Tag: rapid transit

Categories
Live-work-play suburban to urban transformation

explore and discover

blog photo, showing woman exploring and discovering York Region with a young boy from inside a bus

Sometimes we’re so locked into daily routines we stop noticing what’s new and changing around us. York Region is made up of fast-growing communities. As we go about living, working, and commuting we don’t always see the new park around the corner, the tulips blooming, new buildings under construction, or the blue glass on that new bus station.

Things change gradually. Bit by bit, our communities grow to meet our needs. New greenspace makes the neighbourhood a nice place to spend time. New buildings give us places to live and work, and new bus rapidways, terminals and subways bring new travel options and connection points. Choices and options are what make the places we choose to live that much better and here in York Region we’re seeing those changes continue to improve our way of life.

As our communities grow and people adopt new technology and travel patterns, we drive change together. Bus rapid transit and subway connections are a key part of planning for change and growth. We’ve been steadily building projects in York Region that not only provide rapid transit, but also put new infrastructure in place. These investments in new underground utilities, new bridges, tree-lined sidewalks and accessible traffic signals will prepare for current and future residents and businesses. Transit supports growth and development as communities continue to grow.

With all these changes come new possibilities. So be inspired, explore your community this spring and discover the wonderful places around you.

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
Construction economic & financial economic benefits Going Green Live-work-play Rapidways suburban to urban transformation Transit Uncategorized Urban Planning

at Bathurst & Centre, the goal is more than just a rapidway

With the summer months now behind us, the rapidway project in the Bathurst & Centre community continues to make great progress, with all five vivastations under construction, utility upgrades complete, sidewalks and boulevards well underway, and base and final paving making great headway.

With the rapidway scheduled to open for service by the end of 2019, it’s a good time to remember what the goal of the project is: to design and deliver rapid transit projects that attract, move and connect people to York Region’s urban centres.

This goal translates into what’s called a “triple-bottom-line” contribution to our community – specifically social, environmental and economic benefits. They include:

  • Urban transformation. Emerging along the length of our rapid transit network, traditional suburban development is transforming into more compact urban neighbourhoods that include retail, entertainment, dining, places of worship, residential and offices. As the population of York Region grows and increases in density, we are building transit to service this population.
  • Connections. The new sections of rapidway will consist of 5 new vivastations along Bathurst and Centre, connecting people from Thornhill to Concord, Woodbridge and Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and the subway to Toronto. It will also connect people to the rest of York Region via the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal at Yonge Street and Highway 7, and the future Yonge Subway Extension.
  • New businesses. As new developments provide new housing choices, the area attracts new employers – businesses that want to be located near transit in order to draw on a well-educated workforce.
  • Less driving, more moving. As York Region welcomes this new transit and cycling infrastructure and an increasing population, the result is more transit riders and reduced dependency on cars. Less time spent behind the wheel of a car can have great benefits to long-term health because people walk, run or cycle more – for exercise and to get from place to place.
  • Cleaner air. Every busload has the potential to replace 70 cars, and fewer cars on the road means reduced carbon emissions.
  • Building transit where the people are. The most popular transit routes go where people want to get on and off. People want to get to where the action is, so routes are planned where shopping, services, jobs, and higher-density housing is already along the way. The Bathurst and Centre neighbourhood is a perfect example of this as the community has a multitude of shops and amenities, multi-story condo buildings and residential streets – and busy Viva routes already service the community.

In York Region, a number of urban centres like Bathurst & Centre are evolving into mixed-use communities. At vivaNext, we’re supporting that change by building a fast, convenient rapid transit system. As part of the Centres and Corridors initiative, York Region has a vision and best practices for new mixed-use development to make sure that it gets built in areas which are supported by higher levels of transit.

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

Categories
Commissioning Community Events Facilities and terminals General Innovation Rapidways Stations Subways

amazing team, extraordinary results

What a week it has been! The launch of the TTC Line 1 subway extension with the Highway 7 West rapidway and vivastation on Sunday in Vaughan is one of those lifetime moments. We’re going to remember this day for the rest of our lives. This is the day everything became a little closer, and a lot faster for York Region and the City of Vaughan.

unwavering dedication

For everyone involved, including us at York Region Rapid Transit Corporation, it was an exhilarating and emotional weekend, the culmination of years of incredible challenges and unwavering dedication, everything we’ve been working toward for a very long time! Many of us shouted and cheered as the first train pulled into the new subway station.

Then, seeing that Viva bus roll down the red asphalt rapidway into the open, airy Vaughan Metropolitan Centre vivastation and pick up actual passengers who came up the stairs from the subway – well, it’s hard to describe the feeling, except to say that more than a few grew a little misty-eyed! So many people came out to mark this milestone day for transit in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area, we know how much these new transit connections matter and we thank you for your patience during the long construction period.

#AnEngineerWasHere

Kudos goes out to the engineers, planners and project team, whose tireless drive moved the VMC station and rapidway project forward every step of the way: from the environmental assessments to the design to breaking ground, from utility relocations to storm sewer work and road widening. Along with the many contractors, they pushed though good and bad weather, scalding heat, freezing cold and everything in between. They worked through paving and bridge reconstructions, to timelines off schedule and on again, to the construction of our vivastations and our landmark Vaughan Metropolitan Centre vivastation. Experts from many agencies, cities and private companies all came together to make this day happen.

Now we have incredible, tangible results with the first subway-BRT connection, a legacy that will keep our Region moving for years to come. Just goes to prove anything is possible with extraordinary teamwork, unwavering dedication and an eye to the future. Again, thank you for supporting this project and we hope you get out and try the new system!

Categories
Announcements Commissioning Community Events Construction Facilities and terminals Rapidways Stations Subways

Subway and new Viva connections NOW OPEN in Vaughan!

This morning, the first subway carrying transit customers arrived in York Region, forging a historic connection between bus rapid transit and subway. Now, everyone can experience seamless transit connections in Vaughan! The vivaNext rapidway and new landmark vivastation also opened for service this morning with an epic celebration at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC], alongside the TTC Line 1 subway extension opening. Viva la subway!

Read the news release.

even more transit connections

Now the transit connections available to customers simply go further and faster. The rapidway-subway connection marks a tipping point for transit in York Region, amplifying the power of the Viva rapid transit network.

The VMC area is a transit powerhouse, home to two new stations: the landmark Vaughan Metropolitan Centre vivastation and the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre subway station – the new terminus of TTC Line 1. In a few months, the SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal will make the VMC area even better, connecting YRT buses to both stations with a pedestrian tunnel.

true city building

There’s no doubt – your destination has arrived! The new VMC development is true city-building on an epic scale, built on the foundation of strong transit connections. Not only does rapid transit transform how people move in our Region, it changes how we live – for the better. Stronger economies, more jobs, and walkable, livable, desirable communities: it’s the driving force behind York Region’s Transportation Master Plan and the reason we build rapid transit.

On an even larger scale, strong connections like these that cross regional borders are crucial to the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area [GTHA], and a key strategy of the Metrolinx Draft 2041 Regional Transportation Plan.

Thank you!

Now we can see the network take shape in York Region, with three rapidways running, two more underway and an actual subway connection!

Changes of this magnitude are fueled by the power of collaboration and funding partnerships. Our rapidway projects are funded by the Province of Ontario, and our other projects are funded by a combination of Federal, Provincial and Regional contributions. SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal even includes some private funding for the pedestrian tunnel.

We’ve all come a long way together, and we thank you for your patience during construction. Now, we hope you enjoy the ride!

Categories
Announcements Commissioning economic & financial Facilities and terminals Innovation Rapidways Stations Subways

The ribbon is cut! Trudeau and Wynne came! Now only two days until subway meets BRT!

This historic weekend of transit firsts in Vaughan kicked off in style.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joined Premier Kathleen Wynne, Toronto Mayor John Tory and many other dignitaries to officially cut the ribbon on the Line 1 subway extension, at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC]. Then, they rode the subway from the VMC station to the new York University subway station for a press conference.

“The Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension will mean a faster commute, less time in traffic and more money in people’s pockets as they trade their cars for a subway ticket,” Prime Minister Trudeau told the crowd at York University station.

That’s music to our ears!

The crowd included partners from all three levels of government, who worked together to make this project a reality. Also on hand were many members of our vivaNext team, who played a key role in this project, working with the TTC on the York Region stations. Joining the crowd were the many partners who helped make this happen.

three subway stations in York Region!

In just two days, York Region will have three shiny, new subway stations open for service: Pioneer Village, Highway 407 and the end of the line, Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. On opening day and Monday, members of our team will be on hand to answer your questions and help you find your way.

Our brand new, flagship bus rapid transit station will greet riders at the VMC, forging the connection between our rapid transit network in York Region and the new subway.

Also coming later this month is the GO train connection at the new Downsview Park station, where commuters on the Barrie GO train can connect to the Line 1 subway extension.

“If we build it, they will come”

Now, with the 8.6-kilometre subway extension, downtown is a mere 42 minutes away, but we expect subway traffic to flow both ways. Wayne Emmerson, York Region Chairman and CEO, said, “If we build it, they will come.” He called the subway a “once in a lifetime opportunity,” saying it “will help further develop an urban community that is transit-oriented, forward-thinking and has economic development opportunities to benefit current and future generations.”

“Big transit takes time”

Premier Wynne acknowledged the time and effort of all levels of government that came together to connect the heart of York Region to downtown. She also gave a nod to our new Highway 7 West rapidway, saying that downtown foodies can hop the vivaNext rapid transit system to restaurants in Richmond Hill.

But she summed it up best with: “What an amazing day this is!”

We agree, Premier Wynne! And this Sunday will be even better, when the subway and our rapidway open for service, and you can experience the ride firsthand. It’s going to be a rush! We hope to see you there.

Categories
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.

 

Categories
Commissioning Construction Facilities and terminals Rapidways Stations Subways Technical

collaboration now and for the future

Building our Vaughan Metropolitan Centre rapidway station required close collaboration with the TTC, since it’s so near to their new subway station – literally on top of it, in fact! The collaboration began at the design stage, and continued between our two construction teams as we brought the plans to life.

staging for success

With the new rapidway station being built in layers, and in the middle of the road, staging was crucial for both the vivaNext team and TTC. Staging means carrying out work in phases, such as shifting traffic lanes from side to side to give crews room to work safely. Another example was how we stayed clear of the TTC work crews while they finished the subway box, before we started on the concrete and rebar that went on top.

teamwork

Coordinating with the TTC, vivaNext crews shifted the traffic to one side while we built the road on the other side, and they worked on that side of the underground subway structure. Then, when we flipped the traffic back to widen the other side, the TTC also switched sides. A detailed planning process ensured we both did what we needed to do, in the right order and the shortest possible time, without tripping over each other.

Building the escalators and elevators from the TTC station to the BRT station also took detailed planning and coordination. Rules and specifications determine how closely crews can work to adjoining crews. The subway and rapidway stations share a very small area. If you’ve ever done a renovation, this was like having one group building the stairs, and another building the walls and hanging the wallpaper.

the collaboration continues

Most of that coordination is done now, with the vivastation area fully under our contractor’s control. We’ll continue to work closely with the TTC as we get to the final stages of signoff for the station equipment. On opening day, December 17, there may be some finishing touches still required, but we will open for service!

The collaboration continues even after the work is done, since the goal of the new station is to create seamless connections between Viva rapid transit and the TTC. We’re looking forward to a long, happy future of working together to get you where you want to be.

Categories
Commissioning Facilities and terminals Rapidways Stations Technical

taming the wind

One of the design considerations behind the new rapidway station at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre are the heavy traffic volumes on that stretch of Highway 7. It’s a busy area, and with all the exciting new development coming to the VMC, it’s only getting busier.

As we’ve talked about here, making people feel safe and secure while they wait in the vivastation in the middle of Highway 7 is one of our top priorities. But beyond providing a physically safe waiting place, we also want to provide a comfortable experience for transit users. So the new vivastation offers lots of options, whether people want to wait inside the glass enclosures, on the platform under the high roof, or on the outside platforms.

fresh air, no wind!

For those who prefer being out in the fresh air while they await their YRT/Viva bus, there will be planters of greenery and trees to enjoy, but with all that traffic whizzing by, some might have found it a bit blustery. That’s why we’ve installed special windscreens, on the north platform where the traffic comes closest.

windscreens as art

The seven windscreens are located just to the west of the station on the road-side edge of the north platform. At first glance, they appear to be art.  We certainly designed them to be attractive in their own right, although they are also capable of mounting outdoor art displays.  Curved like the sails on a boat, they’re framed in glass, with posts made of aluminum.

a peaceful wait

Although they look so decorative, they’re actually designed to be functional, and to make waiting on the outside platform a more peaceful experience.

So when you get a chance to visit the north YRT/Viva platform at the VMC, go stand near the windscreens, and see for yourself how we’ve been able to make standing outside a nicer experience, even in a breezy place like the middle of Highway 7.

 

Categories
Commissioning Rapidways

designed to connect: the VMC rapidway station on Highway 7

designed to connect: the VMC rapidway station on Highway 7

If you’re a Viva customer, you know that vivastations generally follow the same design, with a curved glass canopy providing shelter from the elements, and extending over the concrete platform and enclosed glass waiting area.

easy on the eyes

Elegant curves and expanses of glass, warmed by wood. Open and airy while still welcoming, human-scaled and sheltering — these are the main themes in the vivaNext design language. A vivaNext structure, whether it’s a vivastation, the towers at Bayview Station, or the Operations, Maintenance and Storage Facility [OMSF] in Richmond Hill, contain those recognizable elements and marry functionality with beauty.

We believe that taking public transit should be a great experience. It should be convenient, comfortable and reliable, but also aesthetically pleasing.

the biggest vivastation yet

So in keeping with this overall design goal, we’re excited to report the progress on the new bus rapid transit [BRT] station taking shape on Highway 7 in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre [VMC] transit hub.

With the vivaNext curves as our visual starting point, we needed to tailor the design of the new station to its unique role: linking Viva passengers arriving via the BRT lanes in the middle of Highway 7 to the subway trains below and to the YRT bus terminal nearby.

connecting connections

Passengers connecting between the new Line 1 TTC subway and Viva literally don’t have to cross the road to get to the subway or the new SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal north of the subway station. Once in the station, stairways and escalators and elevators will make it easy to connect to the subway concourse level below, and to an underground pedestrian path connecting to SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal for YRT. For pedestrians and cyclists in the area, there’s also going to be street level crosswalks and a plaza on the north side of Highway 7 connecting to the subway station and YRT bus terminal.

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to be posting more information and descriptions of the wonderful new VMC BRT station, including its design and an introduction to its amenities. And then before you know it, we’re all going to be able to enjoy fully rapid transit connections between York Region and Toronto. That’s something to really celebrate!