Category: General

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Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals General Rapidways Stations Technical Traffic signals

proof of performance

The days are counting down and the excitement is growing. The launch of our extraordinary new vivastation at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, along with the ground-breaking TTC Line 1 subway extension and our rapidway, is only four days away. Now we have one last crucial task to complete before our gorgeous new station joins the transit mega-hub at the VMC: we need to carry out commissioning.

testing, one, two, three

Commissioning of the new bus rapid transit station is similar to the process we do for all our new stations, rapidways and facilities. Very simply, it means confirming everything we installed, from the heaters and automatic doors in the passenger enclosures, to the cameras, speakers and variable message signs [VMS] on the platforms, works the way it’s supposed to.

Before their work is done, our builders have to test every single device and piece of equipment to demonstrate they met all their obligations. The station has complex equipment for fares and security, and all the general building components like lights, plumbing, and electrical connections. Systems connect to the central York Region control room, enabling them to see the platforms, hear the speakers, run messages on the VMS and communicate through emergency call buttons. During commissioning, every light switch, outlet and connection is tested. Our builder also works with the new station owners, YRT/Viva, to help them assume operation.

smart systems

The new station is part of a highly sophisticated system which includes the broader rapidway network and its whole range of intelligent transportation system [ITS] features. ITS is really the reason Viva is able to operate as a rapid transit service, keeping our system running on time with supervision from YRT/Viva’s central control room.

trial run

A critical part of commissioning is testing the newly finished components in the new VMC station and the surrounding rapidway, to make sure they’re all connected properly to the control room and the rest of the system. Testing for full integration requires that we run buses through the new rapidway for a day. During that process, we’ll make sure that all the traffic-related components are communicating properly to the buses and to the general system, and ensure the traffic signal timing is set for optimal travel times.

This station has one more layer of complexity beyond the other stations we’ve built, because of its connections to the TTC. We need to check every interface with the TTC system, which includes electrical connections running between our station and their panels below.

Commissioning is the final step, and you can see why it’s so important to do it carefully and methodically. Because of that complexity, some work will continue on the station in 2018. But once it’s finished, get ready to celebrate and enjoy faster transit with us!

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Announcements Commissioning Community Events Construction Facilities and terminals General Rapidways Stations Subways Urban Planning

Transit gets epic in Vaughan this Sunday

Get ready for the game-changer. Transit is about to get epic at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC], and you’re invited. On Sunday, December 17, this public launch event is set to change the face of transit forever in York Region.

The public opening of the TTC Line 1 Subway Extension will make history, as the first subway ever in York Region brings transit customers up to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.

Today was another great day for integrated transit connections in the York Region and the GTHA – as we celebrated the official opening of the newest bus rapid transit [BRT] rapidway segment and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC] Station on Highway 7 West. This new vivastation will be fully connected to the new VMC subway station.

Bus rapid transit meets subway for the first time!

you’ll be moved!

The new rapidway section runs west of Jane Street to Edgeley Boulevard, with dedicated centre lanes that will whisk riders to the VMC with faster and more consistent travel times. Including the previously completed section, the rapidway will run the full 3.6 kilometres from Bowes Road to Edgeley, the bus-only lanes clearly marked for drivers with red asphalt.

Coming in 2018, SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal will complete the transit powerhouse at VMC, as YRT buses begin providing services from this stunning new bus terminal.

an extraordinary station

Along with the rapidway comes an extraordinary vivastation for a new downtown destination – the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre rapidway station. The design supersized our traditional vivastation arched glass canopies, inspired by historic and modern European transportation architecture. The open, airy, domed glass canopy shelters the road and station.

the future is now

It’s only 43 minutes via subway to downtown from the VMC, but there’s no need to go anywhere. If you’re at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, you’ve already arrived!

Welcome to the brilliant future of transit-oriented development, right here, right now in York Region. The VMC shows what it’s all been about: rapid transit connections that fuel livable, walkable, desirable communities, spur jobs and economic growth, creating places where we all want to live, work and play.

 

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Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals General Rapidways Safety Stations Technical

the concrete choice

If you’ve ever renovated your home, you know about the endless options for flooring: tile, wood, carpet, stone. Once you select your material, you have to make more choices about colour, finish, how it should be arranged, even the kind and colour of grout. So many decisions! Of course, as with all design questions, your choices are shaped first and foremost by the space and its function: wet or dry? Formal or casual? How much wear will it get?

the floor dilemma

Our design teams faced similar quandaries when working out the details for the rapidway platform floor of the new Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station [Viva bus rapid transit].

All of our other open air vivastations have tiled platform floors, so the obvious choice would be to use that in the new VMC Station. But this station faced an additional level of complexity, being built above the subway extension.

The top of the subway station extends to just under the vivastation foundation, providing limited depth to work with. Installing the tiles with concrete underneath as required would use up space needed for essential power and communications cables. A concrete floor became the ideal alternative.

durable by nature

Concrete flooring for the platform works better in the space we have, and the durability means less maintenance is required, saving money down the road. The VMC Station floor will be getting a lot of use in a relatively small space. We know concrete will perform.

But, we also want great aesthetics. Fortunately, concrete is also versatile.

Outside the station along the sidewalks of Highway 7 are paver stones laid in a distinctive pattern. Inside the station, we’re re-creating that look with concrete. First, we built the concrete molds to match the sidewalk, then poured each section with matching colours of concrete.

functions like concrete, looks like tile

Because the platform floor continues beyond the shelter of the vivastation canopy, we needed to ensure it’s not slippery. Before the concrete set, every concrete slab was given a hand-applied swirl finish to provide a measure of slip-resistance. We have also done decorative work on each section to create the appearance of tile.

Just like you’d want for your own home, the final result will meet design goals in every way: strong, durable, easy-to-maintain, and functional. And nice to look at, too.

 

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Announcements economic & financial General Live-work-play Safety Studies Urban Planning

home, safe, home in York Region

If you want to live in a safe place, come to York Region. York Region is one of the safer places in Canada to call home, according to Maclean’s magazine list of Canada’s most dangerous places to live.

low crime rates

The Region is well down the list at #201, making it the 30th safest area to live in.

The rankings come from a crime severity index, calculated by the type and frequency of crime: violence, drugs, theft/property and youth crime. York Region falls below the national average on every front, often far below.

See the rankings

strong communities by design

Low crime is just one of the many reasons our region is a great place to live, along with the Region’s thriving economy, impressive job growth and strong sense of community. In the future, we hope our Region will also be known for the strength of its rapid transit network.

At vivaNext, we’re fortifying the future of our communities with rapidways. Having a transit network in place is the ticket for transit-oriented development — smart growth designed with the new urbanism in mind. The vision is one of compact, walkable communities served by transit, where people want to live.

We know we need to be ready for our Region’s future population – we’re expected to reach 1.79 million residents by 2041, up from today’s 1.2 million. But we also want to preserve the essence of our communities that made them desirable in the first place.

streets for everyone

VivaNext rapidways come with streets for everyone: pedestrians, cyclists, drivers and transit riders. Attractive streetscapes and landscaping enhance the allure. The rapid transit projects foster mixed-use land development, increasing population density while reducing urban sprawl. These are the kind of communities that go the distance, designed to be strong, caring and safe for the long-haul.

 

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Commissioning Construction Design Facilities and terminals General Stations Technical

a vent shaft becomes a thing of beauty

Building transit infrastructure comes with some mandatory requirements, and not all of them are pretty, at least not to start. Take a vent shaft, an absolute necessity for the subway to vent air and for fire safety. One of these vent shafts had to be located right in the middle of our new SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal.

design becomes experience

Who says vent shafts have to be ugly? At vivaNext, we know that the design of a place becomes the experience. SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal is a new breed of bus terminal – beautiful, airy and open, not at all like the stereotypical bus terminal of yesteryear.

In the middle of this, the eyesore of a square, unattractive vent shaft simply would not do. Since the vent shaft was already the centrepoint, we transformed it into the centerpiece, designing it as an artistic element of the bus station.

catching the light

The vent shaft will still be there, masked by a far more elegant exterior. Flat, stainless steel metal panels punched through with a flower pattern were fastened together to create a curved shape, almost diamond-like in appearance.

In the sunshine, it will catch the light. At night, it will be lit up from the inside. Through it all, the air from the subway will vent, serving its purpose, and proving that, yes, vent shafts can be beautiful.

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Announcements Awards Commissioning Facilities and terminals General Press Rapidways Stations Subways Urban Planning

be ready… 30 days to subway

The countdown is on, and we can hardly wait! The first subway in York Region will arrive in just 30 days. The TTC Line 1 subway extension is a game-changer for transit in Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC], York Region, and beyond.

Changes of this magnitude are fueled by the power of collaboration and funding partnerships. Today, vivaNext participated in a media event to kick off the countdown in earnest, along with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the City of Toronto and the TTC.

Read the news release

mega-connections at VMC

The TTC Line 1 extension isn’t the only connection coming your way. Everything’s changing, and that makes for better, faster transit service.

  • The Highway 7 West rapidway between Edgeley Boulevard and Jane Street, including Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station in the centre of Highway 7, will open for service.
  • SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal will begin hosting YRT/Viva soon after.

Imagine, hopping on Line 1 at VMC Station and arriving downtown in just 45 minutes. Or from the subway, connecting directly to our Highway 7 West rapidway, or walking two minutes to the SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal, where YRT/Viva routes branch out across York Region. Soon you won’t have to imagine!

Today’s event was a warm-up for the big celebration on December 17, and you’re invited to share the celebration. Check vivaNext.com/VMCopening for links to detailed information.

award-winning design

In other news, our rapidway in Vaughan is already getting noticed, for the quality of the design and also for the collaboration behind the scenes that makes it all come together.

Earlier this week, we were honoured to receive an Award of Merit from the Vaughan Urban Design Awards for the first phase of our Highway 7 West rapidway. The awards celebrate excellence in architecture, urban design, landscape architecture and environmental stewardship.

The rapidway, running from Jane Street to Bowes Road, was unanimously praised by the jury as “A great example of collaboration and investment between multiple levels of government to demonstrate significance on a city-wide scale.”

The jury also called the rapidway “a catalyst to knit communities together”, noting that the project “presents public transit as a ‘cool and hip’ mode of transportation” and “makes the everyday experience of transit a beautiful one.”

We hope you agree. Riding transit can be a beautiful experience.

Categories
Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals General Rapidways Stations Technical

a modern take on the ancient dome

Here’s a question: what do some of the most impressive structures in the world, including many of the great cathedrals of Europe and the Pantheon in Rome, have in common with our new bus rapid transit station at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre?

The answer: they’ve all followed the same basic construction technique for building a dome, which has been around for at least 2,000 years.

Domes have traditionally been reserved for a select number of important buildings which need to be impressively open and dramatic. Another reason there aren’t a lot of domes is because they’re more difficult to build compared to standard rectangular buildings. We loved the idea of creating an open and airy space for the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre rapidway station, making it big enough for viva buses to drive right through. We also wanted it to be special, and symbolic of Vaughan’s new downtown.

Although building materials may have evolved over the past 2,000 years, the general approach for building domes hasn’t really changed. First, strong, deep foundations are constructed to take on the full weight of the dome. Then, a temporary support structure is built. Gradually the permanent exterior shape is created up around the support structure until the dome is closed at the top. Once the dome is complete and able to support itself, the temporary support structure is removed, piece by piece.

Ancient domes would have had wooden temporary support structures, with the outer dome made of stones added one at a time. Although the materials we used are modern, we followed the same classical construction technique. First we built a steel temporary structure. Over that we installed the station’s outer dome, a steel frame welded together one segment at a time.

With the outer steel structure fully installed and all the structural welding complete, we carefully removed the temporary support structure one piece at a time, which took a couple of weeks. After this process was complete, construction inside the station began.

All the weight of the station is supported by the subway structure underneath the station, and 25 metre-deep piles or caissons which extend underground to the same level as the subway.

With its glass and steel shell exterior and high-tech comfort and amenities inside, we know you’re going to love using our new station for its modern look and functionality. But you can be proud of the fact that, from an architectural standpoint, it’s joining a pretty special group of buildings that have been built to stand the test of time.

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General

transformation >> made in York Region

Transformation >> made in York Region

York Region’s rapid rate of growth is increasing along with housing options in our downtown areas. Some of our communities look more like cities than towns, with Vaughan and Markham even changing their name from “Town” to “City.”

This increase in growth that York Region has experienced has influenced the ways in which our cities and towns are represented. Markham was named Canada’s most diverse city and is known as Canada’s high-tech capital, and Vaughan is one of York Region’s fastest-growing municipalities, and home to exciting achievements. Some of the fun ones: fastest roller-coaster in Canada, and tallest condominium building in York Region.

On Highway 7 just west of Jane Street is Vaughan’s new vibrant downtown, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC). The VMC is being built with live-work-play in mind – a mix of residential, business and retail, combined with transportation connections and planned greenspace.

Markham is well on its way, with Highway 7 East transformed from a car-focused highway to a complete street with sidewalks, bike lanes and rapid transit. Vaughan’s transformation is unfolding now, with new housing and transportation options to support the growing number of new residents and businesses. This is transformation >> made in York Region.

 

By Adrianna Damiano

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General Safety

a look forward >> fall and winter

a look forward >> fall and winter

We’re holding onto summer, but signs of fall are all around us. Kids waiting for buses in new jackets and boots, fall decorations in the stores, and even the geese are starting to head south.

We know many students walk and take our Viva buses to get to and from school, so we hope those who choose to drive remember to stay alert and keep an eye out for kids, especially at intersections and in construction zones.

Rapid transit construction continues this fall and winter in Newmarket, Richmond Hill and Vaughan. This December, students in Vaughan and at York University will have exciting new transit options, with Viva buses on the new Highway 7 rapidway taking riders to the subway extension – in service in December – along with a YRT bus terminal within walking distance.

Did you miss a few things on your back-to-school list? If so, be sure to check out the shops in our construction areas >> Shop 7, Shop Yonge, and Shop Bathurst & Centre!

 

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Construction General Rapidways Utilities Video

a year on Yonge

a year on Yonge

‘Tis the season when we sit back and reflect on the year which has passed and prepare for the year ahead.

2016 was a big year for utility work on Yonge Street in both Newmarket and Richmond Hill. Gas and telecommunications installations were completed in Newmarket and water main and gas work made significant progress in Richmond Hill.

Through all of the construction barrels, mud, noise and mess on Yonge Street, we took pictures every step of the way and put together a video which captures the progress of rapidway construction in both Newmarket and Richmond Hill.

It is amazing to look back and remember all that can be achieved in just one short year. We look forward to another productive year in 2017!