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Construction on each station is slated to take about two years, according to the province. The excavation will be covered, allowing traffic to continue to move through the area, but there will be only two lanes of traffic in each direction at most station construction areas, and Broadway at Main is likely to see a combined total of three lanes, Gow said.

Bus routes 9 and 99 will continue to run down Broadway, but routes 14, 16 and 17 will be rerouted. About 100,000 people who travel through the corridor each day do so by bus, and another 30,000 do so by car, Gow said. To help keep those transit users moving, one lane in each direction will be devoted to bus travel where possible, according to the plans.

“We’re trying to provide a priority for buses,” she explained.

Pedestrian access will be maintained, but parking on Broadway will be restricted 24/7 through the construction period, according to the province. The province and city staff are still working on a traffic management plan, but the project team cited a previous study that found there was adequate parking in lots off Broadway and on adjacent streets to accommodate displaced vehicles.

Some sections of the Arbutus and Central Valley greenways will be rerouted, according to the province.

Utility and trolley wire relocation and geotechnical investigation related to the project started earlier this year, but major construction isn’t slated to start for about another year, Gow said. The subway is not expected to open until 2025.

The route from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Station is expected to take 11 minutes, according to the province. That could shave up to 30 minutes off average commutes through the area.

Future sessions are set for Nov. 2 (511 West Broadway at 11 a.m.) and Nov. 7 (Emily Carr University at 4 p.m.). Pop-ups are also being hosted on Nov. 4 (at Broadway and Main at 4 p.m.), Nov. 5 (Broadway and Granville at 4 p.m.) and Nov. 6 (East Mall and University Boulevard at noon and Commercial/Broadway Station at 4 p.m.)

Photo by TransLink/File / PNG

mrobinson@postmedia.com