[jlousa]

So Translink has issued an RFP for Commercial/Broadway SkyTrain Station Upgrades – Design Services.

Here's the readers digest version, and I've attached the link to the full document at the bottom. Not too much we didn't already know, or expect. I did bold a couple of items I found interesting. I also would not be surprised if we see the Safeway site redeveloped instead of worked around.

BACKGROUND
Station Overview & Description
Commercial-Broadway Station is at the heart of Metro Vancouver’s transportation network, situated at the convergence of the Expo Line, the original rapid transit line built in 1986, and the Millennium Line, completed in 2002. Originally designed as a stand-alone Expo Line SkyTrain station (Broadway Station), it has since transformed into a major transit hub with the addition of the Millennium Line (Commercial Station) and the 99 B-Line express bus route.
Approximately 150,000 people use Commercial-Broadway Station on a typical weekday, making it the busiest station in the entire Metro Vancouver transit network. Connections between the Expo Line, the Millennium Line, the 99 B-Line express bus to UBC and other local bus routes all happen at this location. The station’s evolution, however, has occurred incrementally, on constrained sites, and with key functional elements designed in isolation of each other. This has resulted in severe congestion during the morning peak, with long queues at key station “choke points” on an almost daily basis.

Phase I Upgrades
Construction of Phase 1 was completed in November 2009 and included the following elements.
• A new south station entrance:
• A second station entrance was added at 10th Avenue in order to increase accessibility and also to improve aesthetics and neighbourhood integration
• A third escalator and a new staircase were added at the south end of the station
• The ground concourse level of the station was doubled in size by expanding it to the new south station entrance, as well as widening it to the west
• An improved north station entrance:
• The north entrance at Broadway Avenue was widened
• The existing elevator at the north end of the platform was replaced with a new larger, more accessible elevator at the south end of the station, in order to eliminate a bottleneck area
• A replacement of the metal mesh panels with glazed panels on the west side of the station’s concourse level to:
• Increase natural light,
• Improve weather protection from wind and rain,
• Improve visibility into and out of the station in order to increase feelings of security and facilitate opportunities for natural surveillance.
• New paving on the concourse level

The Phase 1 upgrades delivered the following key passenger and operational benefits:
• Reduced congestion at critical access points within the station;
• Improved access and circulation;
• Reduced travel times within the station;
• Enhanced safety and security;
• Improved the station environment; and
• Improved integration with the local community and enhanced neighbourhood aesthetics.

The current project phase consists of the design and construction of station upgrades to address critical capacity issues leading to patron movement conflicts and increased crowding and wait times, and to accommodate the increased demand before the Evergreen Line becomes operational in 2016.
Phase II Upgrades
Concept Design Confirmation and Schematic Design were completed for the Commercial Broadway Phase II Upgrade in 2011.
The general intent of the project is to improve circulation through the addition of an outboard platform on the east side of the Broadway Station tying into a passerelle spanning Broadway and the retail north of Broadway to ultimately connect into a widened bridge over the Grandview cut, leading to the Commercial Station Entrance. The project scope and the scope of services are further detailed below in the Detailed Design Services.
The original Expo Line, extending from Waterfront Station to New Westminster Station, was conceived as a legacy project of Expo 86 and completed in time to showcase the fair's theme: "Transportation and Communication: World in Motion – World in Touch". It remains an important architectural marker and legacy of a significant period of transformation in the history of the Lower Mainland.
The Expo Line stations, designed by Architektengruppe U-Bahn in 1984, are based on a kit-of-parts approach and feature common elements that create a unified identity across the system. As such, the stations share a common look and feel. The original designers also understood that transit stations should evolve and change over time and a principle objective was to adopt an explicit ‘systems’ architectural language which resulted in details and elements that inherently make the station flexible and extensible. The intention was that the stations be easily maintained and also adapt to changing conditions over time.
These founding principles are strong but they have not been fully realized. While neighbourhoods have grown and station usage patterns and volumes have changed, the stations themselves have generally not evolved to suit. They remain, with a few exceptions, exactly as they did when first opened.
This project presents an opportunity to preserve and even enhance the Expo ‘heritage’ aspect inherent in the Expo Line stations while at the same time, addressing the functional and neighbourhood integration objectives of this station through sympathetic yet distinctly contemporary interventions. Further, there is also the opportunity to build on an existing kit-of parts architectural language that, at a pragmatic level, facilitates future alterations, repairs and maintenance but also serves to reinforce the established identity of the Expo Line stations.
As part of the proposal, TransLink requests that the proponent articulate their position on the value of safeguarding key elements of the station for the purpose of retaining its heritage and identity. The proponent should also explicitly outline their proposed approach to dealing with the heritage aspect of this project and identify key elements or features of the station that would be focused on in order to achieve this end within the bounds of the scope of interventions described within this RFP.
It is expected that the implementation work will be tendered in 2014, with a construction commencing in the fall of 2014. Construction will be completed in the spring of 2016.

The Contractor shall perform engineering analysis and prepare detailed engineering design (including electrical, mechanical, civil and structural work, as required) for the following modifications and/or improvements (collectively referred to as the “Work”):
(a) A new outboard platform on the east side of the Commercial Broadway south station area, entailing a similar expansion on the concourse level and appropriately integrated additional vertical circulation
(i) Two escalators, one up and one down
(ii) One full-sized (2.5m wide) staircase
(iii) One new elevator
(iv) One emergency exit staircase
(b) Provisions for future extension of the platform to the south by 2.5 meters, to provide for future longer trains, and the addition of a new roof over the platform extension
(c) Extension of the existing hoop trusses over the south platforms of Commercial Broadway Station and addition of a new roof to cover the new outboard platform.
(d) A new passerelle over Broadway Avenue from the new outboard platform
(e) A new passerelle over the existing Shoppers Drug Mart connected to the new passerelle over Broadway Avenue
(f) Vertical circulation elements to connect the new passerelle to Commercial Concourse
(i) Two escalators, one up and one down
(ii) One staircase
(iii) One elevator
(g) Widening of the existing pedestrian bridge over the Cut, which connects the north platforms 1 & 2 of Commercial Broadway Station with the Commercial Concourse
(i) provides the circulation space required for the landing of the vertical circulation elements connected to the new passerelle
(ii) includes a new roof structure and enclosure
(iii) provides additional needed capacity
(h) Modification of fare gates and ticketing equipment, as required to accommodate the upgrade elements
(i) Upgrading the existing emergency exit stair to a public stair at the Commercial Broadway north station
(j) Replacing mesh panels with glazing at platform level of Broadway Station
(k) Additional ancillary and support spaces
(l) Addition of a public H/C accessible washroom facility in the south concourse.

(j) Assist with communication and coordination with adjacent property owners or their representatives, TransLink’s consultants and other external stakeholders. TransLink anticipates the need to coordinate works with the following groups and we anticipate the requirement for Contractor input and attendance.
(i) Safeway
The upgrade will require acquisition of the west portion of the existing operating Safeway grocery store to accommodate the new outboard platform on the east side of the existing station. It also requires negotiation of property rights with the existing Shoppers Drug Mart over which a new passerelle will be built. The successful proponent will be required to liaise with TransLink’s Property’s Division and provide the detail design for the interface between the adjacent properties.
(ii) Environmental Assessment
Based on the age of the Safeway, it is strongly expected that it contains asbestos containing material. An Environmental Consultant will be engaged to complete a hazardous materials assessment of the existing Safeway structure to be demolished to the extent required to allow for the station upgrade. Following the assessment, preparation of specifications for the tender package will be prepared by the Environmental Consultant for the proper demolition and removal of this material by Safeway’s Contactor. The successful proponent shall liaise with the Environmental Consultant to ensure that hazardous materials (if found) are removed to the extent required that they do not impact the Station design and its interface with the remaining Safeway structure.
(iii) BNSF Railway
The project scope includes widening the bridge over the Grandview Cut leading to the Commercial Station Entrance. This bridge spans Burlington Northern Santa Fe’s (BNSF) operating railway tracks. The successful proponent, along with TransLink’s project manager, will be required to communicate with BNSF to ensure that the constructability of the design permits unobstructed BNSF’s operations.

Milestone Event
Forecasted Completion
Execute Design Services Contract December 15, 2012
Commence Detailed Design January 3, 2013
Prepare Detailed Design and Cost Estimate (50% Submission) July 2013
TransLink’s Review and approval of Design/Estimate August 2014
Complete Construction Drawings and Specifications for Tender May 2014
Tender Period June 2014 - Aug 2014
Award Construction Contract August 2014
Construction Period September 2014 – April 2016
Acceptance of Final Product April 30, 2016

Source:http://www.translink.ca/~/media/docu...087%20rfp.ashx