Questions
What is opening for service?
Why is this segment and vivastation opening early?
When will the rest of the project open for service?
Where is Viva travelling in the segment that is opening early?
Why is there only a partial rapidway on this section of Highway 7?
Where else are partial rapidways on Highway 7?
Where is the Bathurst & Highway 7 station located?
How do people get to the station in the centre of the road?
What happens in the event of an emergency on a station platform?
How frequent will service be?
How will Viva rapidway service differ from my curbside Viva service?
Why don’t YRT routes ride in the rapidway?
How will the rapidway be visible to drivers?
How will the rapidways be maintained?
Where can pedestrians and cyclists travel along this section?
How do I access Richmond Hill Centre Terminal from Yonge and from Highway 7 on foot or by bike?
Who can I call if I have a question about the project?
Who can I call if I have questions about Viva or YRT bus service?
Answers
What is opening for service?
A 2.6-kilometre segment of Viva bus rapid transit (rapidway) along Highway 7 is opening on Sunday, September 22, three months ahead of schedule, from Bathurst Street to Richmond Hill Centre Terminal near Yonge Street, including the Bathurst & Highway 7 station.
The Highway 7 West vivaNext project totals 12.6 km of rapidway with 10 new stations along Highway 7 (from Bruce Street to Edgeley Boulevard), and from Centre Street to Yonge Street along the existing Viva route along Centre Street and Bathurst Street.
Why is this segment and vivastation opening early?
We are pleased to open this segment three months ahead of schedule so that Viva transit customers, cyclists and pedestrians can benefit sooner from the new dedicated bus lane, as well as a shared-use path on the north and south sides of Highway 7.
When will the rest of the project open for service?
The remaining 10 km of the project is progressing well, and is expected to open for service by the end of this year.
Where is Viva travelling in the segment that is opening early?
Viva will travel on “partial rapidway”, which means a dedicated eastbound bus lane running along Highway 7 from the Highway 7-Bathurst Connecting Road to the Highway 7-Yonge Connecting Road and into Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. On the Highway 7-Bathurst Connecting Road, there will be rapidway lanes running in both directions, with Viva stopping at the new Bathurst & Highway 7 station..
Why is there only a partial rapidway on this section of Highway 7?
A partial rapidway refers to a dedicated bus rapid transit (BRT) lane in one direction. In this section of Highway 7, the rapidway lane runs eastbound towards Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. This is due to several reasons, including property constraints, and conflicts with existing infrastructure.
Work will commence on the north side of the bridge first, and then move to the south side of the bridge.
Where else are partial rapidways on Highway 7?
For the Highway 7 West project, there will be a dedicated rapidway in both directions for the majority of the 12.6 kilometres, with a partial rapidway at three locations:
- On Highway 7, between Bathurst and Yonge , for the Viva eastbound route to the Richmond Hill Centre Terminal;
- On Bathurst, over Highway 407 and Highway 7, for the Viva southbound route to Centre and the Promenade Terminal; and
- On Centre under the Highway 407 bridge, between Highway 7 and Dufferin Street, for the Viva eastbound route to Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station and TTC Line 1 subway.
Where is the Bathurst & Highway 7 station located?
The Bathurst & Highway 7 station is located on the Highway 7-Bathurst Connecting Road at Bathurst. This intersection is quite constrained, with the Highway 407 on and off ramps, protected Sugarbush Heritage Park, bridge over Highway 407 and plans for a 407 Transitway in the future. The station location on the connecting road was selected as the best option.
How do people get to the station in the centre of the road?
People can get to the station by crossing at the signalized intersection and turning onto the platform ramp at the centre of the crosswalk. To return to the sidewalk from the station, a pedestrian light with push-button activation is located at the centre of the crosswalk at the platform ramp.
What happens in the event of an emergency on a station platform?
A customer can push the emergency call button for (24/7) assistance and their call will be answered by a York Region Enforcement Dispatcher, which allows for two-way communication. Surveillance cameras will pan to the emergency call button area and blue pulsing lights on the platform will be activated to attract the attention of responders.
How frequent will service be?
Frequency and the rapidway are what will put the rapid into rapid transit. Viva is already known for being frequent and when the full Bathurst and Centre and Highway 7 West rapidway opens, schedules will be adjusted to ensure appropriate spacing between arrivals.
How will Viva rapidway service differ from my curbside Viva service?
Viva rapidway service will offer all the things you already love about Viva on other corridors, with the added benefit of being in your own lane and not being caught in congested traffic. Plus the stations will have amenities such as a heated enclosure, security surveillance and live service announcements so even your short wait for the next vehicle will be pleasant.
Why don’t YRT routes ride in the rapidway?
In general, the purpose of YRT is to provide convenient local service within neighbourhoods with curbside stops that feed into the rapid transit system and enable customers to get wherever they need to go.
How will the rapidway be visible to drivers?
We have designed a number of features to ensure the rapidway is easy to see, including paving it with red asphalt, putting in rumble strips along the edges, and signage.
How will the rapidways be maintained?
There is a designated maintenance area on the side of the rapidway to provide access for service vehicles. York Region has a complete winter maintenance plan for clearing the rapidways during winter months.
Where can pedestrians and cyclists travel along this section?
Cyclists and pedestrians have a shared-use path both eastbound and westbound on Highway 7, with special signals and pavement markings at intersections to identify access.
How do I access Richmond Hill Centre Terminal from Yonge and from Highway 7 on foot or by bike?
From Highway 7, pedestrians and cyclists may travel on a shared-use path on the Highway 7-Yonge Connecting Road and into Richmond Hill Centre Terminal. The shared-use path runs along Highway 7 from Bathurst.
The shared-use path from Richmond Hill Centre Terminal to Yonge is still under construction. Pedestrians and cyclists coming from Yonge Street may in the meantime access the terminal from High Tech Road. This portion of the Yonge Connecting Road is part of the Yonge Street Richmond Hill vivaNext project, expected to open for service by the end of 2020.
Who can I call if I have a question about the project?
Keeping the public informed and engaged with our rapidway projects is important to us. Our Community Liaisons work with property owners, tenants, local businesses and residents.
For more information on VivaNext Construction, please contact our Community Liaison.
Who can I call if I have questions about Viva or YRT bus service?
YRT/Viva Information Line:
Local: 905 762 2100
Toll free: 1 866 MOVE YRT [668 3978]
Monday to Friday: 7am–7pm
Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: 8:30am–4:30pm