49th Avenue bus lanes and stop changes planned in Vancouver

The City of Vancouver and TransLink plan all-day bus lanes on 49th Avenue between Cambie and Fraser and TransLink will remove 28 stops while adding three; public feedback is open until March 1, 2026.

The City of Vancouver and TransLink are proposing bus-priority changes along parts of 49th Avenue to address frequent delays on one of Metro Vancouver’s busiest east–west routes. The measures include new daytime curbside bus lanes and a bus-stop balancing program that will remove some stops and add a few others. The corridor is heavily used by the No. 49 UBC/Metrotown Station local bus, and parts of the avenue are experiencing higher traffic and nearby construction. Public input on the proposals is being collected ahead of planned implementation later in 2026. Key details: - The City proposes new curbside bus lanes on 49th Avenue between Cambie Street and Fraser Street in both directions, active daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. - Bus lanes would be created by changing curbside parking and loading rules; general vehicles would still be allowed to enter the curb lane to make right turns at intersections or driveways. - The corridor is served by TransLink’s No. 49 route, which had 8.5 million boardings in 2024 and averaged about 26,900 boardings per weekday, 16,800 per Saturday, and 14,500 per Sunday/holiday. - TransLink plans bus-stop balancing along 49th Avenue (and portions of Dunbar Street and 41st Avenue), removing a total of 28 stops (15 eastbound and 13 in the other direction) and adding three new stops. - TransLink says the stop changes are intended to increase bus speeds, improve reliability, reduce travel times, and lower operating costs, and notes that over 90% of No. 49 passengers will still use their existing stop or one within about a one-block walk. - Timeline: public surveys on the proposals close March 1, 2026; the City aims to implement bus lanes in spring and summer 2026 coordinated with sewer restoration work, and TransLink expects stop changes in June 2026; the City has indicated possible additional bus-priority phases in 2027. Summary: The measures target a busy section of 49th Avenue to reduce delays and speed buses by adding all-day curbside bus lanes and re-spacing stops along the corridor. Public consultation runs until March 1, 2026, and implementation is scheduled through mid-2026 with further work possibly in 2027.