RICHMOND HILL, ONTARIO, 2012 – Construction crews are hard at work this fall in Richmond Hill and Markham as paving commences on Highway 7 as part of the vivaNext rapidway construction – dedicated bus rapid transit lanes in the centre of the road.
Nightly base paving is scheduled to begin September 17 and continue until mid-November between Bayview Avenue and East Beaver Creek Road. Work will be completed one section at a time over a seven-week period and require some lane closures on weeknights (8 p.m. to 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday) and intersection closures on weekends (8 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday).
On weekends a base layer of pavement will be laid down and allowed to set for 24-hours. Police officers and flag persons will be on-site at affected intersections to direct traffic and assist pedestrians. Detour signs to indicate alternate routes will also be in place.
Please see the weekend schedule below and visit www.vivanext.com for the most up-to-date information for intersection and lane closures.
Work on the Highway 7 East vivaNext rapidway from Bayview to Warden is well underway and signs of progress are everywhere. When this paving work is completed, the section west of Highway 404 will be 70% complete.
Bringing the rapid transit plan to life is not without its challenges, but we are working hard to complete the project as quickly as possible and appreciate people’s patience and understanding. By 2014, we expect to have another segment completed of a modern, efficient rapid transit system that will bring about a transformation to our community.
These projects are being funded through Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario working to transform regional transit expansion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. These projects are part of Metrolinx’s $1.4 billion commitment to improving transit in York Region, just one component of the over $9 billion commitment in priority rapid transit projects of Metrolinx’s Regional Transportation Plan, The Big Move.
As part of The Big Move, York Region’s vivaNext rapid transit plan also supports the vision set out in the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, a cornerstone of Ontario’s Places to Grow initiative. This growth plan aims to manage growth in ways that sustain a robust economy, strong communities, and a healthy environment. For more information about the vivaNext plan and to sign up for specific project updates, please visit www.vivanext.com.
Contact:
Dale Albers
York Region Rapid Transit Corporation
cell: 416-206-3716
dale.albers@york.ca