After years of planning, we finally have our first glimpse of Translink’s plan for a massive 300-electric bus depot.
The Marpole Transit Centre will provide operations, maintenance, charging and parking for the planned 600 electric buses for the fleet.
As reported by the Daily Hive, the Marpole Transit Centre will sit on the southernmost foot of Cambie Street on the Fraser River.
According to development applications filed with the city, two buildings will be on the nearly 20-acre site. One building will be for operations and the other for maintenance.
The parking capacity for the operations building will be 300 buses and 25 support and maintenance vehicles. The first level will be for storage and bus staging. The second level will have charging stations and administrative and dispatch facilities. While the third level will be home to visitor and employee parking.
The maintenance building will have two levels with bus maintenance and repair bays, tire shops, body shops, and storage and support areas for staff.
Design-wise, Translink is looking to use mass timber and pitched roofs and wants to incorporate Musquem First Nation heritage in the look and feel of the building.
Translink aims for the Marpole Transit Centre to open by 2027 at the cost of $300 million. The building is co-designed by WSP Global, Architecture 49 and TWD Technologies.
