Category: Construction

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Construction Going Green Live-work-play Rapidways Stations Urban Planning vivaNext.com

Working together to achieve transit success

You have heard us talk a lot about growth at vivaNext.  Managing growing communities and planning for the future are always top of mind. As the region that comprises nine local municipalities and is home to 1,084,000 residents, 29,000 businesses and 495,000 employees, York Region is the fastest growing region in the Greater Toronto Area. We are always striving to identify key opportunities to improve upon and expand rapid transit plans to support the Region’s increasing population.

The successful execution of the vivaNext rapid transit plans rely on collaboration. While collaboration seems like a long word that has enough syllables to leave you tongue-tied, to me the definition is simple – working together as a team. At vivaNext we strive to work hand in hand with all our stakeholders and neighbours. With open dialogue and information exchange we do our best to listen and address comments and concerns.

Our rapidways are being built along the Region’s busiest corridors where urban development is taking shape. Check out a few municipal videos showcasing local growth.

VivaNext is proud to be bringing York Region an exceptional transit system that will connect it to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area.

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Construction Live-work-play Rapidways Urban Planning vivaNext.com

The Growth Plan

York Region is growing and vivaNext is the plan to bring the next generation of rapid transit to service that growth. Funding has been granted for several projects within the plan, including bus rapid transit [BRT], a subway, a bus maintenance facility and bus terminals. But where does that plan start? In general, it starts with vision, professional expertise, time, money and a commitment to stick to the plan.

But to be more specific, like all really important initiatives, the starting point for a successful transit program is doing in-depth planning to assess the Region’s population trends, long-term growth forecasts, transportation and development patterns, and economic development goals.

The overall need for rapid transit and the specific projects that together make up vivaNext were first identified in the Region’s Transportation Master Plan, then thoroughly evaluated through a series of Environmental Assessments.

Consultations with approval agencies, such as conservation authorities and local heritage committees, as well as the broader community, including employers, ratepayer groups and chambers of commerce, also provided important input.

This multi-year planning process has involved many levels of professional expertise within and affiliated with York Region and our local municipalities, and is proof of our communities’ long-range stewardship to meet our future needs.

Once the planning is complete then the work of building the transit network begins. Work that requires a logical and disciplined approach, to identify which pieces need to be built first, forming the network’s backbone, and which components can come later. Construction also has to be carefully staged, to minimize the disruption to communities, businesses and travelers.

That logical progression has informed how we’re staging the construction of vivaNext, with the added complexity of planning for the greatest amount of connectivity between our network and the larger GTA transit network as it expands.

Our overall priority is to improve the transit network at every step, so that we all can benefit right away from having more transit choices and a welcoming streetscape.

All currently funded segments will be completed by the end of 2018. But that won’t be the end  – with vivaNext’s established success in delivering projects as planned, we hope to obtain new funding to complete the remaining segments of the network, including additional rapidway segments and the extension of the Yonge Subway to Highway 7.

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Construction General Rapidways Stations Uncategorized Urban Planning vivaNext.com

Understanding real-time travel time signs

We’ve all seen them at one time or another, the big orange and black electronic message boards relaying construction information and how long it will take to travel through a construction zone. You may have asked yourself how these signs provide up-to-date travel time and are they accurate? Perhaps you even timed it to test its accuracy.

These signs are Variable Messaging Signs [VMS]. You may have also heard them referred to as construction message boards. You will see them posted at key locations along the vivaNext rapidway corridors currently under construction. The signs operate from a bank of batteries. Energy from the sun, collected by solar panels on the top of the sign, recharges the batteries allowing the construction information and real-time travel information to stay lit.

The real-time travel information works from innovative Bluetooth technology based sensors to calculate travel times through the construction zone. Once a minute, the current average travel time is posted to the VMS. We were the first in North America to track Bluetooth data and convert it into real-time travel time displays to help commuters decide the best way to minimize their travel time through construction.

So how accurate is the real-time travel data on these signs? We keep a close eye on the travel times displayed on the VMS. We continuously monitor and check the accuracy of these signs to ensure the travel times provided are precisely the time it takes to travel through the construction.

The VMS are just one example of the tools and technology we use to keep you informed of rapidway construction. Check out vivanext.com for the latest news and if you haven’t already, sign up for construction updates.

We thank you for your patience during vivaNext rapidway construction. Once the transformation is complete, the rapidways will help connect communities, save people travel time on viva and transform the physical look and feel of the streets to be beautiful refreshed places to visit, shop or work.

 

Categories
Construction General Live-work-play Rapidways Uncategorized Urban Planning vivaNext.com

Finding the balance: maximizing construction while minimizing inconvenience

 

If you’ve ever been involved in a home renovation project then you know it’s far easier to work in a room that is empty or unused, rather than the high traffic rooms, like a kitchen or bathroom. It’s one of the biggest challenges vivaNext faces during the rapidway construction – how to work in a confined, busy space that’s open for business 24/7.

Building a roadway is a process that follows clearly defined steps and uses modern technology, equipment and materials.  In York Region, we are fortunate to have access to some of the best, most experienced construction contractors anywhere, so building the rapidways is – in some ways – a very straightforward project.  Straightforward, that is, until you realize that the rapidways are being built down the middle of some of the Region’s busiest roads.  So during construction, it’s critical to minimize the impact on people using the roadway by keeping travel lanes open during construction whenever possible.  This is where “construction staging” – the process of doing the work in specific phases or steps to manage within the available space and right-of-way [ROW] or easement comes in.

Construction needs to happen in its own separate space; excavators need to swing their buckets, concrete trucks need to make deliveries, and construction trucks need room to back up. For this reason, the first step in rebuilding one of these busy roads is to create some extra room for construction crews to work safely.  The best approach to do this is to take out the median, narrow each of the lanes and shift them over by repainting the lines. This way crews can work in the extra space that’s been freed up, before moving to the next.

Think of our kitchen example – it’s like putting down a new floor – you do one side, and then move your fridge and stove over to the completed side so you can do the other half. Once one section of construction is done, lanes are repainted again to shift them back, and begin work on the other side, working in stages along the entire segment.

To help manage the work areas, the Region also takes temporary and/or permanent easements or ROW’s on properties that are within York Region Rapid Transit’s construction limits. This ensures that when it’s time for a certain stage of construction the area is clear and available, permitting crews access during construction at any time. Easement areas include boulevards, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots fronting the rapidway construction. Rest assured, during construction, the vivaNext teams are committed to minimizing disruption, maintaining driveway access and keeping a sidewalk open at all times.

Sometimes you may even get the feeling that we’ve returned to an area even though it seemed like we were finished. It’s not déjà vu, what you’re actually seeing is our staging technique, where work is done in small, careful steps.

And just as you wouldn’t be able to live without your kitchen while you renovate, we will keep the roads open during construction, relying on staging to minimize the impact of work in order to finish as quickly as possible.  We thank you for your patience and hope you are following along as this amazing transformation unfolds.

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Construction Uncategorized Urban Planning vivaNext.com

Preserving the Union Hotel

With a population of only 2,000 people, Newmarket became an official town in 1880. The Union Hotel located at 425 Davis Drive was built soon after and remains an important part of Newmarket’s heritage.  The two-storey brick structure was designed by local architect John Ough and still has many of its original features, including mouldings, staircases and woodwork. Past owners include James Burke, a soda water manufacturer, Patrick Hodgins Sr. used it as a store and residence and more recently Robert Armstrong, had a real estate business.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Patrick Hodgins Jr. in 2010 about his memories of living at the property. From 1907 to 1940, his family played a big role in shaping this important corner of Newmarket.

Newmarket has since grown and now has 84,000 residents. To allow for the widening necessary to accommodate the vivaNext rapidway, the Union Hotel and the neighbouring two-storey concrete block building, are being set back on the same property, to preserve them as a reflection of Newmarket’s rich history.

Due to the nature of the work the buildings will be moved in two stages. The full relocation to the permanent location may take up to six months. Check out the steps involved or just follow construction as it unfolds along Davis Drive at vivanext.com.

 

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Construction Rapidways vivaNext.com

Davis Drive rapidway – construction ramps up

Signs of spring are in the air, for us at vivaNext spring symbolizes a time of year when construction work ramps up. Last year, we completed a number of important construction projects on the way to building the Davis Drive rapidway. This year, we kick off a very busy construction season with significant work starting in April.

Traffic lanes, sidewalks and bus stops will be shifting along Davis Drive, this is required to relocate, install and replace segments of infrastructure for hydro, gas, storm drain, water main, sewer line, phone and cable. These changes are part of the next phase of construction, providing workers sufficient room to start building the rapidway, station platforms and canopies. More details on the lane closures on Davis Drive are available at vivanext.com.

Crews will also be working on culverts on the south side of Eastern Creek (near Southlake Regional Health Centre) and Western Creek this year. The north side of Keith Bridge is scheduled to be complete in 2014.

We know construction can be daunting and we thank you for your patience and understanding. Please drive with care and give yourself extra time to get to your destination safely.

Updates about all of this work will be made available as they happen. If you have questions or concerns please contact your Community Liaison and sign up for construction updates to get the the latest construction information.

The vivaNext plan will help Newmarket continue to shape its growing community making it an even better place to work, shop and play.

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Construction Rapidways

Putting a new face on the old Keith Bridge

If you’ve been driving along Davis Drive recently, you’ve noticed the lane shift onto the new south side of the Keith Bridge, just east of the Tannery and the Seniors’ Meeting Place. In fact, if you’re on Davis Drive regularly you’ve seen the lane shifts for a few months.

Now that we’ve had time to do our preparatory work, we’re ready to start the next phase of bridge work. This week, the north side of Keith Bridge is being demolished so that we can rebuild and join it to the south side, completing the bridge. The demolition of the bridge will happen in two stages over the course of about one week – first the east half and then the west. Then the real work begins – building the bridge from the riverbed up to the road.

With all this work to do you may be wondering why we’d choose to start in the winter, instead of the spring or the summer. The bridge, named after William Keith, a Newmarket Reeve, an MPP and a Senior Magistrate in the early 1900s, spans the Holland River. Fisheries and Oceans Canada sets out specific timing for heavy construction [such as demolition] in and around water so that the spawning migrations of fish aren’t disturbed. We looked very closely at the factors and the timing involved before deciding that now is the best time to get the demolition done while not disrupting the fish.

Finishing the new Keith Bridge, complete with historic architectural features, in 2014 is a major part of the Davis Drive transformation. The new bridge will reflect Newmarket’s rich heritage and growing community, making it an even better place to live, work, shop and play.

 

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Construction General

Snow day at vivaNext

Snow day at vivaNext

A glance outside our windows tells us it’s a snow day in York Region. Our construction sites are blanketed in snow, but even though we’re inside, we have plenty to do.

Our contractors are hard at work rescheduling construction that was planned for today. Like a game of dominoes, each change affects another. If the work planned for today needs to be completed before we start the next task, then we’ll be busy reassigning crews and making sure that the upcoming construction falls back in line with the overall project schedule.

VivaNext staff who aren’t outside on construction sites support the construction behind the scenes with planning, design and communications. Before construction begins on a project, we plan how the project will look and function, and we also refine the design of everything from the location of each vivastation to the types of trees we’ll plant. Sometimes there’s coordination to be done with local municipalities or private companies, so we work with everyone to ensure the project goes smoothly once construction gets started.

All of our projects are at different stages of development, and so we have staff working on different parts of each project. The Highway 7 East rapidway is in its final year of construction, whereas Davis Drive in Newmarket is about to start road widening this summer. Highway 7 West is just getting started with construction in Vaughan, and the Yonge Street rapidway is beginning with surveys and utility work. The Spadina Subway Extension from Downsview Station to Highway 7 in Vaughan continues, with tunneling beginning soon in Vaughan.

We’re also busy planning open houses for a few of our projects this spring and once dates are confirmed, we’ll be letting everyone know. If you have time on this snowy weekend, take a moment to sign up for email updates to find out about open houses, and construction underway in your area.

 

Categories
Construction Stations

Lighting up the neighbourhood

It’s the dark days of winter, and our crews are truly lighting up Highway 7 in Richmond Hill. They’re trying out the lighting installed at our new vivastations between Bayview and Highway 404, and it’s an exciting sign that rapidways are well and truly on the way to Highway 7.

Energy-efficient throughout and functional in all weather, these lighting systems are designed to make it easy to identify each station, and are an important safety feature for passengers waiting. Lighting also helps drivers to clearly see the rapidway in the middle of the road.

It’s not all about the bright lights though. Vivastations are being built with reflective, tinted glass curved panels that arch overhead to keep snow and rain off. A glass-enclosed area in the middle of each station has motion-activated heaters, and the raised platform eliminates the need to climb or lift objects up onto a viva vehicle. Technology includes security surveillance and intercom on the platform, and arrival/departure screens with real-time scheduling information.

We already have the first example of a vivastation built in Markham, south of Highway 7 on Warden, so the best way to experience a vivastation is to hop on and off at one. Vivastations will follow a consistent design, but station platforms will be located on different sides of the intersection in some cases. At Bayview Avenue, the vivastation platforms will be curbside, with unique towers alongside that have stairs and elevators leading to Bayview Avenue.

As the days get longer with more sunshine in spring and summer, we’ll start to see the gleaming glass of vivastations along Highway 7. By next winter, vivastation lights will be on, and Highway 7 will be a brighter place for everyone.

 

Categories
Construction vivaNext.com

Looking back on 2012…and forward to 2013

Wow – what progress has been made in the past year on our rapidway projects! Just a few years ago we were in the planning and pre-construction stages for each of our projects. It’s remarkable to see the plans taking shape, construction underway and truly visible changes happening.

On Highway 7 East between Bayview and Highway 404, much of the heavy road work and vivastation construction was completed in 2012. We have some paving to do in the spring, along with finishing work on sidewalks and stations. This stretch of Highway 7 shows the layout of dedicated transit lanes and vivastations and how it will all work. Once the finishing work and landscaping is done, we’ll really be able to see the transformation of Highway 7. East of Highway 404 to Warden, the last few months have seen huge changes, including road widening and prep work for the centre-lane vivastations leading to Warden Station – our fully built vivastation that’s been in service since 2011. In 2013, we’re planning to have the finishing work complete so we can put the rapidway to use between Bayview and Highway 404. East of Highway 404, vivastations will be popping up all year, with finishing work underway in 2014.

Davis Drive in Newmarket is starting to show big changes. Utility work continues, hydro poles were moved and replaced earlier this year, and culvert work is underway to the east of the hospital. Near The Tannery, traffic is now driving on the new south side of the Keith Bridge, and pedestrians can run their hands along the new bridge railing – a nod to the history of this area. In 2013, construction will continue, as crews build a new north side of the Keith Bridge, and begin to widen Davis Drive.

In 2012, the design/build contract was awarded for rapidway construction on Highway 7 West in Vaughan, from Edgeley Boulevard to Bowes Road. We’ve already started surveying and testing this section of Highway 7, and in 2013, crews will be relocating utilities and preparing for road widening.

A rapidway is on the way for Yonge Street in Richmond Hill [Highway 7 to 19th/Gamble] and Newmarket [Mulock to Davis] too, and we’ll be awarding the contract for that work in 2013. Then we’ll be surveying and testing these sections of Yonge Street, as we plan and schedule the construction work ahead.

We know it’s important to be able to get where you need to go, and that’s why we keep lanes open as much as possible during peak traffic hours. Occasionally, we need to temporarily detour entrances and sidewalks and relocate transit stops, and in these cases we do everything we can to make sure everyone knows.

We look forward to great transformations on York Region’s key roads in 2013. We hope that your holiday season is merry, and that 2013 brings great things to you and yours.

Click here to see our holiday card!