Tag: Davis Drive

Categories
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
Announcements Community Events

Join us and embrace some winter fun!

Newmarket is celebrating all things cold and snowy with their Winterfest festivities on Saturday, February 2, and we’ll be there!

Join us at Fairy Lake Park where we’ll be enjoying the beauty of winter and looking forward to chatting with you about the Davis Drive rapidway. There may be snow and it may be cold, but we’ll create our own warmth with all the activities planned at the Town of Newmarket’s fun-filled event where everyone is welcome. Be sure to stop by and visit us!

Other outdoor fun includes: pony rides, maple syrup on ice, snow disc golf, snow bowling, mini putt, a chainsaw carving demonstration, skating and horse-drawn wagon rides. Indoors there’s a pancake breakfast at 8am, followed by a variety of activities including, balloon twists, face painting, Valentine crafts, an inflatable jumping castle, and a photography contest.

You may also want to drop by the Ray Twinney Complex on Sunday, because Newmarket Winterfest continues, with a free skate and/or swim.

Winterfest admission is free, but a donation of non-perishable food is appreciated. For more details, see the Town of Newmarket’s Winterfest and Winterfest Photography Contest Application.

Newmarket Winterfest 2013 Schedule:

Saturday, February 2
Indoor at the Newmarket Community Centre & Lions Halls
200 Doug Duncan Drive, Newmarket
8am to 3pm

Outdoor at Fairy Lake Park
Water Street, Newmarket
10am to 3pm

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!

 

Categories
Community Events

vivaNext has Christmas spirit!

The third annual State Farm Festival of Trees for Southlake has begun at the Upper Canada Mall in Newmarket and vivaNext is right in the thick of it!

The goal of this joyous and festive event is to raise funds for Southlake Regional Health Centre by having businesses sponsor and decorate a tree with a theme based on their brand. These trees are showcased throughout the Upper Canada Mall, (pssst…ours is right beside the escalator near The Bay).

There’s quite a few colourful and creative trees around the mall, so be sure to see them all. And while you’re there, vote on your favourite tree. You can vote any time between November 22, 2012 and January 4, 2013 at the voting machines located near the Festival display in the mall.

We wish Southlake great success in their efforts for our Regional Health Centre, from which we all benefit.

[poll id=”38″]

Categories
Construction

Changing seasons, shifting lanes

photo: Keith Bridge now - Keith Bridge next

Even if you live in Newmarket, you may not know exactly where the Keith Bridge is. It’s on Davis Drive, just east of the Tannery and the Seniors’ Meeting Place. Pedestrians probably notice when they walk over it, but drivers would barely notice that they’re driving over a bridge. It spans the Holland River, and is named after William Keith [1869-1949], a Newmarket Reeve, an MPP and a Senior Magistrate in the early 1900s.

In 2011, we built a new section of bridge on the south side of Davis Drive, and now we’re about to start rebuilding the north side of the bridge. To allow us to work on the north side, we need to shift traffic to drive on the new south section of bridge.

As eastbound traffic approaches the bridge, the lanes will start to shift starting near the railway tracks. Just west of Bayview Parkway, westbound traffic will be reduced from two lanes to one, and will begin to shift to the south.

This work will last about a year, and will involve all kinds of work, including relocating utilities and bus stops, installing temporary traffic signals, and paving lanes and a temporary sidewalk on the new bridge section. The Tom Taylor Trail has been detoured since construction began on the Keith Bridge, and this detour will continue for most of the construction.

Construction, especially bridge construction, isn’t easy, but it helps if you know what will be happening, and when. If you sign up for construction updates we’ll make sure you know about upcoming work on Davis Drive. You can also visit vivanext.com for detailed project information, and follow us on Twitter. Michelle Dudzik, our Community Liaison, is available to talk about Davis Drive construction and answer any questions you may have: 905.716.7663, michelle.dudzik@york.ca.

[poll id=”36″]

Categories
General

vivaNext puts safety first

vivaNext puts safety first

When there’s something on the other side of the street you need to get to, the nearest intersection just might not seem close enough. It can be tempting to cross (or jaywalk) in the middle of the road. The problem with jaywalking is that it poses a huge risk to you as a pedestrian. Drivers aren’t expecting pedestrians in non-pedestrian areas like a travel lane and may do something unexpected or not brake in time for you to make your trek safely across the road.

During construction, crossing at designated crosswalks is even more important than ever. Lane closures can change frequently and when areas are blocked off, drivers must pay close attention to signs and road markings so they know where to drive and stop. Drivers might easily miss a pedestrian who is crossing or running into a non-pedestrian safe zone.

Even when crossing at a designated crosswalk, it’s important to keep safety in mind. Be sure to look both ways and stay aware. Put away your phone, MP3 player, or tablet, and focus on the road. You should be constantly alert, just like the drivers.

Other safety concerns as a pedestrian are the construction zones themselves. There are a lot of hazards around a construction site that you wouldn’t necessarily know about. We block off work areas and create detours to protect drivers and pedestrians, so it’s important that you respect those boundaries for your own safety.

You’ll be able to enjoy all that the vivaNext transformation has to offer once it’s complete.[poll id=”34″]

Categories
General

Growing up: students and rapid transit

growing up: students and rapid transit

It’s that time of year again – students are back to school next week and parents can’t believe how much their kids have grown. It probably seems like just yesterday that they were taking their first steps. If you’re an older student, maybe you’re taking a big step yourself – starting high school or college.

We understand the feeling, because it wasn’t long ago that we were planning the vivaNext rapidways, and now they’re starting to take shape. Highway 7, between Bayview and Warden, is the ‘eager beaver’ of the class. Since 2010 on Highway 7, construction crews have removed medians, relocated utilities and widened the road to allow for dedicated transit lanes. New vivastations are well underway, with nine in various stages of completion and 13 more to come in the next 18 months. Once construction is complete, the rapidway lanes and stations will be tested, drivers will be trained, and the centre lanes of Highway 7 will become a full-fledged segment of rapidway.

This September, students will get to school by bus, car, bike and on foot. Many students ride transit to and from school, and soon, Unionville High School and Seneca’s Markham Campus will have a Highway 7 rapidway outside their doors. In Newmarket, the Davis Drive rapidway will bring rapid transit to the students of Huron Heights Secondary School, and future rapidways along Yonge Street will pass near Sir William Mulock, Richmond Hill, and Langstaff secondary schools. Langstaff and Thornhill secondary schools will each be within walking distance of the planned extension to Yonge Subway, and thanks to the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension, students of Seneca, York and Schulich will be able to take the subway to York University’s Keele Campus in 2016.

York Region’s transit network is designed to help shape how and where our population grows, helping to transform our towns and cities into attractive, accessible urban areas. This includes new residents to our region, and also long-time residents like students, moving from one stage of life to another. This year’s batch of college freshmen will have rapid transit waiting to take them to their first jobs when they graduate. Grade 9 students will be able to head to college via subway, and kindergarten students will have a world of choices. It’ll all happen before we know it…[poll id=”33″]

Categories
General Studies

Having the right team for the job

viva influences come from around the world

As you follow our progress in building the vivaNext rapidways across the Region, a lot of our work will appear to be straightforward construction. But what you likely won’t know is how many other areas of expertise are needed to inform a project like vivaNext – and how many experts with specialized knowledge play key roles on our project team. As you might expect, our preliminary design and design-build teams include specialists in traffic, structural and electrical engineering, landscape architects and urban designers. But our team also includes a range of other experts – many of whom have worked on major projects around the world – in many more specialized fields.

Our vivaNext vision includes a complex systems undertaking, including both new hardware and software. So our team includes systems engineers to design the multiple information systems and other communications components involved in traffic signals, bus detection equipment, ticketing and many other IT elements of our system. To ensure our curved vivastation canopies provide a comfortable shelter from the elements, micro-climate specialists studied how the stations will be affected by wind, rain and snow. And the surprisingly complex questions related to “wayfinding” – the science of helping people find their way and get from A to B easily – have been assigned to wayfinding experts, who advise on all the elements that passengers will touch, see, read, feel or use. Look for more information about these specialties in future blogs.

One area where we’re drawing on very specialized knowledge is in our planning for construction in the vicinity of the Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket. In this area, as is the case across our entire project, our highest priorities are the quality of our work, as well as safety for the public and our workers during construction. Near the hospital, we add in the need to ensure there is as little disruption as possible to patients and medical staff due to our construction activities. Fortunately, our design-build partner has a wealth of experience in actually designing and constructing additions to hospitals, as well as carrying out construction projects near other sensitive locations.

We know that from time to time, construction can be noisy, and wherever we’re working we try to keep the amount of noise, vibration and dust to a minimum. In the hospital zone, our expert advisors are working closely with the hospital’s administration to plan what we’ll be working on, how we’re going to work, and when it will happen. We will also make sure the public is kept well-informed as our work near the hospital progresses, with regular updates and communication.

As we move forward with our work, our team of experts are drawing on their years of experience – literally from around the globe. We’re fortunate to have their knowledge to help anticipate the issues that might arise, to minimize problems, and ultimately get the long-term results we’re committed to achieving for vivaNext.

Categories
Community Events

Loving Newmarket? Us too!

In 2015, Newmarket’s Davis Drive will be among the first to debut dedicated lanes for viva and a pedestrian-friendly boulevard with greenery, shopping, businesses and cultural activities. We’re excited to say that construction is in full swing to get us from here to there, including shifting hydro poles and other utilities farther from the road, moving gas lines on the north and south sides of Davis Drive and ongoing work on the new Keith Bridge before traffic can start using it later this year.

That’s why we were quite thrilled to have the opportunity to directly interact with residents at our recent Davis Drive open house and share with them the vision for this key area, how construction is progressing and to hear what they had to say about our community. Many expressed joy and excitement about Newmarket and where it is heading. Below are some of our favourite answers to the question: What do YOU love most about Newmarket?

“Newmarket has ‘blossomed’ in recent years. I love that there are so many parks in such a small area. I’m glad to hear about all the plans to revitalize the town to make it even more attractive. We moved here from Thornhill last fall. We find the neighbours, and people in general, to be very friendly. We love Newmarket!”

“The culture; how it has everything you need in terms of big box stores, but also is rich in local business with gems everywhere. The improvement to Davis is most welcome and this is the stretch of Newmarket where history, culture, local businesses, and ‘town life’ need to be maintained”

“Newmarket is a great town filled with lots of friendly people with an optimistic view. Looking at your drawings and projects, things will really get even better. I wish you all the best with this good-looking town. I love living here, and remain interested and eager to see what will happen in the future.”

We feel the same, and would like to thank all those who live and work in Newmarket for their patience and understanding as construction continues and the transformation takes shape. To get the latest construction notices and project newsletters, sign up for updates and feel free to contact your Community Liaison, Michelle Dudzik, with any questions or concerns you may have at 905 886 6767 ext. 1096  or michelle.dudzik@york.ca.

Categories
Community Events Rapidways

Davis Drive Open House Results

Click here to see our open house information on our websiteDid you attend our Davis Drive open house on May 15? The event saw a great turnout, with residents and vivaNext representatives discussing what’s coming next for rapidway construction along Davis Drive.

If you weren’t able to attend the open house, all of the materials that were shared are available on our Past Meetings page, so you can read up on the latest information that you may have missed. You can also sign up for project updates.

Thank you to everybody that came out to learn more about vivaNext construction. It was great to speak with residents about the future of the Davis Drive rapidway. Be sure to check back on the vivaNext website for information about any upcoming open house events. We hope to see you there!