Section of bus-only lane opens in Markham

Yorkregion.com
Sept. 18, 2014
By Brea Bartholet

Transit within Markham’s main hub is finally beginning to take shape.

An announcement Monday morning marked the official opening of the next segment along the bus rapidway - now extending along Hwy. 7 from Hwy. 404 to South Town Centre Boulevard.

The remaining two Viva rapid bus stations along Hwy. 7 are to be complete by the end the year.

Ontario Transportation Minister Stephen Del Duca said the ongoing project will benefit residents and the local economy for years to come.

“It will help ease the congestion. This is great news for commuters in York Region and this transformation is going to include a lot of unique features.”

Mayor Frank Scarpitti agreed with Del Duca, adding that the rapidway developments are putting Markham back on the map with transit.

“I’m very pleased to say we’ve had strong support of this from all council members. We’re back in the transit business in the province of Ontario and these changes will make a big difference to our community.”

The transformation along the section of Hwy. 7 will feature more trees, wider boulevards for pedestrians and dedicated bike lanes with the rapid transit stations to ensure safety.

Each station is constructed with 27-metre arched glass canopies, protecting commuters from wet or cold climates. There’s even enclosed heated waiting areas available, which will become essential during winter months.

To keep up with the latest technology, each station also boasts off-board fare collection, GPS navigation traffic signal information and even a PRESTO/new card reader.

The Viva York project is a part of the $1.4 billion being put into provincial transit and part of Metrolinx’s 25-year plan to create and implement a common transit system throughout the GTA.

“I never imagined we would be where we are today,” said Bill Fisch, York Region CEO and chairman. “I look at it with pride and joy and can tell you every level of government and most importantly our community have supported us every step of the way.”

For more information visit www.vivanext.com