Categories
Funding Subways Transit Yonge North Subway Extension

Celebrating the YNSE funding commitment

The expression “where there is a will, there is a way” might as well be talking about the Yonge North Subway Extension [YNSE], because this project has been York Region’s top transit priority for two decades. Here at YRRTC, we were thrilled to hear the announcement last month that the Government of Canada is contributing 40% of the YNSE, as part of a larger investment for four GTA transit projects.  

The YRRTC Board, led by Board Chair and Markham Mayor, Frank Scarpitti, and Chairman and CEO of York Region, Wayne Emmerson have championed this project, most recently collecting signatures on symbolic shovels, and ensuring the 905 & 416 voices were heard at the federal table with respect to this critically important piece of infrastructure.

We’re happy to see that the federal government recognizes the fact that the YNSE and other transit systems are key economic drivers, generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions in economic benefits, starting from the planning stage all the way through construction and operation. 

Here at YRRTC, we’ve spent years advocating for the YNSE as well as other rapid transit needed to accommodate York Region’s future growth.  We know there are many more steps ahead to get this subway planned, designed, and built. Big subway projects like this can take 10 years to construct, and in this case every level of government is involved, and the project crosses regional and municipal boundaries. There is a will to build the YNSE though, and with the recent Provincial, Federal and Municipal funding commitments, now there is a way.

One day in the not-so-distant future, we’ll be celebrating the first subway ride along the Yonge North Subway Extension. Until then, there is lots of work to do to plan and design a subway project that works for everyone.

Metrolinx is the project manager for the YNSE and provides information at metrolinx.com. Find other related YNSE materials on YRRTC’s website, vivanext.com/YongeSubwayExt.

Categories
Awards Communications Design Innovation Uncategorized

More Awards, OH MY!

We recently shared the good news that YRRTC was recognized for multiple AVA Digital Awards, and we’re thrilled to share more exciting news…

The Yonge Street bus rapid transit project that opened for service last year in Richmond Hill and Newmarket was recently awarded first place in the Large Project category for the 2020 Engineering Project of the Year Award from the Professional Engineers Ontario [PEO] – York Chapter. 

  • This competition recognizes the contributions to the engineering profession and local community by an organization that has completed an outstanding project of a technical nature within the past year. It’s no secret that rapid transit projects bring better options for fast and convenient travel, but they also include major upgrades to roads above and below the ground. This includes updated utilities and infrastructure and beautiful streetscapes for pedestrians and cyclists – benefitting communities for generations to come.
  • EllisDon Capital Inc. and Coco Paving Inc. (EDCO), YRRTC’s constructor, also came in 2nd place for the Highway 7 West and Bathurst & Centre rapidway projects in Vaughan. 
  • Both rapid transit projects were recognized as the top winners in the Large Project category for the 2020 Engineering Project of the Year Award, highlighting the important investment made in rapid transit infrastructure. 

We’re also pleased to share that a number of communications pieces have received awards from the Hermes Creative Awards – an international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals. Judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), YRRTC was awarded:

  • Platinum Award for YRRTC Incident Management Protocol – Public Relations/Communications | Strategic Programs | Crisis Communications Plan
  • Gold Award for Connections Through Rapid Transit video – Electronic Media/Social Media/Interactive Media | Video | Government
  • Gold Award for Support Local campaign – Public Relations/Communications | Strategic Programs | Pandemic Response

We’re thankful to have our commitment to excellence recognized by top industry professionals.  None of this would have been possible without the dedication of staff and partners alike to deliver on the transit vision that is transforming communities. For more info, visit our awards & recognition webpage.

Categories
Subways Yonge North Subway Extension

Yonge North Subway Extension – the demand is already here

Woman looking at phone
connecting 2 employment megazones! over 54,000 employers in Markham and Vaughan will be connected by the Yonge North Subway Extension.

When considering the Yonge North Subway Extension, the question is, are we keeping up with growth in York Region – or catching up to it?  This is the second blog in a series that will help our communities get more familiar with the Yonge North Subway Extension and highlight some of the important reasons why York Region needs this critical project.

The truth is that Yonge Street is growing fast north of Finch, with high-density residential and commercial developments both in the works, and planned, for the near future. The growth, and its pace, is already enough to sustain a subway extension.

Which means, we already need to catch up – and keep up! The Yonge North Subway Extension [YNSE] will support the number of people, businesses, jobs and housing in York Region and the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area [GTHA]. From the beginning of the construction stage through opening, it will bring new jobs and businesses, and attract residents and employers.

York Region is one of Canada’s fastest-growing large urban municipalities, forecasted to reach a population of 2.02 million and employment of 990,000 by 2051 [York Region’s Municipal Comprehensive Review, 2021).

In anticipation of the YNSE, the corridor is already seeing growth, with 19 residential developments including over 19,779 units and 550,000 square feet of commercial/retail space already proposed or underway as of the end of 2020.

This already high demand is sure to increase even more, with the Yonge North Subway Extension connecting two GTHA employment megazones: Vaughan and Markham: 654,650 jobs and 54,200 employers as of 2019.

Large infrastructure projects like the Yonge North Subway Extension can take 10 years to complete, so it should be built in parallel with other rapid transit projects over the next decade.

As we work through the processes of design and approvals, we need to ensure the YNSE and other rapid transit projects continue moving forward.

Looking ahead, we will further explore other key areas of Deloitte’s federal submission report, highlighting other important benefits that come with investments in critical projects like the Yonge North Subway Extension.

With investments in the YNSE and other rapid transit projects, we’ll be able to catch up to the demand that’s already there and prepare for the future.

Categories
economic & financial economic benefits Funding Subways

A case for the Yonge North Subway Extension

Last month, Metrolinx released their Yonge North Subway Extension Initial Business Case, and for those of you who aren’t already experts on transportation planning, that means this critical project has taken one step forward. As always with large infrastructure projects like this, there are more steps to come. There’s a consultation process just getting started, and that will help answer some of the questions around where the stations should be, and the route the extension takes [aka. The “alignment”]. This is the first of several future blogs that will help our communities get more familiar with the Yonge North Subway Extension project and the important benefits it brings to York Region.

the process

The purpose of an Initial Business Case is to analyze different options or designs for a project, to come up with a preferred option before moving on to preliminary design and procurement [and more business cases], followed by construction. In this case, Metrolinx has developed new alternatives to the route and stations, including Option 1 that was selected as part of an Addendum to the Environmental Project Report York Region completed in partnership with the TTC and Toronto in 2013, and new second and third options.

More decisions are yet to be made, and Metrolinx has kicked off a series of public engagement opportunities. A Supplementary Analysis contains refined information for Option 3, and this and the Business Case will help support the Province’s application for funding.

funding this critical project

There’s also the very important step of acquiring a full funding commitment from the federal government [the Province committed to funding their share in 2019].To help build the case for this missing link in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area [GTHA], York Region commissioned a federal submission by Deloitte to ensure the project has a robust funding application.

the benefits

One thing we know for sure is how important the Yonge North Subway Extension is to the economic recovery and growth, environment, and mobility of the local and greater areas where it’s being built.

Over 52,000 new jobs during construction and 5,000 after opening, 12,000 new housing starts, and an overall contribution to over $7.8 billion in Gross Domestic Product will help produce a positive cycle of economic change.

Annual reductions of 4,800 tonnes of auto-related greenhouse gas emissions will move the GTHA a little farther on the track to Canada’s target of net-zero emissions, due to 7,700 fewer vehicle kilometres travelled during morning peak hours.

Within the first five years of service, over 13 million new subway riders annually will have improved access to potential employment, housing and other services, regardless of ability, family status, socio economic circumstances, etc.

Looking ahead, we will examine other key areas of Deloitte’s federal submission report, outlining important benefits that come with investments in infrastructure projects like the Yonge North Subway Extension.

There are important things to sort out, but this has been a project in the making for 20 years, and we need to keep moving it forward to get it where it needs to be. And we’re all on board for that.

Categories
Awards Communications Design Innovation Rapidways suburban to urban transformation Transit

And the award goes to…

vivaNext awards

Last year was unprecedented and came with challenges for everyone, everywhere. There were achievements too though, and those are worth more than a mention. Working with our partners, at YRRTC we delivered 17 kilometres of rapid transit in 2020, completing the first phase of the Viva bus rapidway network that includes 33.7 kilometres of dedicated rapidways along York Region’s busiest corridors. These projects are more than just transit – they are complete street rebuilds above and below the ground. As of the end of 2020, the rapidways, combined with some transit facilities and a bus terminal, have brought $2.7 billion in assets that will benefit communities in York Region for generations to come.

Over the past years, YRRTC has been recognized and received awards for innovative design and technology elements of the Viva bus rapid transit projects. Many factors contribute to the success of our projects – engineering, urban design, architecture, construction, partnerships and collaboration – but there’s one element that isn’t always mentioned: Communications. Our communications initiatives support each project and keep stakeholders and the community informed in new and creative ways.

YRRTC is honoured to have recently been recognized for our digital communications, with multiple awards from AVA Digital Awards including:

We’re also pleased to have received honourable mentions under the following categories:

The AVA Digital Awards is an international competition that recognizes excellence by creative professionals responsible for the planning, concept, direction, design and production of digital communication. Work ranges from digital campaigns to audio and video production to website development to social media engagement to mobile marketing. The Award is judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP), whose judges have a reputation for accuracy, fairness and credibility.

We’re proud to deliver creative excellence in support of these complex infrastructure projects!

Categories
bike boxes Crosswalks cycling Design Intersections Uncategorized

Everything you wanted to know about bike boxes

green bike box at signalized intersection waiting zone for cyclists

Crews are in the process of painting bike boxes on Highway 7 West and Bathurst & Centre in Vaughan, as well as on Yonge Street in Newmarket. Bike boxes [identified by their green paint] are spaces allocated at signalized intersections along the rapidway corridors that allow cyclists to safely wait for a signal when turning left. This is instead of waiting in the left-turn lane, making the rapidway corridors safer and more welcoming for cyclists. Here’s pretty much everything you’d want to know about them.

The purpose of a bike box

Bike boxes provide a safe left-turn option for cyclists riding in the bike lane. Rather than having to cross two or three lanes of busy traffic to reach left-turn lanes, or waiting on the sidewalk, the bike box is a safe, designated waiting area that’s tucked into the boulevard at the corner of a signalized intersection – just for bikes. Simply put, the bike box offers cyclists a place to wait for the light to change.

Here’s how they work

Cyclists wanting to turning left from, say for example, Highway 7, will proceed through the signalized east/west intersection in the bike lane. Then they simply stop in the bike box, turn their bike to the left, and wait for the next north/south signal. Once the light changes, they can cross Highway 7 along with other north/south traffic.

To learn more about how to use bike boxes, watch the “Cyclist Cedrick” segment of this video [0:58 mark].

How we build bike boxes

To accommodate bike box painting, crews close curb lanes and right-turn lanes at each intersection. Then, like bike lanes around intersections, they’re painted green with special bike lane markings to clearly identify them. Lanes remain closed for up to three days to allow the street bond to completely dry.

We’re excited to be providing these features for York Region cyclists, and know that they help to make the rapidway corridors more welcoming to all travellers, no matter how they choose to get around.

For information and updates about ongoing vivaNext projects, be sure to subscribe to email updates, and follow us on Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. Questions or comments? Comment below or email us at contactus@vivanext.com.

Categories
Community Construction General Intersections Rapidways Traffic signals Uncategorized

navigating the complex world of traffic signals during rapidway construction

rapidway traffic signals in front of vivastation

As you can imagine, we think about traffic signals quite a lot here at vivaNext. They’re a part of everyday life and are essential to get from point A to point B for all users, including transit customers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The stages of rapidway construction have their own traffic signal stages: temporary and permanent.

When construction begins on any of the vivaNext rapidway projects – such as the vivaNext Yonge Street rapidway project in Richmond Hill – traffic patterns and intersections shift to accommodate the new rapidway lanes. Therefore, temporary traffic signals are installed at signalized intersections. Here are some of the changes you’ll notice:

  • Vehicle detection technology – “loops”: Prior to rapidway construction and on completed projects, vehicle detection at signalized intersections is done with induction loops embedded in the road that sense vehicles above them. The loops detect vehicles, resulting in a change in the electrical field. This change is transmitted to activate the traffic signals based on the number of cars waiting.
  • Temp signals and sensors: During construction, however, temporary (“temp”) traffic signals are installed without loops. Since construction activities can damage them, and changing lane configurations can position cars outside of the loops, they can’t be used. So to keep traffic flowing at its best during construction, “Wavetronics Smart Sensor Matrix” technology is installed above the roadway at signalized intersections. This system uses radar sensors designed to detect and manage multiple lanes of traffic. It creates an image which allows the sensors to track the position of each car at the intersection, and activate traffic signals based on the number of cars at any given time. Sometimes, during times of high winds, the sensors can shift – and you may experience longer wait times at these intersections until crews can readjust the sensors.
  • New loops are installed during final paving: During the final paving stage of construction – before the permanent traffic signals are activated on each of the rapidway projects – new induction loops are embedded in the roadway.
  • Signal phases and protected left-turns: Each of the signals that an intersection produces [green, amber and red lights as well as transit signals] are called a phase. One of the new phases that the rapidway project introduced along Yonge is the protected left-turn signal [indicated by the green arrow]. This signal allows drivers to make left-turns and U-turns only while the left-turn signal is displayed, which allows for access to properties that are on the opposite side of the road. This phase also allows for improved traffic flow and fewer collisions, as vehicles no longer have to cross multiple lanes of opposing traffic.
  • Signal cycles: Signal phases together make up a cycle – the total time between the start of a specific display until that display comes up again. Additional time has been added to traffic signal cycles on Yonge, in order to accommodate the phase of a protected left-turn. For instance, if a cycle length at an intersection was previously 130 seconds before construction, it may now be 140 seconds to accommodate for the protected left-turns.
  • Transit signals: When the rapidway opens for service, buses will be traveling down the centre rapidway lanes for a faster and more convenient transit experience. They will have their own bus signals at each intersection that are connected to a GPS within each bus, and work in conjunction with the regular traffic signals.

have a question?

To ensure transit, pedestrians, cyclists and motorists move through intersections safely and efficiently during rapidway construction, the constructor regularly reviews traffic signal timing and makes any necessary adjustments.  If there appears to be traffic signal timing issues, please contact your Community Liaisons and they would be happy to look into your concern.

Categories
Uncategorized

building innovative rapid transit for the future

At the risk of sounding boastful, there’s an accomplishment we want to tell you about. York Region’s Bus Rapid Transit [BRT] system is a bronze medalist. That’s right. We’re up there on the podium with some of the world’s best rapid transit, and along with Ottawa, we’re one of only two systems in Canada to be recognized.


York Region was awarded a Bronze certification from the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy [ITDP], based on the “BRT Standard,” an evaluation tool developed by ITDP for world-class transit, based on international best practices.


The BRT Standard establishes the basic elements needed for BRT [dedicated lanes, off-board fare payment, intersection treatments and level boarding], and recognizes particularly high-quality corridors with Bronze, Silver or Gold rankings. ITDP looks at both design and performance, and since YRRTC designed York Region’s system and YRT operates it, we worked together to achieve this certification.


What’s the difference between Bronze, Silver and Gold? Bronze is consistent with most international best practices, and has some operational efficiencies or quality of service that elevate it above the BRT basics. Silver has the same elements, but is generally for higher-demand corridors, and Gold meets almost all best practices, and has the highest operational performance and quality of service.


ITDP specifically certified the Highway 7 corridor this time [for evaluation, there needs to be at least 3km of dedicated lanes], but in future as more of York Region’s BRT segments connect, we may invite them back to evaluate the elements of the connected system.


As York Region’s BRT system continues to expand, access to high-order transit and attractive streetscapes attracts new businesses and jobs, and gives people new options and opportunities. So the takeaway here is more than a medal. It’s the possibility of what’s to come.

Categories
Uncategorized

warranty & deficiency work ensures quality for years to come

When building rapidways for generations to enjoy, it’s important to make sure that the end product meets the requirements we set out to build. That’s why you may see work activity in the first couple of years after infrastructure projects are done.

Deficiencies

Everything – from the paver stones on the sidewalk, to the glass in the canopies, to the red asphalt – is tested, inspected and verified by qualified engineers with a keen eye for detail. Anything that doesn’t make the grade is placed on a “deficiencies list” that the builder is responsible to remedy.

Warranty work

Much like when you buy a new house, it can take one or two years for the foundations to settle, and for you to make note of where the finishes are less than desirable. Then the contractor comes back to fix all the nail pops and cracks in the drywall, fill any gaps in the molding and repaint where necessary. It ensures that you are happy with the work, and you get the most out of your home. Warranty work is the same idea for our facilities, stations and rapidways.

Project managers of infrastructure projects call this the warranty work phase – an opportunity to catch any issues so that they can be fixed while the infrastructure is still under warranty – a period of two years. Note that the two-year warranty period starts when the project is handed over to York Region.

It often takes all the seasons in a full year to see how things weather in our climate, or perform once in use. You could see operations such as grinding and smoothing of curbs, fixing paint finishes and filling small cracks and, of course, taking note of anything else that needs work. Some upcoming warranty works may be much bigger, like asphalt replacement.

Finishing work

That’s why this spring on Highway 7 West and along Bathurst & Centre in Vaughan, and on Yonge Street in Newmarket, you’ll see project completion work such as planting trees and shrubs, raised bike lane paving, permanent pavement markings, station finishings like anti-grafitti application, and caulking, etc.

Whether you’re a regular transit rider, or are considering your first trip on the rapidway, know that we are working hard to provide you with a quality experience – and infrastructure that’s built to last.

For information about ongoing vivaNext projects, be sure to subscribe to email updates, and follow us on Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. Questions or comments? Comment below or email us at contactus@vivanext.com.

Categories
Fun & Games History

happy holidays… all aboard!

We all have our favourite seasonal stories. Some love the old classics, others like the Grinch or Charlie Brown. Here at vivaNext we lean toward stories of transit of course, like The Polar Express for example. Maybe that’s because we identify with the boy in the story, just a little bit. We may not have been waiting for a magical train to the North Pole, but since before the 2005 launch of Viva service, we’ve believed in the possibility of a connected rapid transit network.

Back then, the vision to connect and transform communities wasn’t tangible. It seemed unbelievable that even one street would be transformed, let alone 34 km. But just a few years later we felt the magic of watching a Viva bus pull up to York Region’s very first vivastation at Warden and Enterprise in Markham.

Later, we saw Highway 7 East transform from a highway with gravel shoulders into a walkable destination with tree-lined sidewalks, and new places to live and work.

It wasn’t long before Davis Drive began to take shape in Newmarket, then the Highway 7 West rapidway and subway extension in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.

This year, we’ve jumped ahead in our journey, with a new terminal open for service in November, new segments of rapidway open in September and November – and even more rapidway corridors opening soon in Vaughan and Newmarket.

So now, the vision of connecting and transforming communities has come to life. This is the season to believe, so let’s believe in future possibilities. Instead of hoping for a magical Polar Express train to the North Pole, we’ll be moving forward with the Yonge Subway Extension to Highway 7, and a connected network of bus rapid transit across York Region. Thank you for believing, and have a safe and happy holiday!