Enhancing Access, Safety & Connectivity at Transit Hubs

In 2020, Translink’s Kevin Desmond stated that the Canada Line’s capacity had been reached with the addition of 12 additional rolling stock (Chan, 2016).  In addition to their limited capacity, it is no secret that many areas surrounding these stations, and the amenities found within these stations, are quite underdeveloped.  Many of these stations only have one entrance and their overall architecture is quite barebones, even if they serve as major transportation hubs for central parts of the city.  One of such locations is Broadway-City Hall Station.

This station is a key stop on Vancouver's Canada Line, located at the intersection of West Broadway and Cambie Street, serving as an important transit hub connecting various neighborhoods, including Fairview and Mount Pleasant, within the city.

This station is particularly significant due to its proximity to multiple amenities and institutions. Nearby, you'll find Vancouver City Hall, which houses municipal government offices, and the Vancouver General Hospital, one of the city's major healthcare facilities.

The area surrounding the Broadway City-Hall Station is a mix of commercial and residential spaces, with numerous shops, restaurants, cafes, and businesses catering to the diverse population in the vicinity (Sung, 2023). The station's location makes it a busy transit point for commuters heading to work, students attending nearby educational institutions, and residents accessing essential services and entertainment. The crowding experienced by groupmates in this station is the main inspiration for the project.

Arthur C. Nelson asserts that increased accessibility to various parts of an urban area due to transit stations creates a positive relationship between station proximity and property value. This means that properties closer to transit stations tend to hold higher value as they become more accessible to the broader urban environment (Nelson, 1999).  When thinking about what makes a transit hub successful within the greater context of an entire city, connectivity would be one of the first things to spring to mind.  While extensive research has been done on this topic in various angles across many methods, there is a dearth of research on the effect of entrances specifically. 

In this project, we aim to bridge this gap and enhance accessibility, safety, and time efficiency at Canada Line stations within Vancouver.  We hope that with increased entrances at these underbuilt stations, especially those that lead a commuter to another side of a major intersection on a direct path towards an essential amenity or connection to another form of transit.

It is foremost important to mention that this study focuses only on Canada Line stations within the borders of the municipality of Vancouver, based on the data that was readily available.  We acknowledge that the Richmond stations are essential for the connectivity of the overall system, and the amenity and entrance layout for these missing stations would contribute to the data, but we could not feasibly use this information given the timeframe of the project.  

We believe that bringing station access closer to where property is most needed would get the highest economic value and social benefits. Therefore, we hypothesize that by providing station access similar to the ones in the closest distance to the station, with the highest property value, to the distanced properties, with a lower property value, will:

• INCREASE property values
  • by helping lower-valued property to be closer to the higher value property
• DECREASE travel time
  • by providing more direct path to the surroundings
• INCREASE safety
  • by reducing pedestrian crossing and traffic accidents
  • by reducing the chance of potential crime
• Provide additional community benefits
  • by increased property tax led by property value increase

Take a deep dive into the by-products that we've created for this project.

We build our suitability model using 3 criterions, throughout the process, we built a total of 2 models:

Through this study, we believe that in the broader context of Vancouver, there exists a significant opportunity to enhance connectivity, particularly due to the expanding development around the existing Canada Line along the Cambie St corridor. All stations along this route have only one entry point, situated at significant intersections where traffic is steadily rising alongside ongoing development.

The original station entrances are reflected by relatively low suitability values, aligning with our initial expectations. However, within this model, several stations exhibit promising locations for new entrances. These placements would enable commuters to bypass major intersections, notably at Yaletown-Roundhouse and Pacific Blvd, as well as Langara-49th, connecting with both Cambie and 49th Ave. Remarkably, Langara-49th Avenue station displays the highest number of high-value cells. These entrances also spatially autocorrelate with recent and near-term developments so that the overall tunneling cost might be lower.

Zooming in on Broadway City-Hall, our original focus surrounded by the most extensive cluster of high-value cells, is situated approximately 200 meters southeast of the station. This is likely due to its proximity to a cluster of relatively lower property values in the area, and the fact that the walk distance will price higher utility score for the suitability model due the hill nature of the location. Additionally, a smaller high-value cluster on the west side of Cambie St provides an opportunity for commuters to avoid crossing Cambie and directly access the continuously evolving commercial corridor in this vicinity.

In conclusion, the addition of new entrances at Broadway City Hall Station presents a multifaceted solution that addresses critical aspects of commuting within Vancouver. By strategically introducing these entrances, the project aims to alleviate congestion during peak hours, enhance safety measures through increased access points for emergencies, and foster inclusivity by complying with accessibility standards. These improvements are poised to create a more efficient, secure, and welcoming environment for all passengers that can also take into consideration weather as well. Overall, this initiative demonstrates a proactive step towards enhancing the transit experience, ensuring smoother journeys, and accommodating the diverse needs of commuters within the Vancouver transit network.

As mentioned in the introductory portion of the project, there is a dearth of research on specifically entrances for train stations and their effect on overall connectivity and other economic/social benefits that it brings to the surrounding areas. The ability to access research relating to this could have greatly impacted our decision to weigh the various variables in the way that we did for the suitability model. We believe that more research on this topic should be done to better inform planning policies on the design of both existing and future transit stations.

A large portion of the limitations relating to the study is due to the nature of the data used and the data that could have been used to make the results and analysis even more multifaceted than it already is. The study did not take into consideration for existing land-use types, overall walkability measures or proximity to major bus stops that act as connectors to these stations. The omission of these factors undoubtedly played a role in the results that were produced for the project.

Space and design constraints indeed play a crucial role in determining the feasibility of the project. Limited space or structural complexities could restrict the number and layout of new entrances. Additionally, the presence of underground utilities or nearby buildings may impose limitations on the design possibilities, potentially impacting the overall effectiveness of the proposed entrances.

This project also runs into the issue of, as many projects of this nature do, a dynamic city.  Places and landscape change, often dramatically - especially, it seems, up and down the Cambie corridor.  There is no clearer example of this than Oakridge Station, which has been and will continue to go through a complete redevelopment.  This project and its findings cannot consider what this construction brings, as it merely presents things as they are, assuming a static environment.

Ensuring new entrances remain in optimal condition requires sustained financial resources and operational efforts. If not appropriately planned for, inadequate maintenance could compromise the functionality and safety of these additions over time.

Construction activities may disrupt the local community, causing inconveniences like increased noise levels, traffic diversions, or temporary closures. Balancing the need for infrastructure improvements with minimizing disruptions to residents and businesses is crucial for successful project implementation.

The cost and funding required for such an expansion. Budget constraints or competing financial priorities within the transit system might limit the scope or pace of the project, potentially resulting in a phased or delayed implementation. We attempted to take this into consideration by creating a linear distance allocation that favors areas that are closer to the station for reasons relating to cost, but this method is not perfect as it assumes a linear relationship between distance and cost, regardless of land ownership and topography.

Conducting comprehensive passenger flow studies allows for an understanding of how the introduction of new entrances influences various types of passenger flows. This involves analyzing data on entry/exit rates, peak/off-peak flow patterns, and directional changes (inbound/outbound), utilizing video monitoring or sensors to track movement patterns.

By assessing changes in emergency response times, incidents, and security issues within the station premises post-implementation, we can measure the effectiveness of the additions in enhancing overall safety and security for commuters. This evaluation will provide valuable insights into our project's influence on creating a safer environment within the station.

Assessing the effectiveness of the design features implemented for inclusivity and accessibility is crucial to ensuring the new entrances cater to the diverse needs of individuals. By conducting an accessibility check, gathering user feedback, and assessing the overall usability of the new entrances, the transit system can ensure that they are genuinely inclusive and user-friendly for all passengers, thereby enhancing the overall quality of the transit experience.

Analyzing the project's impact on the local community post-implementation involves investigating alterations in traffic patterns, noise levels, and any disruptions caused by the newly introduced entrances. This assessment aims to understand how the community has been affected by the changes, ensuring a balanced approach between infrastructure improvements and minimizing inconveniences for residents and businesses in the area.

A comparative analysis between the station's performance pre- and post-implementation of the new entrances is essential to determine the project's actual impact. This analysis involves collecting and comparing various key metrics and data points to understand the changes and improvements brought about by the new entrances. Comparing the data regarding passenger flow, average commuting time, and safety incidents before and after the implementation of the new entrances would provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of our project.

Works Cited:

Chan, K. (2016). Short platforms and trains: Is the canada line under-built and near capacity? Urbanized. https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/short-platforms-and-trains-is-the-skytrain-canada-line-under-built-and-nearing-capacity

Nelson, A. C. (1999). Transit stations and commercial property values: A case study with policy and land-use implications. Journal of Public Transportation, 2(3), 77-95. https://doi.org/10.5038/2375-0901.2.3.4

Sung, E. (2023). Vancouver Review of broadway “pace of change” is a litmus test for New City Council. Goodman Commercial Inc. https://goodmanreport.com/market-insights/vancouver-review-of-broadway-pace-of-change-is-a-litmus-test-for-new-city-council/