downtown langley transit exchange€¦ · translink’s south of fraser area transit plan...

Downtown Langley Transit Exchange Concept Plan

Presented to TransLink and the City of Langley

September 13, 2013

Prepared by:

In collaboration with:

Golder Associates Ltd. Sustainable Communities Group

DRAFT - July 24, 2013

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background and Project Context .................................................................................................. 1

1.2 Purpose and Objectives ................................................................................................................. 1

1.3 Policy Framework ......................................................................................................................... 2

2 DESIGN PROCESS .............................................................................................................................. 3

3 ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 3

3.1 Street Network .............................................................................................................................. 4

3.2 Transit Network ............................................................................................................................ 5

3.3 Land Use, Urban Form and Open Space ....................................................................................... 8

4 EXCHANGE CONCEPT OPTIONS & EVALUATION ................................................................... 16

5 EXCHANGE AND AREA CONCEPT PLAN ................................................................................... 19

5.1 Exchange Concept Overview ...................................................................................................... 19

5.2 Transit Operations ....................................................................................................................... 22

5.3 Street Network ............................................................................................................................ 26

5.4 Land Use and Built Form ............................................................................................................ 27

5.5 Industrial Avenue Connection and Access to Cascades Casino ................................................. 32

5.6 Parking ........................................................................................................................................ 32

5.7 Public Realm and Open Space .................................................................................................... 33

5.8 Wayfinding ................................................................................................................................. 41

APPENDIX 1: IMPLEMENTATION & PHASING DETAILS ............................................................... 43

Golder Associates Ltd. Sustainable Communities Group 1


1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND AND PROJECT CONTEXT

TransLink, the City of Langley and the Township of Langley are currently planning for future bus

exchange space within the Langley Regional City Centre. This exchange space is intended to support the

future transit expansion outlined in TransLink’s South of Fraser Area Transit Plan (SOFATP).

This report addresses one of the planned exchanges, in Downtown Langley. A second exchange, which is

being planned for the Willowbrook neighbourhood, is described in a companion report, the Willowbrook

Transit Exchange and Conceptual Area Plan.

Additional exchange space in the Langley area is required in both the near and long-term. The current

Langley Exchange on Logan Avenue at Glover Road has been unable to accommodate the area’s existing

transit service for several years. As population grows and the area becomes more transit-oriented, it will

become further strained to support anticipated future service increases. While a future Willowbrook

Exchange will accommodate some of these future services, a larger exchange in Downtown Langley will

also be required to meet capacity.

In addition to meeting capacity needs in the South of Fraser subregion, the two exchanges will be able to

support better transit service within the Langley Regional City Centre, including enabling residents to

more directly access the major activity centres of Willowbrook and Downtown Langley as well other

regional destinations. They will also support the municipalities’ aspirations for transit-oriented

development by providing focal points for this type of neighbourhood.

1.2 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES

In addition to supporting future transit service in Langley and the South of Fraser, this project aims to

support the continued enhancement of Downtown Langley, as outlined in City of Langley’s Downtown

Master Plan as a high quality, livable, walkable and transit-oriented downtown.



Specific design objectives include:

Accommodating transit capacity needs over the near, medium and long-term

Supporting efficient and legible transit service

Fostering the creation of safe, secure, comfortable and accessible passenger and pedestrian

environments within and around the exchange

Encouraging transit-oriented development within Downtown Langley and at other key nodes in

the Langley Regional City Centre

Creating a unique identity and sense of place for Downtown Langley and the Langley Regional

City Centre

Achieving an affordable exchange solution

Minimizing negative environmental impacts

1.3 POLICY FRAMEWORK

The future vision for Downtown Langley has been established through several recent community and

regional planning processes. Planning for the Downtown Langley transit exchange builds upon a number

of existing strategies, policies and guidelines, including:

Metro Vancouver’s Regional Growth Strategy

City of Langley’s Downtown Master Plan

TransLink’s South of Fraser Area Transit Plan

TransLink’s Transit Passenger Facility Design Guidelines

TransLink’s Transit-Oriented Communities Design Guidelines

A detailed summary of these documents and the broader policy framework, along with their implications

for the Downtown Langley Exchange and catchment area, are contained within the previously produced

Downtown Exchange Context, Inventory and Analysis Backgrounder.



2 DESIGN PROCESS Planning for two transit exchanges, one in Downtown Langley, and one in Willowbrook, is occurring

through two interrelated processes, which are a partnership between TransLink, the City of Langley and

the Township of Langley. Close coordination between the projects is important because of

interdependencies resulting from the two exchanges’ close proximity, and because of their shared role in

supporting local and regional transit services and in realizing the vision for the Langley Regional City

Centre.

The planning process for the Downtown Langley transit exchange is structured around the four key

phases identified below. Information about previous phases of work can be found in two companion

documents to this report: Downtown Langley Exchange Context, Inventory and Analysis Backgrounder

and Downtown Langley Concept Options and Evaluation Report.

1. Background review and context assessment

(see Downtown Langley Exchange Context, Inventory and Analysis Backgrounder)

2. Development of design objectives and evaluation criteria

(see Downtown Langley Concept Options and Evaluation Report)

3. Development and assessment of exchange options

(see Downtown Langley Concept Options and Evaluation Report)

4. Identification and refinement of a preferred option (detailed in this report)

Input from the public and stakeholders, including adjacent landowners and nearby businesses, informed

each stage of the project. Public open houses and a project web page facilitated engagement with the

broader community. More information about consultation on this project can be found in the Downtown

Langley & Willowbrook Exchange Consultation Report.

General themes from consultation feedback included:

Integration with community and/or development – to ensure each exchange is part of, and not

separated from, its context

Mixed-use neighbourhoods – to support transit use and walking, and create a more active

exchange area

Personal safety & security – by ensuring the exchange and adjacent buildings and open spaces

are oriented and designed to foster activity (‘eyes on the exchange’)

Bicycle access/storage - to ensure convenient transit connections for cyclists

Improved pedestrian connections, especially across major arterials to improve pedestrian access

and safety

Placemaking (arts/amenities) – to ensure each exchange is a unique and identifiable ‘place’

Further information on stakeholder engagement and feedback can be found in the Downtown Langley &

Willowbrook Exchange Consultation Report. More information about the options and their evaluation can

be found in the Downtown Langley Concept Options and Evaluation Report.

3 ISSUES & OPPORTUNITIES SUMMARY

Conceptual options for the exchange were informed by an analysis of existing and future site conditions,

opportunities and constraints. This review and analysis is contained within the Downtown Exchange



Context, Inventory and Analysis Backgrounder which represents a key reference document for this report.

The information contained in that report is summarized below.

3.1 STREET NETWORK

The City of Langley’s road network is dominated by its radial nature and by the presence of both the

Roberts Bank Rail Corridor (RBRC) and the Langley Bypass (Highway 10). Both are major barriers in

the City and almost sever the northern areas from the central and southern areas. The wheel and spoke

road network makes navigating the City a challenge. However it does have the advantage of emphasizing

the City Centre as a node.

The road network within the City is well established with little opportunity for expansion. The

establishment of new links to facilitate a grid network is likely to emerge from the Master Transportation

Plan Update. An example of such a link is 203A Street, where a connection to Fraser Highway would

promote a grid network and would also serve the proposed new transit exchange. A grid network enables

shorter travel distances and encourages non-motorized transportation options, although some retrofitting

of the existing road network would be necessary to accommodate walking and cycling facilities.

Expected changes to operations on the Roberts Bank Rail Corridor around Downtown Langley are

anticipated to change traffic patterns and transit routing within the Langley Regional City Centre. As train

volumes increase over time, reliability on Fraser Highway between Willowbrook and Downtown Langley

is expected to decrease. This will likely lead to private vehicles and future transit routes increasingly

utilizing 203 Street via the 204 Street overpass to access Downtown Langley. Accessibility from 203

Street is, therefore, a consideration in siting and configuring the Downtown Langley Exchange. As other

transit routes may also be diverted from Fraser Highway to 56th Avenue, accessibility of the exchange

from the south is also a consideration.



3.2 TRANSIT NETWORK

3.2.1 EXISTING AND FUTURE TRANSIT NETWORK

The existing transit network in the Langley area connects to Surrey to the west, Maple Ridge to the north

and Abbotsford (via Aldergrove) to the east. In addition to a few major regional routes, such as those

travelling on the Fraser Highway corridor, the Langley network consists of local routes forming several

‘figure of eights’ within the local communities. This prevents easy and efficient connections by bus to

major destinations and transit hubs in the area. In order to increase directness and legibility, the South of

Fraser Area Transit Plan aims to shift the South of Fraser network to a more grid-like system over time.

The siting of the Downtown Langley Exchange can support this shift by providing a location that can be

accessed with minimal detour from identified transit corridors.

Figure 1 below illustrates the locations of the Downtown Langley and Willowbrook exchanges within the

Regional City Centre.

Figure 1 - Regional City Centre Context



3.2.2 ROLE OF EXCHANGE IN FUTURE TRANSIT NETWORK

The Downtown Langley and Willowbrook transit exchanges are intended to provide exchange capacity

that will accommodate existing needs as well as the future service expansion outlined in TransLink’s

South of Fraser Area Transit Plan. As the South of Fraser Area Transit Plan identified only general

locations for exchange space, additional work has been undertaken to identify more specific exchange

locations within the Langley Regional City Centre.

EXCHANGE LOCATION AND TRANSIT NETWORK

Generally, the following principles guided identification of future transit exchange space and the

development of an associated local transit network within the Langley Regional City Centre:

Connect transit routes to anticipated future rapid transit

Maximize the legibility of the transit network

Improve access to major activity centres

Maximize the directness of trips and minimize transfers within the South of Fraser and the

Langley areas

Support transit-oriented communities and regional and local land use plans

A conceptual future local transit network based on these principles is illustrated below. The planning

horizon is defined to accommodate an expanded bus network prior to the introduction of rapid transit to

Langley via Fraser Highway.

Figure 2 – Transit service between Willowbrook Exchange and Langley Centre Exchange

SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS



Estimated long-term spatial requirements for pick-up, drop-off and layover functions are based on

anticipated existing and future bus routes identified in the South of Fraser Area Transit Plan. The

requirements include layover for the bus services on Fraser Highway but they do not include pick-up or

drop-off spaces as those will continue to be located on Fraser Highway, in close proximity to the main

exchange area.

Table 1: Downtown Langley Exchange Spatial Requirements

DOWNTOWN LANGLEY

Drop-Off* Pick-Up* Layover**

1 artic

2 standard

1 artic

1 standard

4 artic

6 standard

*excludes bus stops on Fraser Highway

**includes layover for services that pick-up and drop-off on Fraser Highway



3.3 LAND USE, URBAN FORM AND OPEN SPACE

3.3.1 OVERVIEW

Both of the future transit exchanges, Downtown Langley and Willowbrook, are located within the

Langley Regional City Centre. As can be seen in the SWOT Inventory and Analysis (Figure 3, Page 9),

much of the Regional City Centre is characterized by large, contiguous areas of industrial, service

commercial and other low intensity, auto-oriented land uses. The core of Downtown Langley, which is a

more pedestrian-oriented and mixed-use area, represents a significant existing transit market with a

surrounding area that offers additional potential for realizing transit-oriented development.

3.3.2 DOWNTOWN LAND USE, FORM AND CHARACTER

The downtown is surrounded by a diverse set of land uses including industrial to the north, commercial to

the west and north, residential to the east and south and recreation/park uses to the southeast. While the

downtown core has a significant amount of pedestrian-oriented uses and street fronting buildings, areas

outside of the core are characterized by underutilized, lower density, auto-oriented buildings and uses.

Improving pedestrian connectivity and amenities outside the downtown core represents an opportunity for

enhancing the downtown as a whole.

3.3.3 TRIP GENERATORS

The pedestrian-oriented downtown core includes a mix of civic, retail services and apartments and

generally supports the continued transformation of the downtown into a highly walkable transit village.

The industrial uses to the north and the commercial area to the west provide significant medium to long-

term redevelopment opportunity. The four storey residential character surrounding the south, southwest

and southeast of Downtown inform further redevelopment options and character along those edges

(Figure 4, ).



Figure 3 - Opportunities and Constraints Overview



Figure 4 - Opportunities and Constraints: Land Use, Built Form and Open Space



3.3.4 STREET NETWORK AND PEDESTRIAN CONNECTIVITY

The proposed location for the new exchange is within convenient walking distance of important existing

downtown locations including the pedestrian-oriented retail high street along Fraser Highway, between

204 Street and 206 Street, the existing civic node that includes Langley City Hall and a number of

apartments and townhouses principally to the south of the future exchange location (Figure 7, ).

Further, continuous sidewalks, frequent pedestrian crossings with special pavers and narrow carriageways

make pedestrian connections between key activity nodes convenient, comfortable and safe.

However, while the downtown core has a concentration and mix of predominantly pedestrian-oriented

uses and open spaces, areas outside of the core including some immediately adjacent to key activity nodes

are characterized by underutilized, lower density, auto-oriented buildings and open spaces with wider

carriageways. These conditions make pedestrian access to the future exchange more difficult.

Figure 5 - Fraser Highway Pedestrian-Oriented Environment

Pedestrian-oriented uses and open spaces make pedestrian connections between important downtown

activity nodes convenient, comfortable and safe.

Figure 6 - Fraser Highway at 201A Street: Auto Oriented Environment

Auto-oriented uses and open spaces within two blocks of future exchange are not pedestrian friendly.



The significant amount of pedestrian activity that will be generated by the new exchange presents an

opportunity to embrace the intersections of 203 Street, Fraser Highway and possibly of 203A Street as

major downtown pedestrian nodes. This can be done by encouraging more active, publicly-oriented

pedestrian uses at-grade on sites at and adjacent to this area and, further, by prioritizing this area for

enhanced pedestrian amenities in the form of wider sidewalks, street trees, enhanced pedestrian crossings

and a pedestrian plaza integrated with, or directly connected to, the exchange. There is also a significant

opportunity to link the new pedestrian hub associated with the future transit exchange to the

plaza/pedestrian hub identified for Innes Corner through both public and private investments and

improvements east along Fraser Highway.

3.3.5 BUILDINGS AND OPEN SPACE PATTERNING

The Figure Ground Diagram (Figure 8, Page 13), illustrates the relation of buildings to streets and open

spaces within the exchange catchment area. Specifically, this diagram illustrates the difference between

pedestrian-oriented areas and more auto-oriented parts of the study area. The more pedestrian-oriented

areas have a relatively continuous placement of smaller buildings immediately adjacent to streets and at

the sidewalk edge. In contrast, the more auto-oriented parts of the study area generally have fewer, larger

buildings separated from each other and from adjacent streets and sidewalks by large areas of surface

parking. This results in underutilized land parcels whose buildings and entrances are disconnected from

the public realm network. The more pedestrian-oriented fabric represents a good local precedent for

transformation of the more auto-oriented parts of the study area where the grossly underutilized parcels

represent short, medium and long-term opportunities for infill redevelopment over time.



Figure 7 - Opportunities and Constraints: Street Network and Block Structure



Figure 8 - Opportunities and Constraints: Building Footprints and Open Space



3.3.6 LEGIBILITY, WAYFINDING AND VIEWS

The specific location and orientation of the exchange in relation to important destinations in the

downtown, along with the type of exchange, (i.e. on-street, off-street or hybrid) has implications for

legibility and wayfinding. Specifically, physical and visual barriers will have to be carefully considered to

ensure direct sightlines and pedestrian paths between pick-up/drop-off areas, streets immediately adjacent

to the exchange and important downtown destinations (e.g. the retail high street along Fraser Highway,

City Hall and Innes Corner). Maintaining views of natural landscape features, such as the mountains, is

also an important part of the legibility and wayfinding strategy.

Figure 9 - Views to Golden Ears Over Industrial Buildings Looking North from the Downtown Exchange Site



4 EXCHANGE CONCEPT OPTIONS & EVALUATION

A design workshop facilitated by the consultant team and attended by representatives from TransLink, the

City of Langley, the Township of Langley and Coast Mountain Bus Company staff resulted in the

identification of a number of alternative conceptual options for the Willowbrook and Downtown

exchanges. The concept options were subsequently revised and refined based on further input and

feedback from workshop participants and on further assessment and analysis by the project team. An

overview of the Downtown Langley concept options is presented below. More information about each

option can be found in the Downtown Langley Exchange Options Evaluation Report.

OPTION 1: ON-STREET

This option locates passenger

pick-up and drop-off areas on 203

Street and on Fraser Highway.

Bus layover is located on nearby

streets.



OPTION 2: BUS MALL

OPTION 3: OFF-STREET

This option locates passenger pick-up

and drop-off areas on the same site as

bus layover. Passengers wait for buses

on a sheltered island.


and drop-off areas on an extension of

203A Street, which serves only bus

traffic. Layover is mainly located on

the existing, north end of 203A Street.



OPTION 4: BUS STATION

MULTIPLE ACCOUNT EVALUATION

The concept options were evaluated using a Multiple Account Evaluation (MAE) that assessed

operations, spatial requirements, land use and community integration. Specific evaluation criteria

included economic development, environment, financial, social and community, transportation, land use,

deliverability, and strategic alignment. The accounts utilized in the Downtown Langley MAE are

summarized below:

Economic Development

Environment

Social and Community

Transportation

Land Use

Deliverability

Strategic Alignment

More information about the exchange evaluation can be found in the Downtown Langley Transit

Exchange Concept Option Evaluation Report.


and drop-off areas on the same site as

bus layover. Passengers wait for buses

in an indoor station house.



5 EXCHANGE AND AREA CONCEPT PLAN

5.1 EXCHANGE CONCEPT OVERVIEW

The preferred Exchange Concept for Downtown Langley (see Figure 10 and Figure 11) locates passenger

pick-up and drop-off areas within a bus mall on a southern extension of 203A Street, which serves only

bus traffic. An extension of Industrial Avenue and a new signalized intersection connect 203 Street to

203A Street, allowing buses to circulate from the north, south and west into and through the exchange and

back onto the surrounding street network. The proposed new streets also enable better pedestrian

connections through the exchange area, and provide an alternate entrance to Cascades Casino. A

significant transit plaza at the northwest corner of the new intersection at Fraser Highway and 203 Street

provides waiting space and amenities for passengers and is framed and activated by adjacent mixed-use,

transit-oriented development with active ground floor uses and upper storey uses designed and oriented to

overlook the transit plaza and other passenger areas.

The proposed exchange allows connections to existing bus services along Fraser Highway, where there

are bus stops located immediately adjacent to passenger areas within the exchange along 203A Street.

Future rapid transit along Fraser Highway can also be integrated with the exchange, either along Fraser

Highway west of 203A Street or mid-block north of Fraser Highway, within a 30 m transit corridor/right-

of-way which would be set aside for this potential future use.

The transit exchange and associated new street connections enhance redevelopment opportunities for

properties immediately adjacent to and fronting onto the exchange. These centrally-located, transit-

adjacent properties are currently vacant or underutilized and represent regionally significant locations for

higher density, mixed-use and transit-oriented development, consistent with the vision for Downtown

Langley identified in the City’s Downtown Master Plan.

The exchange is intended to integrate into the existing urban fabric in a way that respects and enhances

the existing character of and future vision for the downtown as a compact, mixed-use and highly urban

place. The exchange has been designed to maximize its potential as a catalyst for public and private realm

development and to contribute to the downtown’s unique identity and sense of place.



Design features that support these goals include the:

Creation of new street connections to achieve a finer grained, walkable network structure with

more route choices and direct connections

Provision of high quality pedestrian and passenger spaces that will provide comfortable and safe

connections within the exchange and to adjacent uses

Integration of the exchange with pedestrian pathways that connect to existing and planned

activity nodes

Protection of view corridors to Golden Ears, Mount Baker and other important views

Inclusion of design elements, such as public art, that reflect the City’s natural and human history

and the present community

Figure 10 - Downtown Langley Exchange Concept Overview



Figure 11 - Birds-Eye View of the Transit Exchange Showing Future Neighbourhood Integration



5.2 TRANSIT OPERATIONS

SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS

Long-term spatial requirements for pick-up, drop-off and layover functions are based on existing and

future bus routes identified in TransLink’s South of Fraser Area Transit Plan (see South of Fraser Area

Transit Plan 2: Analysis of the Network for 3031/1 Million Residents, Page 25). They also include

existing routes that are in addition to the routes included in the plan, such as the 395. The requirements

include layover for bus services on Fraser Highway. They do not include pick-up or drop-off spaces as

those will continue to be located on Fraser Highway in close proximity to and with strong visual and

physical pedestrian connections to the main exchange area.

Table 2: Downtown Langley Exchange Spatial Requirements

DOWNTOWN LANGLEY

Drop-Off* Pick-Up* Layover**

1 artic

2 standard

1 artic

1 standard

4 artic

6 standard

*excludes bus stops on Fraser Highway

**includes layover for services that pick-up and drop-off on Fraser Highway

PICK-UP, DROP-OFF AND LAYOVER

Pick-up, drop-off and layover locations (see Figure 12) have been identified based on the following

considerations:

Providing efficient access and circulation for transit vehicles

Ensuring passenger safety and comfort by focusing passenger areas adjacent to existing and

future transit-oriented land uses and pedestrian activity areas



PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF LOCATION AND DESIGN

In accordance with these principles, pick-up and drop-off areas

are located close to the proposed new intersection of the

extended 203A Street with Fraser Highway, primarily on the

west side of 203A Street. Bus bays are located along the transit

plaza, adjacent to future active ground floor uses fronting onto

the plaza.

Pick-up and drop-off space on the west side of 203A Street is

composed of sawtooth bus bays which facilitate independent

arrival and departure of buses. A fifth sawtooth bay located north

of these bays is currently anticipated to serve layover but could

be converted to a pick-up/drop-off bay if required. The transit

plaza to the west of these bays provides a significant amount of

queuing space for transit passengers. This is important as many

of the routes served by this exchange serve long trips for which

many passengers prefer to queue up in order to obtain a seat on

the bus.

Additional bus bays are provided on a straight curb on the east

side of 203A Street. These bays could serve drop-off and/or

pick-up for routes arriving from the east, which would eliminate

their need to enter the exchange from the west on Industrial

Avenue, thereby reducing their circulation route through the

exchange. If required, these bays could also be converted to

serve routes from other directions.

LAYOVER LOCATIONS AND DESIGN

In order to minimize impacts on businesses and pedestrian areas, which are concentrated near Fraser

Highway, layover is primarily located further north, adjacent to non-active use areas, such as existing and

planned future parking and industrial areas. Where layover space is located adjacent to active ground

floor uses, a generous sidewalk area incorporating street trees and bus shelters is recommended to buffer

the layover space from adjacent business frontages. Layover will also be located so as to avoid blocking

businesses’ driveway access.

The concept as illustrated accommodates anticipated short to medium-term layover space in the areas

shown in Figure 10 and Figure 12, with the potential to accommodate long-term layover capacity in one

or more of the following locations:

On 203A Street north of the exchange area

On the south side of Logan Avenue between 203 Street and 203A Street

On Logan Avenue at the location of the current Langley Exchange

Other suitable locations on the surrounding street network

Because some of these future layover locations are currently adjacent to small parcels with closely spaced

or ‘open’ driveways which span the entire block frontage, there is insufficient uninterrupted curb space to

accommodate layover. Future redevelopment of uses and properties north of Industrial Avenue fronting

Figure 12 - Pick-Up, Drop-Off and

Layover Locations



onto 203A Street should ensure off-street parking and access is from the rear to eliminate current off-

street parking fronting onto and accessed from 203A Street, as shown in Figure 13. This will enable:

A more positive orientation of future development to public sidewalks along

203A Street and Industrial Avenue

An on-street/curb-side ‘Kiss and Ride’ facility on Industrial Avenue

The provision of layover space as shown in Figure 10, as well as the potential for future layover

space north along 203A Street towards Logan, if needed

Figure 13 Future Redevelopment, Layover and Parking

As properties redevelop, buildings

are re-oriented to provide access from

the lane



POTENTIAL CIRCULATION AND ROUTING

The exchange location and configuration is intended to allow safe and efficient bus movements and to

minimize bus circulation on the surrounding street network, although some circulation on surrounding

streets will be required to access and circulate between drop-off, layover and pick-up areas. Potential

routing and circulation patterns for existing and planned transit routes that reflect these principles have

been identified for the exchange, as shown in Figure 14.

Figure 14 – Circulation for Routes Served by the Exchange



5.3 STREET NETWORK

The Downtown Langley Exchange Concept is premised on a number of changes to the street network

within and adjacent to the exchange, including two important new street connections and associated

intersections. These are necessary to enable bus access to and circulation within the exchange while

allowing routing flexibility and the ability to adapt based on future transit needs. Street network changes

required for the proposed Downtown Langley Exchange include:

The extension of 203A Street to connect with Fraser Highway to the south

The extension of Industrial Avenue between 203 and 203A Street

The closure and construction of a cul-de-sac and ‘pocket plaza’ at the Fraser Highway and 56

Avenue intersections

Traffic signals at these intersections:

o 203 Street and Industrial Avenue

o Fraser Highway and 203A Street

The future configuration and design of the intersection at 203A Street and Logan Avenue will

require further investigation. Initial analysis indicates that a signal at this location is feasible but

is not an essential component of the transit exchange.

Figure 15 – Proposed Street Network Changes



5.4 LAND USE AND BUILT FORM

The future vision for Downtown Langley has been established through several recent planning processes

at both the community and regional scale, resulting in a comprehensive set of strategies, policies and

guidelines. Most notably, the City’s Downtown Master Plan and associated public realm and wayfinding

strategies represent a vision for a walkable, vibrant and transit-oriented downtown with a high quality of

design and a unique sense of place.

Figure 16 - Urban Design Concept Plan, Downtown Langley Master Plan

The unique identity envisioned for the downtown is to reinforce its status as the civic, commercial,

cultural and entertainment heart of the City, and to enhance the positive aspects of its traditional and

pedestrian oriented urban fabric and the niche retail services that differentiate it from surrounding areas.



Compact, mixed-use and pedestrian-oriented redevelopment of the downtown that includes active

publicly-oriented uses and services at street level with residential and/or office uses above, along with a

range of civic uses and buildings integrated within a high quality public realm, are envisioned by the plan

to occur gradually over the next twenty to thirty years and beyond. While some low-rise residential and

mixed-use developments (4- 6 storeys) are likely viable over the short to medium-term, medium and high-

rise developments (up to 15 storeys) will likely be viable over the medium to long-term (5 to 20 or more

years). These transit-oriented building types would be appropriate to locate adjacent and near to the transit

exchange.

Figure 17 - Low-rise, Street Fronting Residential Development (Downtown Langley Concept Plan (2008))



Figure 18 - Compact, Mixed-use Transit-oriented Development (Downtown Langley Concept Plan (2008))



NEIGHBOURHOOD INTEGRATION AND REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

The Downtown Langley Concept Plan (Figure 10) is premised on an alternate location for the Downtown

Langley transit exchange than that conceived by the Downtown Master Plan. However, consistent with

the Downtown Master Plan, the preferred location and conceptual design presented in this plan is

premised on the incorporation of adjacent mixed-use, pedestrian and transit-oriented development, as

illustrated in Figure 11, Figure 12 and Figure 14.

A bus mall exchange in this area and the associated new street network connections enhance the

redevelopment opportunities for properties immediately adjacent and fronting onto the exchange. These

centrally-located, transit-adjacent properties are currently vacant or underutilized and represent regionally

significant locations for higher density, mixed-use and transit-oriented development, consistent with the

vision for Downtown Langley identified in the Downtown Master Plan.

Suitable development adjacent to passenger-serving areas of the transit exchange will provide:

Publicly-oriented, active ground floor uses that maximize casual surveillance of the adjacent

transit plaza. Uses should include cafes, restaurants and shops whose uses and seating areas spill

out into the adjacent plaza

Appropriate overlook of adjacent open spaces from ground level and upper storey uses

Pedestrian and public realm amenities including weather protection, street trees and street

furniture

High quality design with pedestrian scale design elements

The most suitable uses adjacent to layover areas would be office or institutional, although other uses may

also be compatible.



Figure 19 - Redevelopment Opportunities and Precedents



5.5 INDUSTRIAL AVENUE CONNECTION AND ACCESS TO

CASCADES CASINO

The new street connections required for the new exchange create opportunities for access and circulation

to private properties adjacent to the exchange, including the Cascades Casino and its surface and

structured parking areas. Incorporating a new street network connection west from 203 Street along

Industrial Avenue creates direct physical and visual access to the Casino from 203 Street for vehicles and

pedestrians. The transit exchange also provides excellent access to the casino, hotel and convention centre

due to its immediate adjacency.

5.6 PARKING

OFF-STREET PARKING

Off street parking should be accommodated with structured parking incorporated underground and/or into

the base of buildings. Because of soil conditions within the general catchment area of the future Langley

Exchange, only one level of underground parking is likely viable. Therefore, above ground structured

parking will likely be necessary, especially for buildings greater than four storeys in height. Above

ground structured parking, either at-grade or in upper storeys, should not interface with or be visible from

public open spaces within the exchange catchment area. This should be accomplished by locating active

uses at-grade and locating residential or office uses on upper storeys, in between structured parking areas

and public open spaces, as shown in

Figure 20. Access to structured parking should be located in the rear of buildings, with parking entrances

recessed slightly from the main façade.

Off-street surface parking should generally be avoided within the exchange catchment area. If

unavoidable, off-street surface parking should be only be accessed from the rear of buildings, so as to

avoid locating off-street surface parking directly adjacent to public open spaces. Where surface parking

areas interface directly with public open spaces in the exchange area, they should be screened using

landscaping such as street trees, a trellis or shrubs. Landscape screening should still allow views into and

from the surface parking areas from directly adjacent public open spaces to improve safety.

Figure 20 – Conceptual parking strategy for new development

Industrial Avenue

Connecting Industrial

Avenue west from 203

Street through to 203A

Street creates direct

visual and physical links

to the Cascades Casino

for pedestrians and

motorists.



ON-STREET PARKING

Future on-street parking within the general exchange catchment

area is encouraged to serve future adjacent retail and residential

frontages, and therefore should be provided within the surrounding

street network where possible.

On-street parking will need to be restricted in the curbside areas

within the exchange area that are accessible to general vehicle

traffic, but which have been identified to serve future pick-up,

drop-off, layover or Kiss and Ride functions. Figure 21 identifies

curbside locations within the exchange area where on-street

parking will be restricted to serve these functions.

Future redevelopment of uses and properties north of Industrial

Avenue fronting onto 203A Street should eliminate current off-

street parking which fronts onto and is accessed from 203A

Street. Instead, future parking should be accessed from the rear

of the building. This will enable a more positive orientation of

future development to public sidewalks along 203A Street, as

well as enabling the potential for future layover space if needed

(See Section 5.2, Figure 13).

5.7 PUBLIC REALM AND OPEN SPACE

The transit exchange will be a vital civic resource and is a

significant opportunity to create a community focal point with a

strong identity, and to define a unique character and sense of place

for the area as a whole. This will require making the transit

exchange a community asset that can catalyze redevelopment by creating a vibrant people place that is

connected to the adjacent and surrounding areas. Accomplishing this vision of an exchange will require

high quality plaza and streetscape design, distinctive architecture and public art. This quality of space will

Bus Only

On-street parking restricted

Figure 21 - On-street Parking

Restrictions



provide comfort, safety and amenity for passengers and pedestrians while also contributing to the

neighbourhood.

STREETSCAPE

Streetscapes within exchange and catchment area include:

A continuous planting of street trees along both sides of the street, in and adjacent to the

exchange, that provide comfort and visual interest for passengers and enhance the exchange’s

quality and identity

Zebra crosswalks made of special paving materials at all key pedestrian crossings that increase

driver awareness of pedestrian zones

Public amenities including benches, planters, garbage receptacles, bike racks and distinctive bus

shelters in areas with high pedestrian activity that enhance passenger comfort, convenience and

amenity

Pedestrian-scaled lighting, particularly in high-activity pedestrian areas that enhances passenger

safety and comfort. Pedestrian-scaled lighting is located and spaced to provide sufficient

illumination (approximately 10 m apart).

PUBLIC OPEN SPACE

A series of plazas ranging in scale and function, within and adjacent to the exchange, enhance passenger

comfort and amenity, helps to create a unique sense of place and identity for the exchange and improve

legibility of the exchange and wayfinding within the broader downtown context.



Figure 22 - Langley Exchange Transit Plaza

A major transit plaza at the northwest corner of the new intersection at Fraser Highway and 203A Street

allows queuing space for transit passengers while providing them with a range of public and private

amenities. It also helps to connect the exchange to the neighbourhood by integrating adjacent private

development with passenger pick-up, drop-off and waiting areas. As such, the plaza is framed by active

ground floor uses, such as cafes, restaurants and shops whose uses and seating areas spill out onto the

plaza. In addition to this private seating, the plaza includes public seating areas, incorporated with trees,

throughout the space. Transit passenger seating and passenger information is provided through distinctive

passenger shelters. These shelters open to the east and west, enabling direct visual and physical

connections through the plaza.



Other elements of the proposed Downtown Langley exchange transit plaza include:

The placement of windows, balconies and street level uses to allow for casual surveillance of the

transit plaza and ‘eyes on the exchange’

Incorporation of active ‘edge-uses’ such as cafes with weather protected seating areas that spill

out onto the plaza

A continuous tree canopy over the plaza, achieved through large canopied trees in the plaza area

and a maximum tree spacing of 10 m throughout the exchange. Trees should be located adjacent

to transit shelters to create shade and visual interest for passengers:

o Street trees within the exchange and in the surrounding and adjacent street network

should be consistent in their species and spacing to enhance legibility and placemaking.

The plaza concept also proposes large canopied trees for the plaza area

The use of special paving materials unique to the transit plaza and adjacent pocket plazas on

Fraser Highway to help identify the plazas as pedestrian-oriented, special use areas

Incorporation of public art to create a sense of place that will also assist in wayfinding by

identifying the exchange. As such, a public art piece should be located so that it will be visible to

people traveling on the Fraser Highway

A fence with heavy landscaping screening to provide a physical barrier between the exchange

plaza and the adjacent parking access area. This will also enhance the physical definition of the

plaza

On-site infiltration features to help irrigate trees and planting areas and mitigate the impact of

impervious areas

Long-term bike storage incorporated into the plaza design which represents an opportunity for

public art or a mural



Figure 23 – Transit Exchange Plaza Concept Plan

Landscape screen of

adjacent parking access

area

Long term bicycle

storage

Incorporate public art in a

highly visible location to

create a unique identity

and sense of place and

assist in wayfinding and

legibility of the exchange

Street trees

integrated with

transit shelters

Weather protected café

seating area adjacent to

public plaza

Driver facilities

building fronts

onto plaza

203

-A S

tree

t

T Marker

Large canopy plaza trees

Potential for permeable

paving in plaza area

(slope paved area to

infiltration area/rain

garden)

Depressed

planting area/

rain garden

Short term, covered

bicycle storage



Figure 24 - Transit Exchange Plaza Concept Section

FRASER HIGHWAY POCKET PLAZAS

Two small plazas are proposed along Fraser Highway immediately adjacent to the exchange area to

provide additional amenity space for passengers and to enhance connectivity of the exchange to sidewalks

and pedestrian areas along Fraser Highway.

Figure 25 - Fraser Highway Pocket Plazas

Two pocket plazas adjacent to the

exchange on Fraser Highway at the

intersection with 203A Street help

identify the exchange along Fraser

Highway. A consistent pavement

treatment within the exchange and these

pocket plazas improves legibility.

Small plaza created by closing

56 Avenue at Fraser Highway

creates an enhanced

pedestrian area around the

existing 502 bus stop.

20

3-A

Str

eet



INDUSTRIAL AVENUE LINEAR PLAZA

A linear plaza with potential for either residential or commercial frontage at grade creates an enhanced

pedestrian area for passengers traveling to the main exchange area or for passengers waiting at the bus

stop on the south side of Industrial Avenue.

Figure 26 - Industrial Avenue Linear Park Conceptual Design

Figure 27 - Industrial Avenue Linear Park Conceptual Design



Figure 28 – Marine Drive Shelter

TRANSIT SHELTERS

Transit shelters in the exchange should be designed and built

to enhance an attractive pedestrian environment and unique

sense of place in the exchange. Design of shelters in the

exchange should follow TransLink’s Bus Infrastructure

Design Guidelines (2012) and the following design

approaches:

Locate shelters at least 0.6 m from the curb and 1.5

m from any vertical object

Provide receptacles for garbage and recycling

within, or adjacent to, the shelter

Integrate appropriate wayfinding and transit

information into transit shelters

(see Section 5.8)

Combined street and pedestrian

lighting

Garbage/recycling receptacle

Seating incorporated into the transit

shelter

Wayfinding incorporated into transit

shelter

Tree canopy overlaps with transit

shelter

Figure 29 – TransLink Shelter Design

Guidelines



KISS AND RIDE

Due to the bus-only configuration of the exchange along 203A Street south of Industrial Avenue, a kiss-

and-ride facility, to accommodate passenger pick-up and drop -off from private vehicles, will need to be

located outside of the immediate vicinity of the transit passenger pick-up and drop-off areas. However,

the kiss and ride facility should still be located so that it has direct visual and physical connections to

passenger pick-up and drop-off areas while not interfering with transit operations. Potential locations

include:

Curbside along 203A Street north of Industrial Avenue

Within the casino parking lot, immediately adjacent to proposed pocket plaza at Fraser Highway

and 203A Street

Along the northern curbside of Industrial Avenue immediately west of 203A Street

OPERATOR FACILITIES

Bus operator facilities, such as washrooms, are included within the transit exchange in a small building

that fronts onto the plaza (see Figure 23). Ideally, end of trip facilities for operators would be provided by

adjacent buildings and uses to avoid the expense and impact on the public realm from a stand-alone

facility building.

5.8 WAYFINDING

The Downtown Langley Transit Exchange Wayfinding Strategy is aligned with the 2011 TransLink

Wayfinding Standards. TransLink’s wayfinding standards are premised on three broad principles:

1. Encouraging multi-modal journeys

2. Providing information consistently

3. Delivering usable, suitable and manageable information

Information requirements are based on a series of questions that riders subconsciously ask themselves as

they plan and make their journeys. The bus exchange zones associated with these questions are identified

in Figure 30. Signage is located within these zones to facilitate trip planning and orientation. External

signage provides high level orientation by marking the transit exchange with a distinctive T-Marker to

indicate the presence of a transit exchange. Circulation signage provides information on journey planning

and circulatory information while bus stop signage includes route schedules, route diagrams, fare

information and Next Bus service information. Wayfinding signage in these three zones is based on the

principle of progressive disclosure of information, meaning that only the most relevant information is

provided to users at each stage of their journey. This allows users to make decisions more easily without

being overwhelmed by information.



Figure 30 – Wayfinding Strategy for the Downtown Langley Transit Exchange



APPENDIX 1: IMPLEMENTATION &

PHASING DETAILS

Implementation of the exchange will require acquisition of land for the new

rights-of-way required for the exchange and for the plazas and other public open space components (see

Figure 31). Specifically, these include:

Industrial Avenue Extension: Approximately 112.4 linear meters of new public right-of-way 20

meters in width is required from 203 Street through to 203A Street. This will require land

assembly and purchase from private land owners of the following parcels:

o Parcel 1 (1,133 m2); Parcel 2 (1,093 m

2) = 2,227 m

2

203A Street Extension: Approximately 91 linear meters of new public

right-of-way 22.75 meters in width is required from Fraser Highway through to 203A Street. This

will require land assembly and purchase from private land owners of the following parcels:

o Parcel 3 (212 m2); Parcel 4 (1,905 m

2); Parcel 5 (113 m

2) = 2,230 m

2

Transit Plaza: Approximately 2,060 square meters of land is required for the transit plaza. This

will require land assembly and purchase from private land owners of the following parcels:

o Parcel 6 (535m2); Parcel 7 (784m

2); Parcel 8 (738m

2) = 2,057m

2

Fraser Highway North Pocket Plaza: Approximately 385 square meters of land will be required

for this plaza, to be purchased from Cascades Casino

Fraser Highway South Pocket Plaza: the termination of 56 Avenue south of Fraser Highway

through the use of a cul-de-sac will result in the land needed to develop the pocket plaza concept

in this location

New signalized intersections will be required to be designed and built in the following locations:

o 203 Street and Industrial Avenue

o 203A Street and Fraser Highway

Implementation of adjacent private realm development will require land assembly and acquisition as part

of or subsequent to the assembly and acquisition of required new public rights-of-way identified above.

Development of these private lands will require development of frontage improvements according to the

elements, approaches and objectives identified in this document and in the City’s development permit

guidelines. It is anticipated that acquisition of the new public rights as well as the transit plaza area would

occur prior to or concurrent with any adjacent private realm development.



Figure 31 and the associated table below identify required land acquisition for new public rights-of-way

and the new transit plaza.

Table 3: Approximate Land Acquisition Required

New Public Rights-of-Way

Parcel Number Area (sq. m)

1 1,133

2 1,093

3 212

4 1,905

5 113

SUBTOTAL (Public Rights-of-Way) 4,456

Transit Plaza

Parcel Number Area (sq. m)

6 535

7 784

8 738

North Pocket Plaza 385

SUBTOTAL (Transit Plaza) 2,442

TOTAL

(New Public Rights-of-Way and Transit

Plaza)

6,898



Figure 31 - Phasing for land acquisition

1 2

5

4

6

7 8

North

Pocket

Plaza

3

Proposed future public rights-of-way

Proposed future transit plaza space

downtown langley transit exchange€¦ · translink’s south of fraser area transit plan...

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