Categories
Construction

VivaNext’s underground world

Underground conduit being installed

Recently at one of our weekly project meetings, I was thinking about how much time our designers and field engineers spend discussing and planning for things that are invisible to most people, and in many cases aren’t even directly related to our rapid transit project.

Every foot of our design work for the vivaNext construction project has had to take into consideration a dizzying array of underground utilities, their service connections to customers and residents, and unknown buried utility lines that may or may not be abandoned. Interfering with or changing any of those elements isn’t an option, because they’re part of the critically important infrastructure that everyone living or working in our Region depends on. We need to either work around them, relocate them, or bury them even deeper before we can do our own work.

So here’s a primer on everything located out of sight, in the underground world of vivaNext construction.

First, let’s think about all the things that everyone needs – water, electricity, heat, sanitation. In York Region, the larger the infrastructure the deeper into the ground it goes. All utilities need to be a minimum of 1 metre below ground.

Storm sewers are installed 2 metres below the curb while watermains are placed under the middle of roads at depths of 4 metres or more. There are two main water lines on the north and sound sides of Hwy 7, as well as storm sewers running up every street Highway 7 intersects.

Gas mains are installed 1.5 metres deep as close to property lines as possible, and when they cross under roads and creeks they’re as deep as 2.5 metres.

Telecommunication conduits can be installed in the boulevard at a depth of 1 metre due to their smaller size. As the population grows, so does the demand for telecommunication services, so quick access to these lines is important.

Then there are all the other things people want in their homes. How about a phone line? Or a line for your computer? And don’t forget the cable you need to watch your favourite TV show. During our construction projects, we’re coordinating with all the private telecommunications companies, as well as York Telecommunications Network (YTN) which provides connectivity to Viva bus stops. Where a lot of telecommunications lines need to be installed, they’re placed in a concrete encased duct bank.

And then there are the culverts, catch basins, manhole covers, oil grit separators for the storm sewers, and the fire hydrants. Add the underground elements for our landscaping, including tree soil cells and irrigation lines, plus foundations for bridges and other structures. That pretty much covers the main elements that are underground – and we didn’t even mention the utility work taking place above ground!

So if you ever thought it was taking a long time for us to begin building the above ground part of the project, you’ll know why we devote so much time to locating, designing around, and in some cases relocating, underground components before we can build on the surface.

Categories
Community Events

Visit us at the Markham Spring Home Show

Visit us at the Markham Spring Home ShowIf the mild weather we’ve had this winter isn’t enough to smile about, we can remember that spring is on the way. Just before the turn of the seasons, the Markham Spring Home Show will offer a preview of what spring will bring.

Along with the green grass and flowers, spring brings construction. So if you’re at the Markham Spring Home Show this weekend, drop by our booth and talk to us about what’s happening in 2012 in Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan and Newmarket. Like the changes you might make to your home, the rapidways will transform York Region’s key corridors into attractive places to live, work and play. If you have any questions or would like to look at some pictures, staff at the vivaNext booth will be happy to help.

The show is host to over 100 vendors, and celebrity speakers will include pastry chef Anna Olson and gardening experts Mark Cullen and Frank “Flowers” Ferragine. If you drop by our booth to chat, we’ll give you a lip balm to help protect you from spring weather. Hope to see you there!

Markham Spring Home Show 2012

When:
Friday, March 2  (1pm to 9pm)
Saturday, March 3  (10am to 6pm)
Sunday, March 4  (11am  to 5pm)

Where: Markham Fairgrounds
10801 McCowan Road, Markham, ON

Categories
Construction Stations

Winter work

Warden Station in Markham - Winter construction in 2010-2011

This winter has been unusually warm so far, but we probably can’t count on the balmy temperatures continuing all the way through until spring. But at the same time, our vivaNext rapidway construction schedule requires that we make good progress during winter. Although it might be surprising to see construction happening in winter, some work will be taking place – with a little modification to our warmer weather construction methods.

Over the winter, work continues along the boulevards on Highway 7 East, and we’ll build the foundations for the first three rapidway stations at West Beaver Creek Road, Leslie Street and East Beaver Creek Road.

Much of the work we’re doing involves concrete, which doesn’t actually dry but cures through its own internal chemical reaction that creates heat. If the concrete cools down too quickly, it won’t cure properly. So the crews must ensure the ground is warm enough before the concrete is placed, to enable the concrete to begin its own heating process. Once those chemical reactions get going, it keeps itself warm, and all we need to do is keep it insulated while it cures.

In areas where we need to excavate earth, we dig out the first few inches of frozen ground – with these milder temperatures the frost generally only extends down through the first six inches of soil. Then, using ground heaters, we blow hot air into the excavation to warm it up, and cover it with tarps. The concrete is then poured, and the tarps are kept on the concrete until it is cured. The concrete is tested to ensure it has properly set and meets our specifications.

By using these techniques, we will be able to continue work throughout the winter on the boulevards, and construct the six platforms at the three stations.

In the boulevards, we will continue to install the Cupolex® forms for the tree soil cells, which are excavated and then covered with concrete. On the station platforms, crews will augur shallow holes to pour the concrete caissons (foundations) for the platforms, then pour the concrete platform slabs on top of these foundations.

Plenty of work is happening this year for both Highway 7 East and Davis Drive, and there’s still lots of work left to do. But by continuing construction through the winter, we’ll be moving closer to finishing the Highway 7 rapidway.

Categories
Rapidways Uncategorized Urban Planning

A turn for the better: navigating the new traffic signals

Intersection traffic patterns on Highway 7If you’re like me, traffic signals are one of those things that you automatically respond to without spending a lot of time thinking about them – if a light’s green it means you can go, and if it’s red you can’t. But when something is new, sometimes it helps to understand the reasons behind it. We’ve introduced new traffic signals on Highway 7 at the Leslie and West and East Beaver Creek intersections in December 2011, and want everyone to understand why they’re there and how they work.

As part of the vivaNext plan, rapidway lanes are being built in the middle of the road, making it much wider than it was in the past. The widening for this section of Highway 7 is now complete, so we’ve installed the new traffic signals at three of the intersections.

The new traffic signals include a protected left-turn arrow, which only allows left turns from Highway 7 when the left-turn arrow is green. During the left-turn arrow signal, there is no straight-through traffic in either direction and no pedestrian crossings allowed.

The reason for installing the protected left turn arrow is because of the increased width in the road. With the rapidway running down the middle of the intersection, the left turn lanes aren’t opposite each other.  The protected left-turn arrow allows left-turning traffic to turn without the hazard of oncoming traffic.

When the protected left-turn arrow is lit, drivers in the left-turn lane can also make a u-turn in the intersection. In sections of road with rapidway lanes in the centre, drivers will access addresses or streets on the opposite side of the road by making a u-turn at an intersection. Intersections with the new traffic signals have a special “U-Turn Permitted” sign under the “Left Turn Signal” sign.

During construction, video detectors will sense traffic in the dedicated left-turn lanes and extend the duration of the left-turn arrow. Once construction is complete, a magnetic sensor known as a “loop” will be installed in the pavement to detect traffic and extend the left-turn arrow duration.
At times, it might take a bit longer to drive through an intersection that has the protected left-turn arrow, but overall, our corridors are changing for the better. As our population grows, Highway 7 will become increasingly urbanized (see our blog about how Highway 7 is changing), and Yonge Street and Davis Drive will follow, each with their own local character. Instead of feeling like highways designed for cars, each street will feel like an urban area, with interesting destinations. The new traffic signals will be there to ensure drivers and pedestrians can navigate safely to their destination.

Diagrams of intersection traffic patterns:
Six-lane road, like Highway 7
Four-lane road, like Davis Drive

Diagrams of u-turn traffic patterns:
Six-lane road, like Highway 7
Four-lane road, like Davis Drive

Categories
Construction General

Davis Drive – noticeable change in 2011

Davis Drive in 2011

Davis Drive was a busy place in 2011, with lots of noticeable work done to prepare for rapidway construction. Rapidways will be built from Yonge Street to just past the hospital, and most of our work has been along this section.

Davis Drive will be widened starting in 2012, and we needed to do a few big things first: build retaining walls, widen the Keith Bridge, and relocate utilities.

Widening Davis Drive will mean moving sidewalks and boulevards farther apart. In locations along the south side of Davis Drive where the ground slopes toward the road, retaining walls were needed so that we can move utilities. Five retaining walls are now built using stone blocks or textured concrete, with railings to be added to walls over two feet in height.

A new section of the Keith Bridge was built in 2011, including 106 tonnes of rebar steel reinforcements, and 110 truckloads of poured cement. Even though the final touches are still to come, the historical architectural features are noticeable in the new bridge construction. The Keith Bridge will be fenced this winter, and traffic will move to this bridge section at a later date.

Utilities, such as hydro, gas, sewage, and telecommunication lines, need to be moved to prepare for road widening, and in some cases they needed to be relocated as part of the Keith Bridge or retaining wall construction. Geotechnical testing – examining the condition and consistency of road and boulevard surfaces – has also been underway along Davis Drive so that our engineers know what to plan for when they widen the road.

This winter our contractors are working on 2012 construction schedules and continuing with utility relocation and geotechnical testing. When warmer weather arrives we’ll be ready to begin widening Davis Drive, and you’ll begin to see the overall transformation of Davis Drive into a welcoming urban place.

Happy Holidays everyone – we’ll see you in 2012!

Categories
Construction General

Highway 7 East: snapshot of 2011

2011 snapshot

If you’ve travelled along Highway 7 between Bayview and Warden during 2011, you’ll agree that construction has been underway for most of this year. The Highway 7 East rapidway project has firm timelines, and our contractors have been working hard to stay on schedule.

Earlier in the year, we removed the median from the centre of the road, installed a new watermain and started to relocate the utilities. Recently we’ve been installing landscape irrigation systems and continuing to relocate utilities. The construction between Bayview and Warden is part of a segment of rapidway that will connect to Warden Station, the first fully-built rapid transit vivastation, that opened for service in March, 2011.

We’re just finishing up widening Highway 7 on both sides between Bayview and Highway 404, and we have important changes to traffic patterns at intersections for both drivers and pedestrians. These changes are part of the next phase of construction, providing workers enough room to build the rapidway, and platforms and canopies of rapid transit stations.

Starting next week at the intersections of West Beaver Creek Road, Leslie Street, and East Beaver Creek Road, a dedicated left-turn signal is being added. This new signal will enable drivers to turn left and make U-turns only when no other traffic is moving. Left turns will no longer be permitted when oncoming traffic has the green light.

Wider roads mean wider intersections, so a two-stage pedestrian crossing will also be added. Pedestrians walking at a normal pace will cross to the centre island and wait for the next signal before reaching the other side. Once the rapidway is complete, this centre island is also where Viva passengers will be able to access a rapid transit station.

This has been an exciting beginning to an overall transformation of the corridor which will help shape our growing community for generations. We have many new goals to look forward to in 2012, and as we pass each milestone, the rapid transit network and welcoming streetscape will take shape.

Categories
Construction Going Green Urban Planning

New technology takes root: helping trees grow

Diagram and photo of Cupolex

Among the beautiful benefits of the vivaNext project will be the improvements we’re going to make to the streetscape along York Region’s key corridors. A key part of those improvements will be carefully planned landscaping, including street trees planted at regular intervals for beauty and shade. Ensuring those trees survive in a tough urban environment is always a challenge, which is where science and technology come in.

Fortunately, our Landscape Architects are up to the challenge, and have tricks up their sleeves to keep our trees healthy and growing strong. To begin with, choosing the right tree is critical. Street trees, especially ones along roads carrying a lot of fast-moving traffic, need to be the kind that can stand up to salt spray and pollution from vehicles. Street trees also need to be relatively drought tolerant, and able to thrive without daily maintenance.

To meet these needs, our Arborist and Landscape Architects focused on a range of hardy trees, including different types of gingko, oak, maple, common hackberry, Kentucky coffee tree, ornamental pear and elm.

Once they’d solved the issue of which trees to plant, Landscape Architects turned to the other big problem facing urban plantings: large trees need a lot of soil around their roots. In a boulevard, there’s only so much room for soil, so trees generally don’t have the underground space they need to grow strong roots and take in nutrients. Our team is using an ingenious solution called “soil cell technology.” This refers to the cutting-edge approach of constructing a rigid form underground that can be filled with soil and then covered up by sidewalks or even roads.

Our soil cell technology is called Cupolex®, and was originally designed as a technique to provide a solid underground framework for ductwork and cables. At first glance it looks like a plastic patio table, with hollow legs at each corner. A series of these patio tables are installed underground, with their legs interlocking, forming a large honeycomb shape – a soil cell – surrounding where the tree will be planted. Then concrete is poured into the legs and over the top, creating a hard, self-supporting shell strong enough to support the weight of vehicles. The boulevard and sidewalks are constructed right over top, with openings left for planting trees. Special access hatches and irrigation pipes are installed for future tree maintenance, and then nutrient-rich soil is blown in, and trees are planted in the openings.

We’re not talking a regularly sized planter full of soil: each soil cell holds at least 16 cubic metres of soil. And each cubic metre is about the size of a stove, so imagine 16 stoves worth of soil for each tree! A typical dump truck holds 8-10 cubic metres, so each tree is going to get more than a dump truck of soil. That’s a lot of soil, and it’s really going to help our trees’ survivability.

Our vivaNext pledge is to do the best planning now, for a beautiful and functional rapid transit system and streetscape. Creating healthy, strong trees that can be enjoyed for generations is part of that, and it’s something we can all be proud of.

Categories
Construction Uncategorized

What’s in a schedule?

Construction crews work on vivanext projects, including building a retaining wall, pouring concrete for a bridge, and widening a road

For all of us working on the vivaNext rapidway projects, whether we work on communications or construction, some of the most frequently asked questions we hear are “how long is it going to take?” and “how soon will you be done working in my area?” We totally understand why this kind of information is important to everyone, and how upsetting it can be when work that has been scheduled, is rescheduled at the last minute.

Which brings me to this week’s topic – how do we come up with our construction schedules, and why do they occasionally need to be adjusted?

Developing and sticking to a construction schedule is something we take very, very seriously. We know how important it is to have an idea of when work will be underway nearby, and how long it will take. For us, having an accurate and realistic schedule is a critical part of project management.

Planning and following a construction schedule requires a combination of expertise and flexibility. Our construction partners have a huge amount of experience in building projects similar to the vivaNext project. Their scheduling teams understand construction techniques, they know how long each step in the process takes in average circumstances, and they know the best way to sequence the work.

Using that information, a highly detailed schedule is developed, showing when each major step of work will take place, broken down into blocks of roadway. One of our objectives is to complete work within a block as much as possible, to avoid having to come back to do more work in that location later.

Once the overall schedules are set and work begins out there in the real world, the need for flexibility kicks in. On a big design-build project like the vivaNext rapidways, schedulers work full-time to constantly evaluate the work underway, monitoring how long each task takes, and looking for ways to tweak the schedule for efficiency.

There are many reasons why a task may take longer than expected. Soil conditions may be different than expected, requiring a different construction technique or more investigations. Weather can cause all sorts of delays, and there may be delays with the delivery of materials.

It’s important to ensure work crews always have work to do. If one task is taking longer than expected, and another one is completed more quickly, crews will be redeployed to ensure their time is used effectively. Because there are so many tasks underway at a time on a huge project like ours, little adjustments are being made all the time.

On major corridors like Highway 7, Davis Drive and Yonge Street, one of the most complex issues is the need to relocate many utilities, such as gas lines, watermain systems, streetlights, telecommunications and hydro lines. Although we spend many months working closely with utility companies to plan for relocations in advance of construction, surprises can happen, where utilities are discovered that aren’t documented. So when that happens, our construction schedulers have the challenge of rearranging the entire schedule to allow for relocating the utility. (See our blog: Locating utility lines: not always easy)

Utility companies are responsible for actually doing the relocating, and they have crews working on projects all over the region, not just on our project. Sometimes, relocations – whether on our projects or somewhere else – take longer than originally anticipated. When that happens, delays cascade from one project to another, causing us to schedule other work to do while we wait for the utility relocation to take place.

And to make it all even more complicated, it’s not only our own work crews whose schedule we need to be aware of – there are other crews out working along Highway 7. Health and safety regulations require there to be separation in both time and distance between crews to ensure they all have enough space to work safely. So a change in the tasks being done by one crew may mean neighbouring crews may need to adjust.

All this adds up to a complex, multi-dimensional and constantly shifting challenge for schedulers. Their objectives are to maintain the overall schedule, while moving the project forward in the most efficient way possible. We know that from time to time, this causes the dates and times we originally provided to change to a later date. We recognize that (as much as possible) you want to know what construction to expect, and we’ll keep doing our best to keep you up to date – with e-updates, bulletins and other communications.

And we hope you’ll understand that when we do make a change, it’s because we’re doing our due diligence to finish the rapidway projects on schedule, so that everyone can benefit.

Categories
Uncategorized

We want to keep in touch

Viva! – vivaNext team volunteering at the Markham Food Bank

Viva! – vivaNext team volunteering at Markham Food Bank

It’s hard not to notice our vivaNext construction activities, whether you’re in Newmarket, Markham or Richmond Hill. But our participation in the community goes well beyond construction, although that’s a huge part of our work. We’re always out and about in the community, because it’s really important to us that we find opportunities to meet and chat with residents across York Region.

Our familiar blue logo is a sight you’ll see at most community events, and this time of year is no exception – we’ve been hosting booths at events and joining in the fun at community fairs and celebrations, and we’ll be at the upcoming holiday parades. We also like to pitch in wherever we can offer help, so you’ll see us volunteering to support community causes; this month our team is helping out at the Markham Food Bank.

Any time you have a question about one of our projects, we’re only too happy to talk. We’ve recently opened a project information office at Highway 7 East and South Park Road, so if you have any questions about rapidway construction in Richmond Hill or Markham, please drop by and meet with our team. We’re opening another project information office on Davis Drive in Newmarket soon, so sign up for updates to receive the opening announcement.

We really enjoy hearing from you, whether it’s to answer a question, or hear your thoughts and comments. Our community liaisons are available to answer your questions, and we’re happy to respond to comments posted on this blog, on our online contact form, Twitter and Facebook. So please, let’s keep in touch!

Categories
Uncategorized

What Next

Visit the What Next comic website!

We want everyone to know that we’re here to help, to minimize the affect of rapidway construction where possible, and to help cope with inconveniences by providing information, and a Community Liaison – a person to talk to – for specific questions.

We try to get our message out in as many different shapes and sizes as possible, including e-updates, newsletters, electronic signs and so on. In keeping with Viva’s personality, every once in a while we offer something a bit different, which is why we’ve just launched our What Next comic on vivaNext.com.

We’ll continue to add new sketches in the coming months, each featuring a familiar group of characters who are affected by construction. Mainly, the comics are meant to give you a smile, and they may also give you some information.

In addition to the What Next comic, we’ve also added a few What Next games. And while you’re playing games, you might want to try out the games on our vivaNext Fun and Games page. 

Our website is the best place for general project information, and following us on Twitter or signing up for email updates will get you the most recent, breaking news about construction. But for something a little lighter, we hope that seeing construction, and the future benefits it will bring, through the eyes of What Next characters will bring you a smile.