Will this be the final round of disruptive early closures on SkyTrain Canada Line to accommodate construction work for the new Capstan Station?
Similar to the previous prolonged periods of early closures over the past two years, the segment of the Canada Line between Bridgeport Station and Richmond-Brighouse Station will close early on weekdays from Tuesday, August 6 to Friday, August 30, 2024.
Train services on this segment of the Canada Line will end about four hours early at 9:30 pm. As usual, TransLink will deploy extra bus service linking the impacted stations of Bridgeport, Aberdeen, Lansdowne, and Richmond-Brighouse, with these buses running about every 10 minutes.
Canada Line services between Bridgeport Station and YVR Airport Station will not be impacted.
A TransLink bulletin states August 2024’s round of early closures will enable crews to conduct electrical integration and connection works of Capstan Station to the existing Canada Line system.
As for when the much-delayed infill station construction project could reach completion and open, TransLink states this milestone is expected in “the coming months.”
Artistic rendering of Capstan Station on SkyTrain Canada Line. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)
Artistic rendering of Capstan Station on SkyTrain Canada Line. (Office of McFarlane Biggar Architects & Designers/TransLink)
Construction on Capstan Station first began in September 2021. The station was originally expected to open in Summer 2023, before being initially delayed to early 2024, and then finally to “mid-2024.”
When construction first began, it was stated that the project carried a budget of $52 million. The City of Richmond provided $32 million it collected from the Capstan Village area’s developers specifically towards building the station, and TransLink covered the remainder of $20 million.
Capstan Station’s opening is delayed due to earlier supply chain issues and challenges with building a new additional infill station in the middle of an active metro line. Construction work has necessitated significant scheduled disruptions to Canada Line service, particularly during the evening hours.
The new Capstan Station is located at the northeast corner of the intersection of No. 3 Road and Capstan Way — roughly midway between Bridgeport and Aberdeen stations — within the new Capstan Village neighbourhood, which is steadily reaching its anticipated full buildout of over 15,000 residents and more than 3,000 jobs in a range of mixed-use retail and restaurant uses.
Location of the future Capstan Station on the Canada Line. (TransLink)