Project Profile: The Cancelled Surrey Light Rail Transit (LRT)

This engineering profile provides a technical overview of the proposed Surrey Light Rail Transit (LRT) project, a key component of TransLink’s former ten-year investment plan for Metro Vancouver. Although cancelled in 2018 in favor of a SkyTrain extension, the LRT project’s design and specifications offer valuable insights into the challenges of integrating at-grade rail within a dense suburban landscape. The plan involved a two-phased, 26.5 km network designed to enhance connectivity within Surrey and Langley.

Technical Specifications

The Surrey LRT was designed as a modern, at-grade system with key elevated sections to overcome complex geographical and infrastructure challenges. The project was divided into two primary phases. Phase 1 was a 10.5 km line connecting Newton Transit Exchange to Guildford Transit Exchange along 104 Avenue and King George Boulevard, featuring eleven stations. Phase 2 planned a 16 km extension from Surrey Central to Langley City along the Fraser Highway, including eight stations and a critical elevated guideway to navigate the Langley Bypass and the CP Rail corridor.

The system was designed to be powered by an overhead catenary system (OCS) fed by eight 1MW DC traction power substations integrated with the provincial BC Hydro grid. The proposed rolling stock consisted of 30-meter-long articulated light rail vehicles (LRVs), each with a capacity for over 200 passengers. Station platforms were designed to be 40 meters long, with passive provisions for future expansion to 60 meters to accommodate increased ridership. A dedicated Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) was planned for Newton to support vehicle storage, maintenance, and system-wide operations control.

Key Takeaways

• Shift in Regional Transit Strategy: The project’s cancellation in favor of SkyTrain technology marked a significant strategic pivot, prioritizing higher capacity, faster travel times, and fully grade-separated rapid transit over at-grade LRT for the Fraser Highway corridor.
• Economic and Urban Development Goals: The LRT plan was projected to create approximately 5,500 direct and indirect jobs and stimulate transit-oriented development—objectives largely inherited by its SkyTrain successor project.
• Infrastructure Integration Challenges: The design’s inclusion of an elevated guideway to cross the CP Rail corridor highlighted the complex engineering required to integrate new transit lines into developed urban areas with existing, competing infrastructure.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Why was the Surrey LRT project cancelled?
The Surrey LRT project was officially cancelled in November 2018 after a municipal election resulted in a new city council. The council’s platform prioritized extending the existing, grade-separated SkyTrain network over building a new at-grade LRT system. The primary arguments for the change were that SkyTrain would provide faster, more reliable service, higher passenger capacity, and better integration with the existing regional rapid transit system.

What replaced the Surrey LRT project?
The Surrey LRT was replaced by the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain project. This initiative extends the regional Expo Line by 16 kilometers along Fraser Highway, from King George Station in Surrey to 203 Street in Langley City. This extension provides a seamless, one-seat ride for passengers traveling between Langley, Surrey, and other parts of the Metro Vancouver region served by the SkyTrain network.