Testing underway on Broadway SkyTrain extension in Vancouver

We’re getting a first real look at the future of the Broadway subway as test trains hit the tracks for the first time.

Dynamic testing of SkyTrain cars on the tracks of the Broadway subway project has begun, officials announced Friday.

B.C. Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth called the testing a “major milestone” in the long-awaited Millennium Line extension, which is scheduled for a fall 2027 opening.

The approximately $2.95-billion project will run 5.7 kilometres across six underground stations, ending at Broadway and Arbutus Street.

It will connect with the existing VCC Clark SkyTrain Station and the City Centre Canada Line station on Cambie Street.

“I know people across Vancouver are going to be thrilled to see this—the Broadway subway extension getting farther west into one of the busiest transit corridors in North America,” said Gregor Robertson, federal infrastructure minister and former Vancouver mayor.

While the construction has caused significant frustration among commuters, deputy mayor Sarah Kirby-Yung called the extension a crucial link connecting the city’s east and west sides.

“Having reliable, accessible transit is fundamental for underpinning a great economy and creating a city where people can live and work and easily get where they need to go,” she said.

Getting from VCC Clark to the last stop at Arbutus will take 11 minutes, according to the Transportation Ministry, which estimates the trip will save the average transit commuter on that route almost 30 minutes per day.

Owners of local businesses impacted by the construction have also spoken out, with some warning they could be forced to leave the area if they can’t get relief.

“We do recognize the impact,” Farnworth said. “We’re doing our best to make sure things are speeding up.”

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Demetra Maragos