BC NDP commits $250M to Surrey's King George Boulevard bus rapid transit line

The BC NDP committed $250 million Thursday toward a bus rapid transit line on King George Boulevard in Surrey, part of a broader transit investment as the party campaigns ahead of the October 24 provincial election.

The proposed 19-km line would run from SkyTrain's Surrey Central Station to Semiahmoo Town Centre in South Surrey, effectively reaching White Rock. It would include 12 stations with dedicated bus-only lanes, traffic signal priority, and station-like stops with weather protection and digital displays. The end-to-end trip is estimated at about 40 minutes—as fast or faster than driving during peak periods.

TransLink projects the line would carry over 25,000 riders per day by 2035, compared to roughly 14,000 weekday boardings on the current R1 RapidBus route. The total project cost is approximately $700 million, with the provincial commitment intended to leverage additional federal funding. TransLink's 2023 federal funding request estimated the King George Boulevard BRT at between $250 million and $300 million.

The new BRT would replace the existing R1 route on King George Boulevard but would not replicate the R1's existing service between Guildford Town Centre and Surrey Central Station.

Premier David Eby said the investment would deliver "smoother daily commutes, and drive economic growth and higher paying jobs in the community." No construction timeline has been established; TransLink typically requires three to five years to begin construction after funding is fully secured.

The announcement comes as some Surrey municipal candidates and parties call for a SkyTrain extension on the King George Boulevard corridor. The Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension—a 16-km Expo Line expansion along Fraser Highway—is already under construction and expected to open in late 2029 at a cost of $6 billion.