Archive for the ‘Rapidways’ Category
Thursday, January 14th, 2010
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) is one of the world’s largest and most reliable sources of comparable statistical, economic and social data. In a publication launched in November 2009 entitled “OECD Territorial Reviews: Toronto, Canada”, several of the GTA’s transportation challenges are collectively identified as a key policy issue. They include traffic congestion problems (70% of commuters use cars), poorly integrated regional transit services, and relatively underdeveloped public transport infrastructure.
To address this key policy issue, one of the publication’s key recommendations is to “tackle transportation challenges by creating incentives for reducing car use, access to additional revenue sources, [and] longer term funding commitments by federal government for investment”.
Here in York Region, we are doing our part to tackle these transportation challenges with such vivaNext initiatives as the rapidways, subways and proposed LRTs. In addition to making it faster and easier to get in and out of the GTA, they will make it up to 40% faster to travel along our Region’s busiest corridors. We believe that such incentives will significantly reduce car use, lead to economic revitalization, help the environment, and maintain the quality of life our residents have come to enjoy.
Tags: city planning, congestion, economic revitalization, environmentally friendly, GTA, OECD, Ontario, Policy issues, rapid transit, Rapidway, Regional transit services, subway, Toronto, transport infrastructure, Urban Planning, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in General, Going Green, LRT, Rapidways, Subways, Urban Planning | No Comments »
Thursday, January 7th, 2010
Getting in shape is a popular New Year's resolution. Photo courtesy of Jennoit.
Each January, certain New Year’s resolutions consistently make the Top Ten most popular lists. They include:
1. Spending more time with family & friends
2. Getting fit
3. Losing weight
4. Enjoying life more
5. Saving money
6. Helping the environment
7. Reducing stress
8. Helping others
9. Being more punctual
10. Reading more
In future, vivaNext rapid transit projects will make it easy for you to keep all of these New Year’s resolutions. How so? Rapid transit is faster, easier, less expensive and more environmentally friendly than driving. As a result, it can reduce your stress levels, allow you to arrive at your destination on time, and give you more time to work out, do the things you enjoy, be with the people you love, and of course, help you save money and the environment.
We think that’s a lot of added value for the cost of a YRT\Viva fare. Speaking of which, did you know that YRT\Viva fares will remain unchanged throughout 2010?!
Tell us about your New Year’s resolutions. Did they include any of the above Top Ten?
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, connections, Enjoy life, environmentally friendly, Family time, Fast, Fun, Get Fit, Green Choice, Lose Weight, New Year, rapid transit, Rapidway, Reduce Stress, Resolution, Save Money, viva, vivaNext, York Region
Posted in General, Going Green, Rapidways | 1 Comment »
Monday, December 14th, 2009
Today, an on-site ceremony was held on Enterprise Drive in Markham to commemorate the start of 70 kilometres of vivaNext rapidway construction in York Region.
VivaNext – York Region’s plan for the next generation of rapid transit – includes a network of several rapidways across the Region. They are the east-west Highway 7 rapidway from Highway 50 in Vaughan to Reesor Road in Markham, the north-south Yonge Street rapidway from the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal in Richmond Hill to Green Lane in Newmarket, and the east-west Davis Drive rapidway from Yonge Street to the Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket.
The rapidways will take Viva vehicles out of mixed traffic and into their own dedicated lanes, where they will safely speed past congestion, no matter what time of day.
The 800 metres of rapidways being built on Enterprise Drive, between Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road, are part of the Highway 7 rapidway project.
“This construction phase is truly significant, as it marks the beginning of a new stage of rapid transit in York Region,” said York Region Chairman and CEO Bill Fisch. “Together with the Government of Ontario, we are building a modern transit system to ensure we keep pace with the planned growth in York Region and preserve the quality of life our residents have come to expect.”
Rapidway construction on Enterprise Drive, which will be completed by the end of 2010, will involve the installation of concrete platform foundations, curbs, and the placement of station canopies. No road closures will be required; only short-term temporary lane closures.
“This is great news for the people of York Region and the GTA,” said Markham-Unionville MPP Michael Chan. “The project signals the start of a faster, more convenient rapid transit network that will enable people to get around more easily, improve the ability of our businesses to grow and succeed and help improve the environment.”
As construction of the rapidways gets underway, we encourage you to add vivanext.com to your list of favourite websites for quick and easy access to the latest information and construction updates. While there, you can also sign up to receive our quarterly e-newsletter in your Inbox, along with customized email updates about vivaNext projects of particular interest to you.
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, Chairman Bill Fisch, congestion, connections, construction, Davis Drive, dedicated lanes, Enterprise Drive, Highway 7, Markham, Metrolinx, mixed-use development, Ontario, Rapidway, Richmond Hill, transit-only lanes, viva, vivaNext, Yonge St., York Region
Posted in Announcements, Press, Rapidways | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, November 24th, 2009
Our goal is to ensure that you can quickly and easily find answers to all your vivaNext questions on our comprehensive and constantly updated website. However, we also recognize that there may be times when you need to speak directly to someone about a specific related matter.
That’s why we have a vivaNext Community Liaison, Andrea Witty. Whether you’re a property owner, business operator, tenant, or any other community member directly affected by vivaNext construction, Andrea is readily available to assist you with any question regarding rapidway planning and construction.
Here’s how to reach her:
Andrea Witty
Community Liaison
Telephone: 905-886-6767 Ext. 1022
1-877-464-9675
Cellphone: 416-554-1890
Email: andrea.witty@york.ca
Throughout vivaNext construction, you will also find Andrea out in the community providing York Region residents and businesses with ongoing project information.
If you met Andrea, what would you ask her?
Tags: Andrea Witty, BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, business operator, Community Liaison, connections, Highway 7, Markham, Newmarket, property owner, Rapidway, tenant, Vaughan, viva, vivaNext, website, York Region
Posted in General, Rapidways | No Comments »
Tuesday, November 10th, 2009
Wondering when and where we’ll start to break ground on the vivaNext rapidways? Or how they are already affecting urban transformation in such key destinations as downtown Markham?
In our fall e-newsletter, which has just been posted on our website at vivanext.com, you can find quick and easy answers to these vivaNext-related questions, and many more.
For example, you can learn what people just like you have to say about commuting to and from work in York Region, and whether or not they think our rapid transit projects will make things better or worse.
Perhaps you’re especially looking forward to the proposed Yonge subway extension? If so, then you’ll enjoy our look back to where it all began more than fifty years ago.
We even reveal the lucky Grand Prize winner in our ‘Next Best Thing To Summer’ contest. It’s all there, along with a handy sign-up form so you can conveniently receive future issues of our e-newsletter in your Inbox, along with customized email updates about vivaNext projects of particular interest to you.
Once you’ve had a chance to read our latest e-newsletter, we encourage you to submit topic suggestions for future issues right here on our blog.
Enjoy!
Tags: BRT, city planning, commuting times, congestion, connections, Fall e-newsletter, Grand Prize winner, Highway 7, Markham, Ontario, rapid transit, Rapidway, subway extension, Summer Contest, Urban Planning, urban transformation, viva, vivaNext, website, Yonge subway extension, York Region
Posted in Announcements, Rapidways, Subways, vivaNext.com | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
Across York Region, all kinds of large and small businesses are taking the time to show that they are 100% behind vivaNext projects by sending letters of support.
They recognize that traffic congestion and the lack of convenient transit alternatives have directly impacted their business through lost employee productivity and absenteeism, and that revitalization is needed along some key corridors.
Over the next 20 years, York Region’s population is expected to increase by 50% and the number of jobs by 100%. To help manage this growth and businesses succeed in the future, a faster and more convenient rapid transit system is essential - vivaNext.
To see a list of those businesses that have already sent letters of support and had their names added to our wall of support, visit vivaNext.com/wall_of_support.
If your business would like to write a letter of support for vivaNext projects and be added to our wall of support, please send a message to contactus@vivanext.com.
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, city planning, congestion, environmentally friendly, Highway 7, letters of support, population increase, rapid transit, subway extension, transit-only lanes, viva, vivaNext, wall of support, website, Yonge St., York Region
Posted in Rapidways, Subways, vivaNext.com | No Comments »
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
So far, over 4,000 people have signed-up to receive our regular vivaNext email updates. Perhaps you’re one of them. Recently, we made it possible for you to customize the updates you receive.
You can now choose to receive email updates for a specific vivaNext project – or all of them if you want.
To do so, simply click here or visit our “subscribe for updates” page at vivaNext.com and select from the following list:
Davis Drive rapidway
Highway 7 rapidway - Markham
Highway 7 rapidway - Vaughan
Yonge Street rapidway
Yonge Subway extension
Spadina Subway extension
Don Mills Road/Leslie Street LRT
Jane Street LRT
It’s as fast to sign-up as it will be to travel in York Region with vivaNext.
Tell us – which vivaNext project interests you the most?
Tags: BRT, Bus Rapid Transit, city planning, connections, customized updates, Highway 7, LRT, Markham, Newmarket, Ontario, Rapidway, Richmond Hill, subway, subway extension, transit-only lanes, Vaughan, viva, vivaNext, Yonge St., York Region
Posted in Announcements, Rapidways, Subways | No Comments »
Two members of our segway team texting to win at Markville Mall. When you see them near Vaughan Mills Mall this weekend ask how you could win the new iPod nano®*.