Final Concept for New Willowbrook Mall Bus Exchange

Last year, I posted about how TransLink is planning for a new Downtown Langley and Willowbrook Mall bus exchange. TransLink’s vision is to have most bus service pass through both of the proposed transit exchanges as a way to encourage transit-oriented development in the area.

TransLink is thinking about moving the Downtown Langley bus exchange to Fraser Highway and 203rd Street, and combining it with a transit/pedestrian-oriented development. The final details for new Downtown Langley bus exchange will come out later this year.

In the meantime, TransLink has finalized the design for the Willowbrook Mall bus exchange and surrounding area. The plan calls for creating three new public roads in the mall’s western parking lot, and includes a pedestrian-only walkway to connect to future rapid transit along Fraser Highway.

Willowbrook Exchange Final Concept. Click image to see details.

It appears that one of the long-term goals of Willowbrook Mall is to transform their parking lots into a mixed-use community. It will be interesting to see if the Willowbrook Mall site will become like other mall sites in the region that are now mixed-use and high-density. The major limiting factor I see is that rapid transit will likely be required to attract the kind of transformative development envisioned.

I am excited to see the plan for in-fill development and a new bus exchange in Willowbrook though right now, it doesn’t appear that there is a timeline on when this project will actually break ground.