Vancouver International Airport Terminal Expansion

[mr.x]

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) is located on Sea Island in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, about 15 kilometres from downtown Vancouver. It is the second busiest airport in Canada by aircraft movements, behind Toronto Pearson International Airport, with non-stop flights daily to Asia, Europe, Oceania, the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and other airports within Canada. The airport has won several notable international "best airport" awards, and it won the Skytrax "Best North American Airport" award in 2007. YVR also retains the distinction of "Best Canadian Airport" in the regional results. The Vancouver International Airport is one of eight Canadian Airports that have U.S. border preclearance facilities. It is an Air Canada hub as well as a focus city for WestJet.

In 2006, Vancouver International, saw 16.9 million passengers and 332,307 movements.

The $1.5-billion construction program's major projects are expected to generate 5,200 person-years of employment, 1,500 construction jobs and $525-million in direct GDP.

Expansion Projects

- expanded international terminal wing adding nine gates

- link building

- Canada Line

- domestic terminal renovations

[mr.x]

INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL WING EXPANSION

The largest project is a $420-million, nine-gate expansion to the International Terminal. Phase one, opened in spring 2007, added four gates, two of which will accommodate the new Airbus A380. The second phase, an additional five gates, is scheduled for completion in 2009. Building upon YVR’s distinctive design tradition, the new wing will celebrate the spectacular nature of the Pacific West Coast with a large aquarium showcasing indigenous marine life, a jellyfish tank, and a stream running through the centre of the building. The expansion will add more than 56,000 square metres of floor space, or more than three times the space of the existing Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre. There will also be close to one kilometre of moving walkways to facilitate the movement of passengers.

Phase I completed to the right. Phase II construction starting to the left (black tarmac).

[mr.x]

LINK BUILDING

So named because it will link the International and Domestic terminals, the $117-million Link Building will provide increased international check-in capacity, passenger screening, additional baggage systems and office space. When completed in summer 2007, the five-storey building will be connected to the Canada Line station via a covered walkway, and will serve as a central hub for passengers travelling through YVR. The Link Building’s design will complement the existing architecture of YVR and feature West Coast native art.

OTHER ADDITIONS

New stores and restaurants will be added to YVR’s award-winning retail program, in both the Domestic and International terminals. In addition, passengers will benefit from terminal and facility upgrades, such as enhancements to our baggage systems and parking, resulting in more efficient passenger processing and improved customer service.

Link Building glass exterior/atrium.

Part of the Link Building is now open.

[mr.x]

RAPID TRANSIT: CANADA LINE

In keeping with our goal of being a sustainable and environmentally conscious organization, the Airport Authority has committed up to $300-million to fund the airport portion of the Canada Line rapid transit link. Scheduled to begin operations in late 2009, the line will connect downtown Vancouver, Richmond City Centre and Vancouver International Airport. The 19-kilometre transit line will add the equivalent of a 10-lane roadway and provide passengers and employees with convenient transportation to YVR.

Currently, airport access for passengers, employees and commercial traffic is shared with other local traffi c, including Vancouver-Richmond commuters. Approximately 26,000 people work at YVR today; by 2027, that number is expected to grow to 41,000 people.

Another picture of the Link Building.

[Guardian]

Thanks for the information about how the YVR is going to be connected with the RAV line, mr.x. I was wondering how it will look like when the project is completed. That Canada Line will be really busy and most-used SkyTrain Line. By the way, I think Vancouver will be the only Canadian city to have its transit train line directed to its international airport so far. But, I say that because I am not sure about Toronto here.

[Kenadian]

To the best of my knowledge, that will be true. Neither Montreal or Toronto's airports are connected to the rapid transit line. It makes a lot of sense...but I'm sure the cabbies won't like it.

[mr.x]

Thanks for the information about how the YVR is going to be connected with the RAV line, mr.x. I was wondering how it will look like when the project is completed. That Canada Line will be really busy and most-used SkyTrain Line. By the way, I think Vancouver will be the only Canadian city to have its transit train line directed to its international airport so far. But, I say that because I am not sure about Toronto here.

The problem with the Canada Line is that it's half the ultimate design capacity of SkyTrain, and most of the platforms are half the size of the SkyTrain 80-metre station platforms. At 40 metres long, though they are expandable to 50-metres, there will be crowd/capacity issues. The great thing though is the trains are a metre wider (40% wider) than SkyTrain.

[Techno Dragon]

To the best of my knowledge, that will be true. Neither Montreal or Toronto's airports are connected to the rapid transit line. It makes a lot of sense...but I'm sure the cabbies won't like it.

Tis will be interesting regarding the new provincial government and there funding promise for a LRT line to connect the subway(Both Yonge and Spadina) to Pearson via Eglinton. I believe there was a Heavy Rail link planned for the 2008 Olympics though. With that said, I applaud Vancouver for expanding there metro to the airport, its quite a great idea.

[Guardian]

Tis will be interesting regarding the new provincial government and there funding promise for a LRT line to connect the subway(Both Yonge and Spadina) to Pearson via Eglinton. I believe there was a Heavy Rail link planned for the 2008 Olympics though. With that said, I applaud Vancouver for expanding there metro to the airport, its quite a great idea.

So, that is what is going on there in Toronto, when it comes to trying to connect its mass transit to Pearson. I have always thought that it was already done in some capacity, considering that Pearson is Canada's busiest airport. Not to go off-topic here, but there is quite a plan to have Alberta have both Calgary and Edmonton International airports be connected by the "proposed" high-speed train link, with a station for each location. That very big project, however, is still in the air.

[Guardian]

The problem with the Canada Line is that it's half the ultimate design capacity of SkyTrain, and most of the platforms are half the size of the SkyTrain 80-metre station platforms. At 40 metres long, though they are expandable to 50-metres, there will be crowd/capacity issues. The great thing though is the trains are a metre wider (40% wider) than SkyTrain.

The platforms are only going to be about 40m to 50m long? I agree that decision could give the RAV line crowd and capacity issues. How wide are the stations anyway?

[mr.x]

The platforms are only going to be about 40m to 50m long? I agree that decision could give the RAV line crowd and capacity issues. How wide are the stations anyway?

Depends on the type of platform. Side platforms are about 4-5 metres wide and island/centre platforms are about 6-10 metres, depending on the importance of the station.

[Guardian]

Depends on the type of platform. Side platforms are about 4-5 metres wide and island/centre platforms are about 6-10 metres, depending on the importance of the station.

That is a good statement there. I haven't got to read those posts about the RAV line properly and lately, but which stations on the RAV are going to have side ones and which stations will have island ones?

[mr.x]

That is a good statement there. I haven't got to read those posts about the RAV line properly and lately, but which stations on the RAV are going to have side ones and which stations will have island ones?

Island: Waterfront Station, Vancouver City Centre Station, Yaletown/Roundhouse Station, Olympic Village Station, Bridgeport Station, Sea Island Centre Station

Side: Broadway/City Hall Station, Oakridge-41st Station, Langara-49th Station, Marine Drive Station, Templeton Station, YVR-Airport Station, Aberdeen Station, Lansdowne Station, Richmond-Brighouse Station

Double-deck side platform: King Edward Station

[mr.x]

2007 passengers: 17.5 million

Projected growth: 23.8 million by 2015

Expansion: $1.5-billion program includes international terminal expansion and upgrades, new building linking domestic and international terminals and new Canada Line rapid transit service

Airport Improvement Fee: $5 for passengers travelling within B.C. and Yukon, $15 for all other destinations

Neat features: Bill Reid's iconic sculpture - The Spirit of Haida Gwai, The Jade Canoe - and a 114,000-litre saltwater aquarium featuring local marine life

By November 2009, in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics, the Canada Line, a rapid transit line running from Richmond to the airport to downtown Vancouver, will be completed, for which Vancouver International Airport is contributing up to $300 million. The total cost of the project is $2 billion. A Link Building ($117 million, completion 2007) will be the docking area for users of the line and will link the international terminal with the domestic terminal. A nine-gate international terminal expansion will be done in two phases ($420 million; Phase 1 – 2007; Phase 2 – as soon as 2010). The first phase will see four new gates with two conventional wide-bodied gates and two able to accommodate the Airbus A380. The international terminal addition will have several examples of beauty in British Columbia, including a stream in a proposed pathway and fish and jellyfish tanks.

Originally posted by en2:

[mr.x]

[mr.x]

Pictures by Tafryn of the newly built Link Building (connects the domestic and international terminals with the new Canada Line):

[mr.x]

[cfm Jeremie]

Wow. Great pics. Really nice airport.

[mr.x]

Awaking this topic from its slumber, another update on the airport:

Some pictures of phase II of the $150-million Link building (credits to yvrconnect at flickr), which is an expansion of the Domestic terminal. Unfortunately, it's not as spectacular as the existing International terminal and the recent International terminal expansion (pics above from last year):

And some pics of the new Observation Deck (open to the public, before the gates)...pics by deasine at ssp:

[4gamesandcounting]

AS always, some great pics Mr X.

[Rafa]

Cool. A very colourful and interesting airport.

[jawnbc]

thanks for these, as always.

When they introduced the AIF I was annoyed. But I have to say they've done a brilliant job with the airport. I travel a lot and YVR is up there with any of the best airports in the world.

So long as they keep improving it, I'll happily fork over my $15.

[mr.x]

thanks for these, as always.

When they introduced the AIF I was annoyed. But I have to say they've done a brilliant job with the airport. I travel a lot and YVR is up there with any of the best airports in the world.

So long as they keep improving it, I'll happily fork over my $15.

I don't think there has been a year in the last 15 years where YVR hasn't seen any major construction going as part of improvement plans funded by the airport improvement fee.