line-spurs-new-travel-choices-and-development|url-status = dead}}</ref> and switches to the PMC Line were installed to the east of Lougheed Town Centre station and a third platform was roughed-in in anticipation of the extension. Phase II was placed on hold following a change in provincial government.

A SkyTrain extension from Lougheed Town Centre station to Coquitlam Town Centre was proposed when the original Millennium Line was built and the necessary junction tracks for such an extension were built at the station during its initial construction. At one point prior to 2008, the mode planned for the extension was changed to [[light rail]] instead of SkyTrain, which meant that the junction tracks would have remained unused. However, in February 2008, plans reverted to the use of SkyTrain technology for the extension, to facilitate higher ridership, shorten travel times and to integrate seamlessly with the existing SkyTrain network. As a result, the junction tracks and roughed-in third platform at Lougheed Town Centre station were used as part of the Evergreen Extension.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/evergreen_line/documents/Business_Case/080219_BusinessCase.pdf |title=Evergreen Line Rapid Transit Project Business Case |publisher=BC Ministry of Transportation |date=February 19, 2008 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202002109/http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/evergreen_line/documents/Business_Case/080219_BusinessCase.pdf |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Construction of the Evergreen Extension began in 2013 and was completed in late 2016. The extension opened for revenue service on December 2, 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/delayed-evergreen-line-to-open-dec-2-1.3840163 |title=Delayed Evergreen Line to open Dec. 2 |work=CBC News |access-date=November 8, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Scott |title=TransLink will open Evergreen Line on Dec. 2 |date=November 7, 2016 |access-date=November 7, 2016 |work=Vancouver Sun |url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/translink-will-open-evergreen-line-on-dec-2}}</ref>