By Lynda Myer
As the busiest and largest station on the Millennium Line SkyTrain extension, the future Broadway-City Hall Station on April 14 2023 hosted TBM Elsie, one of two TBMs constructing the twin tunnels for the Broadway Subway.
Developing the Millennium Line 5.7 km from VCC-Clark Station to West Broadway and Arbutus Street, the Broadway Subway Project will provide people with fast, convenient SkyTrain service along the Broadway corridor.
Following its inauguration, the trip from VCC-Clark to Arbutus Station is due to take 11 minutes, saving the average transit commuter almost 30 minutes a day and relieving congestion along Broadway.
In order to presenting better transfer between the north-south Canada Line and the east-west Millennium Line, the new Broadway-City Hall Station will provide a convenient underground connection for people.
Locating at over than 20 m underground, Broadway-City Hall Station is going to be the deepest station constructed for the Broadway Subway Project allowing the new tunnels to travel underneath the existing Canada Line.
January 2023, was the date that Elsie, the TBM named after B.C.-born aircraft designer Elizabeth (Elsie) MacGill, arrived at Mount Pleasant Station, while it began tunneling toward the future Broadway-City Hall Station on March 4.
Following an over than 1.3 km drive and installing more than 900 concrete tunnel liner rings, Elsie is due to undergo scheduled maintenance on her cutterhead. Also the future location of this TBM will be the west side of the station to continue tunneling. Her next stop will be at the future Oak-VGH Station, passing the halfway point in tunneling toward the future Arbutus Station terminus.
The Mount Pleasant Station will be the place of commissioning the second TBM, named Phyllis, next week, whereas it is expected to breakthrough at Broadway-City Hall this spring.
