I'm Zach with Vanishing Underground, and welcome to the new Yonge Street rapidway.
This is the new Yonge Street rapidway. Located on Yonge Street in Richmond Hill, this 6.5
kilometre rapidway services Viva Blue buses running between Finch Station and Newmarket
Terminal. With an average of 13,500 passengers per day, this is the busiest VIVA route in
York Region, with buses running every 10 minutes or better during the daytime on the southern
portion of the route. Early construction on the rapidway began in early 2016, with road
widening beginning in 2018, and the rapidway opening for service in December 2020. This
is the final segment of funded bus rapid transit to open in York Region, for a total of 33.7
kilometres of lanes throughout Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, and Newmarket.
The new rapidway is divided into two sections, running between the Richmond Hill Centre and
19th-Gamble Station. The southern section runs 3.6 kilometres from Garden Avenue to
Major Mackenzie Drive, and includes four rapidway stations at Bantry-Scott, 16th-Carrville,
Weldrick Road, and Yonge & Major Mackenzie. The northern section runs 2.9 kilometres from
Levendale Road to just north of 19th Avenue, and includes three rapidway stations at Elgin
Mills Road, Bernard Avenue, and 19th-Gamble. Between the two sections, VIVA buses continue
to run in mixed traffic through downtown Richmond Hill, servicing the existing curbside stop
at Crosby Avenue. York Region Transit’s VIVA Blue bus services these rapidway stations
on three separate branches. VIVA Blue to Newmarket buses service all stops between Finch Station
and Newmarket. VIVA Blue A buses follow this route, bypassing the Richmond Hill Centre
stop in rush hours. VIVA Blue to Bernard buses service all stops between Finch Station and
Bernard Terminal, with buses looping off-street through the terminal property. Local YRT routes
continue to operate in regular traffic, servicing separate stops on the edge of the roadway.
On the rapidway sections, two bus-only lanes run in the centre of the roadway, controlled
by dedicated transit signals at each intersection. Two driving lanes in each direction are located
on the outside of the rapidway lanes. With a few exceptions, there are no dedicated right
turning lanes, in order to create a uniform street width along the corridor. Left turns
and u-turns are only permitted at intersections, with dedicated signals phases controlling
these movements. Bike lanes are also present along most of the corridor, with painted bike
lanes between Garden and Major Mackenzie, as well as Levendale and Elgin Mills, and
raised cycle tracks between Elgin Mills and 19th Avenue. As part of the construction,
widened sidewalks were constructed along the corridor, along with planter boxes between
the sidewalk and the roadway. While the rapidway and sidewalks are completed, plantings and
bike lanes are still being constructed, and will be finished in 2021.
Along the corridor, seven rapidway stations service buses on Viva Blue, and are located
in the centre of the roadway. With the exception of the Yonge & Major Mackenzie station, each
platform is located on the far side of the intersection, reducing signal delays for buses.
At Yonge & Major Mackenzie, both stations are located across from each other one block
south of Major Mackenzie, on the north side of the Hopkins Street intersection. Each station
features a tinted glass canopy, which is lit up at night, and hangs over the platform and
part of the bus lane. In the centre of the canopy, a heated enclosed shelter is provided,
which includes automated entry doors and benches. Passenger information is provided by a next
vehicle departure board in the centre of the platform, as well as PA announcements and
static signage. At the end of the platform closest to the intersection, two PRESTO machines
accept fare payment, as well as a machine for cash, credit, and debit transactions.
Each platform also contains security cameras and an emergency call button. Walkways from the end of the
platform lead to the intersection, which contains a pedestrian push button and crosswalk to the corners.
Buses entering and exiting the rapidway are
controlled by a mixture of lights and signs. North of 19th Avenue, buses movements are
controlled by a buses merging sign, which flashes only when VIVA buses are approaching.
At Bernard Avenue, a dedicated transit lane and signal allows buses to turn left into
the rapidway after leaving Bernard Terminal. This lane is only used by VIVA buses that
short turn at Bernard, as Newmarket bound buses use the rapidway station on-street.
To access Bernard Terminal, buses merge out of the rapidway just north of the Elgin Mills
Station, transitioning to the curb lane to enter the terminal. North of Levendale Road,
northbound buses enter the rapidway at the entrance to the Richmond Heights plaza.
Southbound buses leaving the rapidway proceed through the intersection,
before merging back into traffic before Levendale.
At Major Mackenzie, northbound buses leave the rapidway via a dedicated transit signal,
while southbound buses enter the rapidway from the left lane just south of the intersection.
The final exit is at Garden Avenue, with a dedicated transit signal allowing buses
to exit left onto the Highway 7 Connector Road, or continue south on Yonge Street.
Northbound buses enter the rapidway just north of the intersection, merging in from Yonge.
Thanks for watching! We hope you enjoyed this
tour of the new Yonge Street rapidway! If you have a question, or we got anything wrong,
leave us a comment down below, and we’ll be sure to get back to you. As always, feel
free to leave a like if you want to see more, and as for us here, we’ll be Vanishing Underground
until the next one.