The 98 B-Line was a bus rapid transit line in Metro Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, that began service in September 2000. It linked Richmond to Downtown Vancouver, with a connection to Vancouver International Airport. It travelled mainly along Granville Street in Vancouver and a dedicated bus lane on No. 3 Road in Richmond. It was operated by Coast Mountain Bus Company and was funded by TransLink. The route was 16 km long. The line carried over 18,000 passengers daily. It was discontinued in September 2009, shortly after the opening of the Canada Line, which replaced it.

History

Prior to the introduction of the 98 B-Line, most bus routes in Richmond travelled into Downtown Vancouver during rush hours. These routes served all stops along their routes in Richmond, then would operate along Granville Street in Vancouver as express services. Although the idea of a rapid bus line from Richmond to Vancouver had been discussed for decades, it was first proposed by BC Transit in 1994. In 1995, Vancouver city council approved a southbound high-occupancy vehicle lane for the evening peak hours in the Marpole neighbourhood in preparation for an express bus service. In 1997, the idea of a rapid transit line was re-introduced with the objective of providing the express service at regular fares. A study determined that the best route for the line would be via Granville Street in Vancouver. The project cost approximately CA$52million to build; this included the price of new vehicles, the construction of a dedicated bus lane in Richmond, installing new bus shelters, automated on-board announcements and similar technology, transit priority systems for traffic lights and a share of the new Richmond bus depot, as the old Vancouver Oakridge depot could not accommodate the longer 60 ft articulated buses used on the route. The line opened as far as Sea Island on September 4, 2000, later extending from Airport Station into central Richmond in August 2001. The introduction of the B-Line eliminated most other local bus services that travelled between Richmond and Vancouver, requiring a transfer between buses for most commuters. As a result of the added transfer and quicker travel times of the B-Line that did not materialize, commute times for passengers increased even though a commute time savings of several minutes had been promised. Within a few years, this prompted improved rush hour services on remaining Richmond to Vancouver routes. The B-line was one of the most used routes in the TransLink system. In early 2001, the Richmond/Airport-Vancouver Rapid Transit Project feasibility study, which examined replacing the 98 B-Line with light rail, held open houses. This proposed line's working name was the "RAV Line" (Richmond–Airport–Vancouver). The estimated cost of $1.72billion generated much controversy. Richmond city council, which favoured an at-grade line within the city limits for aesthetic reasons, also threatened the project. However, the city backed down because an elevated line was both preferred by the public, and offered faster trip times and lower operating costs. The TransLink board twice rejected the project because board members representing the northeast areas of Greater Vancouver wanted a line built to Coquitlam. The "RAV Line" project was saved after the board agreed to build both lines by 2010. While not part of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, the Canada Line, completed in August 2009, replaced the 98 B-Line. Beginning in February 2008, 98 B-Line route passengers with valid proof of payment were permitted to board using any of the three doors at any stop. To facilitate this, the bus driver controlled the operation of all three doors at each of the stops. Passengers paying cash or validating FareSavers had to board through the front door. The 98 B-Line was discontinued on September 7, 2009, two and a half weeks after the Canada Line opened. Afterwards, the #10 Hastings/Downtown/Granville bus began running more frequently along Granville street to compensate.

Features

The 98 featured GPS technology, automated stop announcements, specialized bus stop displays that showed the amount of time until the next bus arrives, and special traffic light signals that sustained green lights long enough for buses to pass through. In Richmond, the 98 B-Line followed a dedicated bus lane separated from mainstream traffic on No. 3 Road, between the Lansdowne and Sea Island Way stops. On February 13, 2006, the 98 B-Line's bus lane in Richmond was closed as utility crews prepared for the construction of the Canada Line along No. 3 Road. Between February 2006 until its discontinuation in September 2009, the 98 B-Line travelled with regular traffic.

98 B-Line stops and transfer points

Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver

Richmond

Route notes