Category: Innovation

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
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
Announcements Bridge Expansion Commissioning Crosswalks cycling Design Innovation Live-work-play pedestrian path Uncategorized

meet the NEW multi-use path on Highway 7 West

If you’re walking, strolling, jogging or cycling Highway 7 West in Woodbridge, there is a new multi-use path in the centre of the road to get you across the bridge over Highway 400. Watch our new video for a bird’s-eye view and a peek at what it’s like when you’re in it.

This protected path for pedestrians and cyclists has signalized intersections at each end to enable safe crossings back to the sides of Highway 7.

Separated from traffic and transit vehicles by concrete barrier walls on either side, the multi-use path is wide enough for two-way travel. By bringing travellers away from the outside of the bridge, as well as the busy ramps of Highway 400, the new multi-use path improves regular traffic flow, and crucially for pedestrians and cyclists offers an effective, convenient solution as people make connections to and from the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and throughout Vaughan and York Region.

While centre-road travel for cyclists and pedestrians is a new concept here in York Region, they’ve been built in the U.S. and were originally inspired by the Sands Street Bikeway in Brooklyn, NY.

Integrated with the City of Vaughan’s bike lane program and York Region’s network of bike lanes, the multi-use path connects with raised bike lanes and wider pedestrian sidewalks west of Highway 400, from Famous Avenue to Bruce Street [raised bike lanes opening in 2020], and with bike lanes already constructed on Highway 7 from Edgeley Boulevard/Interchange Way to Bowes Road/ Baldwin Avenue, as well as up Millway Avenue to the subway and the newly opened SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre.

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

Categories
Funding Future Projects Innovation

with smart investment, there’s more to come

with smart investment, there’s more to come

This year has been all about what’s to come. Along with our bus rapid transit [BRT] and transit terminals projects we have on the go, there is more to be done to ensure York Region has a transportation network that is complete and sustainable:

  • Yonge Subway Extension [YSE] – Preliminary design and engineering is already underway for York Region’s top transit priority. Once full capital funding is committed for this 5-station, 7.4 km extension from Finch to Highway 7, it will be ready to proceed to procurement, full engineering and construction. For more info, visit our YSE project page
  • next phase of BRT – More than 75 km of new dedicated lanes for Viva, along Yonge Street, Highway 7 East and West, Jane Street, Major Mackenzie Drive and Leslie Street. These projects are vital to ensure that York Region has a completely connected system, making the most of the investment already made into BRT. Why Bus Rapid Transit? The capacity fits the projected ridership on most of our routes, it’s relatively economical to build and flexible to expand. For more information about these BRT projects, click here, or look at our interactive map of unfunded rapid transit projects in York Region.
  • building innovation – Helping York Region benefit from the changes to technology and mobility, by researching trends and building partnerships – find our 10-year business plan here.

York Region is a big municipality – with a growing number of residents and businesses. To ensure everyone can travel from A to B without overloading our roads with traffic congestion, we’re putting a fast, reliable transit system in place, on some of our busiest roads. We’re also looking at new ideas in travel and mobility. We’re researching new types of transit vehicles, sustainable solutions and innovative funding partnerships.

Growth can be great when it’s managed well, and for this we need smart investments that bring York Region’s bright future to life!

Categories
Going Green Innovation Uncategorized

visions of the future

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

Cellphones, television and public transit all have something in common – innovation.  At the time of their initial release, they each took a simple task [i.e., communication, entertainment and travel] and turned it into something easier and more accessible.  As time marched forward, each has continued to innovate.  Cellphones are now smartphones, televisions became “smart” and our favourite shows can be streamed.  Transit has also changed, from basic buses to GPS-tracked high-capacity vehicles with payment by smartphone and WIFI at terminals.

For several years, York Region Rapid Transit Corporation has hired summer students in various fields of work such as engineering, communications, finance, etc.  As part of their summer experience and learning, we assigned a group project to the students.  This year, the guidelines were purposely vague.  We asked our 16 students to imagine what the future would look like.  This task was not to focus only on transit, but big picture ideas as well – such as environmental, social/health benefits and community engagement.  They were to brainstorm, research, and then present their ideas to their colleagues and managers.  Here are a few amazing ideas they brought forward:

  • Customized transit services, available at the right time and place for each individual
  • Environmentally conscious travel, with solar panels and a commitment to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions
  • A change to the economy, where businesses and agencies can not only rent ad space on public transit, but also rent space to provide services
  • Social benefits, helping people to foster happiness and wellbeing by increasing their daily social interactions
  • More community engagement, where people can easily connect to what’s around them

No matter what your vision of the future looks like, it’s about making changes for the better.  If our young people are seeing these types of changes, you can bet that at least some aspects of them will come true.  We hope so, and we hope to see our students use their innovative thinking to flourish in their chosen careers!

Say innovation! 13 of our summer students from 2018

Categories
Innovation Transit

powering the future of transit

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

In the same way people choose to fuel themselves with a variety of foods, there are many ways to fuel a vehicle. In fact, the industrialized world experimented with different fuel options such as steam and electricity for a few decades being using petroleum-fueled combustion engines to move vehicles. Over a century later alternative fuel options are on the upswing, especially for transit vehicles.

Transit already offers an environmental benefit by transporting more people with fewer vehicles, but it’s also been an early adopter when it comes to alternative fuels. According to the US-based Alternative Fuels Data Center, more than 40% of transit vehicles use them [compared to less than 10% for private vehicles].

Through research and trial and error, a few types of fuel have begun to take hold in recent years including:

Hybrid-electric

Hybrid-electric is a popular choice for transit services – for example Saskatoon Transit, and at least 30% of the TTC bus fleet. Hybrid vehicles combine internal combustion – buses are usually diesel – with electric, to save in the range of 40 – 50 % in fuel and emissions.

Compressed Natural Gas [CNG]

Some transit companies have made the fuel switch to Compressed Natural Gas [CNG]. CNG is methane under pressure, and when used in a combustion engine it produces fewer greenhouse gases than gasoline, diesel and propane.

Biodiesel and propane

There are also biodiesel and propane, and while they are less common, biodiesel has been used successfully by some European transit services, and propane is a commonfuel for school buses.

Electric

Last, but certainly not least, are electric-powered vehicles. These are becoming more popular and are considered by many transit agencies to be the future of transit. In Canada, transit fleets in Toronto, Quebec City, Montreal, Windsor and Edmonton are purchasing or operating all-electric vehicles, and York Region has electricity in mind as well.

Alternative fuels are already important for transit, and are a key part of a greener future.  It may take time, but the vision is there.

Categories
Innovation Technical Urban Planning

your journey, your way

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

Work, shopping, school, lunch with friends – you have places to be, things to do, and you need a way to get there.  Your journey has to be tailored to you, and with the drastic makeover transportation has received in recent years; it’s now easier than ever.

Whether you need to rush to get somewhere on time, or you want to chat with your friends while someone else drives, there are a multitude of options available to craft the perfect journey:

  • Transit: Taking transit from one region to another is made simple with the trip planning and payment apps that have become available. Triplinx is one example of a tool for finding the fastest route with real-time arrival updates.
  • Cars: With ridesharing, there’s more than one way to get from A to B. Services like Uber and Lyft operate 24/7 using phone apps. Car sharing services are a popular choice for those who occasionally need a short-term rental – choices vary from ZipCar to the peer-to-peer Turo. And, there’s always carpooling with a friend.
  • Active transportation: With the beautiful weather this summer is giving us, active transportation is a great choice. Companies such as BikeShare and Lime take the hassle out of renting with multiple options such as bikes, scooters etc. With docking stations all over the city, you won’t have to worry about parking in specific spots.

Car sharing and bike sharing services are relatively new to the GTA and haven’t crossed municipal boundaries to York Region yet, but York Region is growing, so there will be more to come. After all, just five years ago there was no such thing as bus rapid transit, or subway, in York Region. Now we have more than 12 km of rapidways and 18 vivastations, and a subway extension that reaches Highway 7 in Vaughan. Your life and daily activities are unique to you, and your transportation choices should reflect that.  Finding new ways to get places is easier than ever with new technologies evolving every day.

Categories
General Going Green Innovation Studies Uncategorized

keeping it green, one ride at a time

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

As a society, most of us agree we need to do our part to take care of our environment, ensuring future generations can enjoy it.  Helping out the environment can start with small steps such as using a reusable water bottle, switching to paper straws and making a conscious effort to properly recycle materials that we use.

Another step we can take in the right direction is the way we travel.  Different transportation methods have different impacts on the environment.  Active modes of transportation such as walking and biking are the most ideal but are not always practical for long distance travel. Transit is the next best option that benefits the environment.

A bigger step in making environmentally-friendly choices is building infrastructure that makes it easy to choose transit. Transit and communities built close to transit provide a multitude of benefits to the environment including:

  • Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions: One bus can replace up to 70 cars on the road.
  • Alternative Fuels: The number of buses using alternative fuels increased significantly in the past 10 years, according to the U.S Federal Transit Administration. In April, the Government of Ontario committed to investing in a new pilot program that will allow York Region to purchase six, forty-foot electric battery-powered buses.
  • Air quality: The more people use transit, the fewer cars there are on the road which will significantly improve the air quality.
  • Protecting land: The Oak Ridges Moraine Act [2001] and the Greenbelt Act [2005] together protect 69% of York Region’s land. By building compact, transit-oriented development where growth should be, in our city centres, we help conserve the remaining 31% from suburban sprawl.

We have more projects to come, both bus rapid transit and subway, and they all contribute to making the environment better. We only have one earth; let’s do our part to take care of it.

Categories
General Innovation Uncategorized

more choices, more benefits #moretocome

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

Ah, the freedom of summer. Warm weather opens up our options – we’re more likely to play, travel, and/or work outside. Whether you walk, bike, take transit or drive, how you get from A to B is your choice.

We all value the freedom to choose, and that’s why it’s important to keep building infrastructure that expands our travel options. In York Region, many people are choosing to live in places where they have more options. Vaughan Metropolitan Centre, Markham Centre, downtown Richmond Hill and Newmarket – what all of our urban centres have in common is that there are lots of choices in where to go, and how to get there.

When you’re out and about this summer, consider travelling in a new way – hop on Viva or YRT, get there on foot, or ride a bike. Many of York Region’s attractions are easy to get to, and transit is a great option. If you travel along one of our completed rapidways, we hope you’ll see how adding more travel choices with attractive streets and landscaping benefits all of us and creates spaces and places we can all enjoy.

Categories
General Innovation Live-work-play Studies

more social and free time, less traffic #moretocome

Blogpost by: Sara Grilli

The sight of a child smiling at everyone, two strangers striking up conversation, a passenger helping a parent with a stroller and others offering their seat can bring on positive feelings.  Even if everyone isn’t always smiling, daily interactions like these contributed most people’s wellbeing. As this Scientific American blog entry notes, being social is important. It’s a benefit of taking transit – a benefit we all miss out on if we commute by ourselves in a car.

Social interactions have been linked to health benefits, even if it’s just nodding and smiling to a few people.  When choosing transit, here are some more benefits:

  • Free time: It’s easier than ever to catch up on work [or your Instagram feed]. Viva seats are even equipped with tables near the back of the bus in case you want a surface for your keyboard or sketch pad.
  • Fewer cars on the road: Traffic congestion has been the #1 concern for York Region residents for more than a decade, and one Viva bus can replace up to 70 cars on the road.
  • Faster trips: Reduced travel times help you get where you need to go – faster and more conveniently. On Highway 7 East and on Davis Drive in 2016, Viva rapidway service was at least 30% faster than travelling with regular traffic.
  • Easy connections: As transit services continue to integrate fares, it’s simpler to connect between YRT/Viva, GO and TTC. With a PRESTO card it is easier than ever to tap and go!

These benefits just begin to scratch the surface of what the future of public transportation can offer and with new technologies and ideas; the future is never far away. Mobility as a service is a growing industry and we are learning and growing along with it.

For a look at some of our photos and videos, be sure to check out our Instagram account, and sign up for updates today, because there is always #MoreToCome.