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In 2020 the provincial government's Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit Study resulted in five potential routes for rapid transit connecting the North Shore to the Burrard Peninsula. https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2020TRAN0144-001729 [Archived Link][Archived Report]

Burrard Inlet Rapid Transit Study lists crossing options by Province of British Columbia, on Flickr


In 2021 North Shore Connects, a partnership of the North Shore municipalities and First Nations, commissioned a benefits assessment of two of the routes from the above report:
-the Gold route now as Park Royal-Downtown Vancouver via 2nd Narrows with 11 notional stations
-the Purple route now as Park Royal-Metrotown via 2nd Narrows with 10 notional stations.

Crossing at the 2nd Narrows was seen as ideal:

- It was noted in initial recommendations that an alignment over the Second Narrows is more likely to provide service better capturing key destinations and population centres across the North Shore; and
- Alignments across the Second Narrows provide better regional connection to municipalities across the south and east of Metro Vancouver either directly or via the Expo or Millennium Lines.

This report found significant net benefit for the project. The modeling used showed 50,000-60,000 new daily transit trips, ~45,000 of those would otherwise be vehicle trips. https://northshoreconnects.ca/wp-con...ment_Final.pdf [Archived Link]


Translink's Transport 2050 plan identified their preferred alignment as following the purple route; Park Royal to Metrotown via Lonsdale, 2nd Narrows, and Brentwood.

Translink on Transport 2050 10-year priorities:

Immediately advance the required planning, engagement, and design work to confirm the best alignment, technology, grade separation, terminus locations and phasing for a rapid transit connection between Metrotown and Park Royal via the Second Narrows corridor to be implemented in the latter half of the plan, while delivering better bus service in the short term.

https://www.translink.ca/news/2022/a...0%20priorities[Archived Link]


Translink has more recently said that Bus Rapid Transit will be initially used on the line for the sake of fast implementation and lower cost.
In 2022 Translink CEO said to 'expect Metrotown-Park Royal bus rapid transit in next 3-5 years'. https://www.burnabynow.com/local-new...nk-ceo-5453443[Archived Link]

This will require a new crossing, the provincial study did look at integrating rail into the structure of the IWM Bridge but found that not to be practical. That study looked at a new dedicated bridge while recent comments by the provincial transportation minister suggests it could be a new road and rail bridge replacing the IWM. https://vancouver.citynews.ca/2023/0...nt-bc-transit/[Archived Link]