Rapid transit lanes to be built on Yonge Street in Newmarket, Richmond Hill

YorkRegion.com
April 22, 2014
By Sean Pearce

Get ready Newmarket and Richmond Hill. Work on the rapidways along Yonge Street in your communities is about to get underway.

This morning, it was announced that York RapidLINK Constructors had been awarded the $260.5-million contract to design and build the VivaNext bus rapidways on two stretches of Yonge in Newmarket and Richmond Hill.

The project requires the street to be widened in both communities to accommodate nine kilometres of rapidway lanes in the centre of the road and 10 new Viva stations.

In Newmarket, the new rapidway will run 2.4 km on Yonge from just south of Mulock Drive to Davis Drive.

In Richmond Hill, the 6.5 km of rapidway will extend from Hwy. 7 to 19th Avenue/Gamble Road, although Viva buses will continue to drive in mixed traffic through the heritage area located north of Major Mackenzie Drive.

Construction work is expected to begin later this year and be completed by the end of 2018.

Liberal Richmond Hill MPP Reza Moridi said the project would be a great benefit for the economy and for present and future residents.

By proceeding with it, congestion will be reduced, he said, adding commuters will have a better way of getting around.

Transportation Minister Glen Murray agreed.

“We have taken another important step in building a modern transit system for residents and commuters across York Region,” he said.

Investing in public transit reflects the government of Ontario’s commitment to reducing congestion on our roads, curbing emissions, and improving the quality of life for Ontario’s families, he added.

Metrolinx president and CEO Bruce McCuaig said the project will transform for the region and cited it as yet another example of transportation progress in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

It further demonstrates Metrolinx’s ongoing commitment to reducing congestion, connecting travel centres and keeping people moving, he added.

As part of the region’s transit plan, the rapidways will connect people with urban areas and other transit services including GO Transit, the Spadina subway extension in Vaughan and the proposed Yonge subway extension up to Richmond Hill.

The VivaNext rapidway project represents a $1.4-billion investment from the provincial government.