A new poll shows strong support for extending SkyTrain to the University of British Columbia if the school contributes to the costs of the project.
Eighty-two per cent of respondents say the Millennium Line SkyTrain should extend beyond Arbutus Street to UBC’s Point Grey campus.
WATCH: Aired April 19, 2018) UBC offers to pay for some of Broadway SkyTrain
Sixty per cent said connecting UBC with a rapid transit line should be considered a regional priority as it will bring benefits to the entire region. Almost half said they’d be more likely to visit the campus if they could hop on the SkyTrain.
Of the 1,900 adults polled, two-thirds said they would be more inclined to support the project if the university carried a significant chunk of the costs.
Last week, Vancouver city council voted to support extending the future Broadway subway line all the way to UBC.
Critics argued that light-rail options were more cost effective than SkyTrain, and voiced concerns that development along the future line would raise property values and displace affordable housing.
LISTEN: Vancouver City Council has voted to endorse an extension of the planned Broadway SkyTrain line, so that it goes all the way out to UBC. But some councillors have concerns.
According to TransLink’s report, extending the line from Arbutus Street to UBC would cost between $3.3 billion and $3.8 billion.
The currently-approved Phase Two subway plan, from VCC-Clark station to Arbutus Street, is expected to cost about $2.83 billion.
— With files from Simon Little
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