MARKHAM, April 13, 2017 – With the arrival of spring, construction activities are gearing up on a number of vivaNext rapid transit projects in the City of Vaughan, Town of Newmarket, Town of Richmond Hill and City of Markham.
Utilities, such as hydro, gas, sewer and telecommunications lines are being relocated and retaining walls are built to prepare for widening roads and building the York Viva Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) rapidways – dedicated bus lanes in the centre of the road. To complete this work, some traffic lanes will be temporarily closed or shifted in construction areas.
Where bus terminals are being built, increased truck traffic and construction activity can be expected.
Project teams will continue to make efforts to minimize disruptions during construction, and construction notices are available from vivaNext by e-mail and Twitter.
Vaughan
The opening of the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension (Line 1 Yonge-University extension) in December 2017 will complement two vivaNext transit projects underway near the subway terminus in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre (VMC) area:
- SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal: This nine-bay facility, being built by vivaNext, is under construction and will open with the subway at the end of this year; and
- VMC Station: Construction of this York Viva BRT rapidway station on Highway 7, immediately above the VMC Subway Station, is fully under construction and scheduled to open in spring 2018.
Construction is also underway on another York Viva BRT rapidway segment that will connect Vaughan from east to west:
- Highway 7 West in Woodbridge: Utility relocations continue and work will begin soon to widen the bridge over Highway 400;
- Centre Street: New gas and water main installations are continuing; and
- Bathurst Street: Road widening begins this summer.
Newmarket
As part of the York Viva BRT rapidway segment on Yonge Street in Newmarket, hydro poles are being relocated, and road widening begins this summer from Savage Road/Sawmill Valley Drive to Davis Drive – starting on the west side.
Richmond Hill
York Viva BRT rapidway construction continues on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue/Gamble Road, with crews relocating utilities above and below ground to prepare for road widening.
Markham
VivaNext will be starting construction on the 11-bay bus terminal in Cornell.
The York Viva BRT project represents a $1.4 billion (2009$) transit investment from the Government of Ontario, and is part of Metrolinx’s 25-year Regional Transportation Plan for an integrated and sustainable transit and transportation system in the GTHA. The project is being delivered by Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario, in collaboration with York Region Rapid Transit Corporation. Visit metrolinx.com for more information.
The SmartCentres Place Bus Terminal at the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is being delivered by York Region Rapid Transit Corporation and is funded by The Regional Municipality of York, the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Extension project, and SmartCentres.
The Cornell Bus Terminal project in eastern Markham is being delivered by York Region Rapid Transit Corporation and is jointly funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and The Regional Municipality of York
York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC) is responsible for the planning, design and construction of the full vivaNext rapid transit network and related infrastructure to deliver on the transit priorities set out in the York Region Transportation Master Plan. YRRTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary and share capital corporation of The Regional Municipality of York. The vivaNext plan is a key component of the vision outlined by the Places to Grow Act, which aims to manage growth in a sustainable and environmentally-friendly way that enriches communities.
Contact:
Sarah Harris
York Region Rapid Transit Corporation
905-886-6767
sarah.harris@york.ca