Fall/Winter 2020
from suburban to urban
Richmond Hill and Yonge Street are growing up in an urban way. Last year Richmond Hill changed its status from a town to a city, and Yonge has come a long way from being a military road more than 200 years ago.
We're building more than just dedicated lanes for bus rapid transit. When we designed the rapidway, we had a number of urban design objectives, starting with a completely new vision for the sustainable, long-term use of public space as the community continues to grow. York Region's Official Plan outlines how the Region will respond to and support growth. The Centres and Corridors program is part of this plan, and includes strategies for managing growth in four regional centres identified as the primary places for urban growth; Markham, Vaughan, Newmarket and Richmond Hill. Some of the key strategies include effective travel options, conserving resources and creating lively, sustainable communities within walking distance of transit and other services.
Below the ground, water mains, gas lines, sewer pipes and telecommunications have been relocated and upgraded to support continued growth. Above ground, streets are designed as destinations — making them attractive public spaces with pedestrian-friendly boulevards and options for people to get around.
The rapidway on Yonge in Newmarket opened for service in January and in Richmond Hill, the rapidway will open by the end of this year. You can already see the transformation happening, with new mixed-use [residential and retail] developments, and alternative modes of transit. As the population continues to increase across York Region, we are connecting people to places through new transit connections, and pedestrian and cycling infrastructure which will lead to reduced dependency on cars.
We're building a transit network that reinforces strong east to west and north to south connections throughout York Region and beyond. The rapidway on Yonge in Richmond Hill will connect people to rapidways in Markham, Vaughan and Newmarket, as well as YRT/Viva bus routes, inter-regional transit, bike paths across the Region and the future Yonge North Subway Extension.
the evolution: from messy to magnificent
This is the final year of major construction and crews have been busy! From new wider boulevards to construction of the centre-lane vivastations to final paving, this is when you really see the vision come together. As you enter the corridor at Yonge Street and Garden Avenue, you'll see the gateway to the City of Richmond Hill, with large planters and decorative walls that instill placemaking, strengthening the connection between people and the spaces they share.
With all the work that has been taking place, we understand that it can be disruptive — so thank you for your patience. As crews complete the remaining work along the corridor, they will continue to do their best to limit impacts as much as possible.
We're working diligently toward the opening of the rapidway by the end of this year; however, some finishing work, such as painting bike lanes and planting of trees and greenery within the spring planting period will continue into 2021.
This investment in modernizing, adding a rapid transit service and revitalizing infrastructure will go a long way in making sure Yonge in Richmond Hill continues to be a destination for generations to come.
changes on Yonge Street
The Major Mackenzie Drive vivastation will be located on Yonge Street, approximately 200 metres south of Major Mackenzie, on the north side of Hopkins Street/Elmwood Avenue. This location south of the intersection is a result of property constraints and limitations around the Major Mackenzie intersection.
New traffic signals have been installed and activated at the Yonge and Hopkins/Elmwood intersection to accommodate the Major Mackenzie vivastation and pedestrian movements around that intersection. Now that the signals are in place, protected left turns are permitted for northbound and southbound vehicles, U-turns are permitted for northbound vehicles only, and east/west thru-traffic on Hopkins and Elmwood will continue.
The vivastation will be mirrored [platforms across from each other], and northbound and southbound Viva buses will stop on the north side of Hopkins/Elmwood. The vivastation name will remain as "Major Mackenzie", to allow for future placemaking and to align with YRT/Viva operations.
Stay tuned for more information on transit connections and transit rider transfers in this area as we get closer to the opening.
COMING SOON to a rapidway near you >> be ready
It's an exciting time along Yonge Street as crews put the final touches on the corridor, that sets the stage for attractive, pedestrian-friendly urban spaces, providing more options to get you where you need to go in Richmond Hill and beyond.
In the coming weeks, you may see buses in the rapidway before it opens. That's because Viva bus drivers will start training to get ready for the new rapidway when it opens by the end of this year. You'll also see station flags and on-street signage at the current curbside stops that say, "be ready", which will prepare you for the transit changes that are coming to Yonge when the rapidway opens. Please do not enter the vivastations until they are officially open.
Once the rapidway opens, you will "be moved" with buses running in the rapidways and vivastations open. Please watch for "be moved" on-street signage, take care when accessing centre-lane vivastations and cross at designated crosswalks only.
Stay tuned for the official opening. Be sure to visit vivaNext.com for details.
Thank you for your understanding, we are almost there. When completed, the vivaNext rapid transit project will result in benefits for the entire community for years to come.
keeping our community safe
Let's make sure at the end of every day, everyone gets home to their families, so for your safety:
 |
Be alert. With construction site conditions changing daily, it's important for everyone to pay attention to their surroundings. Watch for signs and traffic barrels that indicate lane closures or shifts, as well as relocated sidewalks and bus stops. |
 |
Be safe.
Do not walk into construction zones or remove signs and barricades that are in place for everyone’s safety. Even when no workers are present, it's a hazardous area. Cross at designated crosswalks, follow posted signs, and keep at a safe distance.
|
 |
Slow down.
To protect construction workers, pedestrians and yourself, it's crucial to slow down, follow the posted speed limit, and pay close attention to construction signs and road markings.
|
 |
Safety is a shared responsibility.
Do not ignore safety warnings or put others at risk by moving pylons, barricades or signage. Let's make sure at the end of every day, everyone gets home to their families.
|
keeping you informed
VivaNext.com — Your online stop for all things related to rapid transit in York Region and don't forget to sign up for construction updates at vivanext.com/subscribe.
Social Media
- Facebook: Be sure to like us to gain access to interesting articles, cool retro photos and new blogs
- Twitter: Follow us to get the latest construction updates about work taking place in your area
- Instagram: Follow us to stay informed and to see our progress shots and videos
- Blog and YouTube: Don't miss a minute of the action — Blogs and videos take you on a construction journey behind the scenes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stay informed about final construction work and the opening of the Yonge Street rapidway in Richmond Hill by visiting vivanext.com. |
||||
|
|