Columbia station
Columbia  | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyTrain station | |||||||||||||||
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| Location | 435 Columbia Street, New Westminster | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 49°12′17″N 122°54′22″W / 49.20476°N 122.906161°WCoordinates: 49°12′17″N 122°54′22″W / 49.20476°N 122.906161°W | ||||||||||||||
| Owned by | BC Transit, TransLink | ||||||||||||||
| Platforms | Side platforms | ||||||||||||||
| Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||||||
| Structure type | At grade and underground | ||||||||||||||
| Disabled access | Yes | ||||||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||||||
| Station code | CO | ||||||||||||||
| Fare zone | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||||||
| Opened | February 14, 1989 | ||||||||||||||
| Traffic | |||||||||||||||
| Passengers (2011[1]) | 24,976 | ||||||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||||||
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Columbia station is located in the short underground section of the Expo Line in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada. It is a part of Metro Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit system, and a major transfer point between two Expo Line branches terminating at King George in Surrey and Production Way–University in Burnaby.
Location
Columbia station is located near the corner of 4th Street and Carnarvon Street in New Westminster, and is named after Columbia Street one block south. The station was built horizontally on a slope, so that the inbound platform in the north is underground while the outbound platform in the south is predominantly at grade. The track at both ends of the station dips underground below Clarkson Street.
History
Columbia station was built between 1988 and 1989, and served as the system’s temporary terminus (replacing New Westminster station) until it was extended to Scott Road the following year, following the completion of the Skybridge. During planning and construction, it was known as 4th Street station.[2]
Originally, the station served as a secondary transfer point for regional buses from Port Moody, Coquitlam, and Port Coquitlam.After the opening of Millennium Line in 2002, the station became a major transfer point between the two SkyTrain lines and the regional bus connections moved north along Millennium Line to Braid and Lougheed Town Centre stations. Currently, the station connects only to local bus and shuttle routes servicing the New Westminster area.
On October 22, 2016, the original Millennium Line service from Waterfront to VCC–Clark via Columbia was replaced by a new Expo Line branch with service from Waterfront to Production Way–University.[3]
The station was not planned to be a major transfer point during construction. Cross-platform transfer is not possible as the station is side-platformed, and there is only one up-escalator provided at the station's inbound platform. A second up-escalator is proposed for the outbound platform as part of the Expo Line upgrade.[4]
Station information
Station layout
| S | Street Level | 4th Street Entrance |
| T | Upper Concourse | Ticket vending machines, fare gates (eastbound), cinema, shops |
| Side platform, Doors will open on the right | ||
| Platform 1 | ← ■ Expo Line towards Waterfront (New Westminster) | |
| Platform 2 | ■ Expo Line towards King George (Scott Road) and Production Way–University (Sapperton) → | |
| Side platform, Doors will open on the right | ||
| M | Mall Level | Columbia Street entrance Connect to lower street level for platform access |
| S | Street | Clarkson Street entrance Connect inbound and outbound platforms |
Station entrances and connections
Columbia Street Entrance 
connects the west side of the station with Columbia Street, half level above, through a small shopping mall. An elevator is provided by the mall for station access. However, since this elevator is not a property of TransLink, the reliability of this accessible entrance is not guaranteed and it had been reported that the elevator was out of service for an extended amount of time.[5] An up escalator is provided between the lower street level and the platform for inbound (westbound) only. Passengers accessing the outbound (eastbound) platform must climb up a full flight of 36 stairs.[5]
- Local transit connection is provided on Columbia Street in front of the entrance:[6]
- C3 Quayside/New Westminster Station
- C4 New Westminster Station
- C9 New Westminster Station
- C9 Lougheed Station
- N19 Downtown
Clarkson Street Entrance connects Clarkson Street with the station through a series of stairs. The entrance is located at the north end of the lower street level, on the opposite side of Columbia Street entrance.
Fourth Street Entrance is located at the east side of the station. Unlike the other two entrances, the entrance from 4th Street is located above the platform level. Neither elevator nor escalator is provided for this entrance.
- Transit connection to uptown New Westminster is available on the opposite side of 4th Street:
- C3 Victoria Hill
- C4 Uptown
References
- ↑ "2011 SkyTrain Station Counts". TransLink. Retrieved August 10, 2016.
- ↑ "1986 SkyTrain photos from Alan M". Buzzer Blog. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- ↑ "Changes Coming to SkyTrain October 22". TransLink. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ↑ "Expo Line Upgrade Strategy Project Summary". TransLink. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- 1 2 "Expo Line Station Review". Translink. Retrieved November 21, 2011.
- ↑ "Columbia Station" (PDF). TransLink. April 2016. Retrieved 19 November 2016.