Liberal candidate promises to push province for Broadway subway line

With the provincial byelection for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant just a week away, Liberal candidate Gavin Dew is promising if elected he will push for the building of the Broadway subway line.

"I'm hearing on the doorsteps that this is a massive priority for the people of East Vancouver," said Dew in a statement. "The Broadway Line is absolutely critical to the riding of Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, and to all of the Lower Mainland."

The proposed 5.7 kilometre line would be an extension of the Millennium SkyTrain line, running from VCC-Clark Station to Arbutus Street, connecting with the Canada Line at Broadway-City Hall. A future extension could see the line go all the way to UBC.

Dew says as a candidate for B.C's governing party he's the best choice to get the estimated $3-billion Broadway subway line built. 

"If you want the Broadway Line to get built, you need an advocate at the decision-making table who will work with all levels of government to fund transit priorities throughout the Lower Mainland," he said.

The congested Broadway corridor has been called North America's busiest bus route with a ridership of over 110,000 people per day.

The express 99 B-line bus, which connect Commercial-Broadway SkyTrain station to UBC, is infamous for its overcrowding. It's not uncommon for commuters using the 99 B-line to wait in long lineups while full bus after full bus pass them by.

Planners only expect the problem to worsen with increased development along the Broadway corridor. 

Transit infrastructure funding normally requires a third funding from all three levels of government —the city, the province and the federal government. 

In last year's transit plebiscite 62 per cent of voters said no to a new provincial sales tax to fund transit improvements. 

The byelection takes place Feb. 2 with advanced polls opening Wednesday, Jan 27.