Editing Millennium Line (section)

===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>