2018 has been a year of progress, working toward completing our funded projects, and continuing to develop plans for new transit projects.
In Vaughan, our Viva rapidway project on Highway 7 West and along Bathurst and Centre Streets is approaching the final stretch. In 2018, we installed canopies at seven vivastations, installed a massive culvert under Highway 7, paved red asphalt between Bathurst and Yonge Street, and continued to expand the bridge over Highway 400. In 2019, you’ll see rapidway construction in centre lanes, more paving and permanent features, leading up to opening for service in phases.
Yonge Street in Newmarket reached several milestones this year, including new storm sewers and water mains, raised bike lanes, and a traffic shift, allowing crews to perform work on the vivastation platforms in the middle of the road. In Richmond Hill, work included curb installations, base paving, storm sewer and other utility work, and more progress is expected in 2019.
Construction began on Cornell Bus Terminal in Markham near Markham-Stouffville hospital, and construction of a new bus terminal is underway in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. We expect to see significant progress on these terminals in 2019.
The preliminary planning, design and engineering phase of the Yonge Subway Extension was underway in 2018, and will continue in 2019.
There’s more to come, as we work toward funding, for capital construction of the Yonge Subway Extension, and for 75 more kilometres of rapidways across York Region. To keep up with York Region’s growth, we have to continue building our transit network. And to do this, we’re exploring all of York Region’s transportation options to create a sustainable future.