Traffic congestion and delays are plaguing Vancouver’s major transit route following the recent closure on Broadway. With buses stuck behind cars and riders facing long waits, transit advocates are pushing for immediate changes to prevent gridlock from becoming the norm during the upcoming four-month shutdown.
Denis Agar, the executive director of the transit advocacy group Movement, alongside Movement: Metro Vancouver Transit Riders and Vision Zero Vancouver, observed the rush-hour chaos on the first day of the closure. They witnessed significant congestion as hundreds of cars bottlenecked, impacting the daily commute of around 50,000 bus riders using the affected route.
Notably, the detour challenges led to bus bunching and widespread delays on key transit routes across the region. The high volume of trips on buses like the 9 and the 99 exacerbates the situation, affecting travel to popular destinations like Commercial-Broadway, UBC, and Boundary Road.
In response, Movement and Vision Zero Vancouver are urging the province to enforce a bus-only detour while ensuring continued access for local businesses. Denis Agar emphasized the simplicity of implementing this change through signage and designated lanes, citing successful examples from other cities such as Toronto’s King Street bus route.
The ongoing closure on Broadway between Main and Quebec marks the initial phase of the broader Broadway Subway Project construction, with subsequent closures planned along the corridor. As concerns grow over escalating congestion, the pressure mounts on authorities to address the transit challenges promptly.