What’s Going on Here?: Yonge Street Viva construction, Newmarket

Construction along Yonge Street for the Viva rapidway continues until end of 2019

Yorkregion.com
March 7, 2019
Amanda Persico

The Yonge Street rapidway construction is more than 70 per cent complete.

Just the Facts:

• The rapidway project runs 2.4 kilometres along Yonge Street from Savage Road/Sawmill Valley Drive to Davis Drive;
• Instead of turning on to Eagle Street, the Viva bus will continue along Yonge Street to Davis Drive and connect with the Newmarket Bus Terminal.
• Construction started in April 2014 and is expected to be complete by the end of 2019, with streetscaping and tree planting to be done in spring 2020;
• Currently work is being done to build each of the three Viva stations, which includes pouring concrete, installing canopies and assembling the blue-tinted glass;
• Remaining work includes: Boulevard work, installing new sidewalks, planters and pavers along the east side; paving and pavement markers along Yonge Street, including red asphalt for the rapidway lanes and intersections;
• The budget is $430.2 million, which includes the Newmarket section and the Richmond Hill section from Highway 7 to Major Mackenzie Drive and from Levendale Road to 19th Avenue/Gamble Road. This is part of the province’s $1.4 billion commitment to rapid transit;
• The completed project will include pedestrian-friendly boulevards with wider sidewalks; raised bike lanes on the west side of Yonge Street between Sawmill Valley Road and Davis Drive, and on the east side of Yonge Street from Savage Road to Mulock Drive; and dedicated left turn signals;
• Future plans include continuing the Yonge Street rapidway north 4.4 kilometres to Green Lane, adding three Viva stations and connecting to the East Gwillimbury GO station.

 

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