BMO
Senior Member
Just to add, the 2017 plan changes the viva routing to go south from promenade on new westminster and across clark ave to Yonge then south on Yonge. It would be a branch between Richmond Hill Centre and Clark Ave.
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YRT/Viva Construction Thread (Rapidways, Terminals)
- Thread starter waterloowarrior
- Start date
Just to add, the 2017 plan changes the viva routing to go south from promenade on new westminster and across clark ave to Yonge then south on Yonge. It would be a branch between Richmond Hill Centre and Clark Ave.
Electrify
Senior Member
Why didn't you post in my thread about his talk? We could have hung out afterwards.
Since Highway 7 actually transverses two grid roads (Centre/14th side road and Langstaff/15th side road), its routing might be the most logical but it hardly feels like the most natural. Not a single person who is headed to York University along Highway 7 is going to get off at Bathurst and Centre. The transit terminal is nice, but is hardly worth the detour if all the routes pulling into it operate once or twice every hour. It was like Walker roughly said, 'you have the line detour over here to serve this destination, but becomes next to useless to those going beyond this destination.'
As for transferring to go south, once the subway opens that is exactly what will happen. Even now, the thought of taking a Major Mackenzie or Rutherford bus across to Keele actually is somewhat appealing, but the routes run so infrequently it is not worth it.
BMO
Senior Member
You do realize that the majority of Viva Purple riders headed towards York U get on and off around the Centre/ Bathurst corridor...and that the Promenade stop is the 6th busiest in the entire YRT system. People heading to York U can take the 407 GO bus from RHC if the detour is so much of a burden http://www.yorku.ca/trnsprt/publictransit/gotransit.htm
Not to mention the Promenade mall is the only major trip generator between RHC and York U (there are many industrial businesses, but not many of them generate trips past the peak hours). Maybe dedicate a few peak hour express versions of the route kind of like how Viva Blue A by-passes RHC, but unfortunately I doubt the line has enough ridership to either warrant a few extra buses, no to divert some of the existing buses to by-pass the area.
Transportfan
Senior Member
Why doesn't anyone think of using a traditional naming convention? Look at how crosstown streets like Bloor, Eglinton, Sheppard, etc, were named? Can't these people think? Look in a historical atlas and pick a 19th Century landowners name at Yonge and the-then 15th Avenue and use it as a street name. Langstaff can't be used, but there would be others.
canarob
Senior Member
I'm not sure using a 19th century British landowner's name is exactly going to fly in what is one of the most diverse corridors in the country. I live along 7 and am of mostly British stock myself, but I'm really in the minority, even among the "white" population.
IMO, if we do rename 7, it needs to be after a national hero (the person can be Anglo Saxon...lol), major event, etc.
Electrify
Senior Member
Being a regular on this route, I know that the vast majority of riders are going between York U and Richmond Hill Centre. Yes there is a changeup at Promenade, but at Richmond Hill Centre the buses literally empty out except for a small handful of passengers. Also while the Promenade might be one of the busier stops (wouldn't mind seeing the link, not that I doubt you, but curious to see Viva stop ridership numbers), it is no secret that a lot of passengers are teenagers riding between the high school at Atkinson and the mall. It is also not a secret that a sizable percentage of them do not pay their fares, as this is one of the first places where Viva cops do their checks.
And yes there is a GO bus, and it is very frequent too since multiple branches pass through the stop. The problem is the extra cost involved in taking it, and when dealing with university students, every cent counts. In addition, I am willing to bet that many students don't realize some of the discounts available (75 cent to GO automatic with Presto, student GO fares). That said, when I'm running late, it is one hell of a lifesaver.
To clarify, I am not in favour of canceling the busway planned for Centre and Bathurst. However this is more due to them being too far ahead than because they make good planning sense. Ideally I want to see a new branch of Purple stay on Highway 7 exclusively with another branch making the various detours.
Transportfan
Senior Member
Oh please...It's recognition of the area's history.
BMO
Senior Member
This is a perfectly acceptable response. While i'm not saying you're wrong about the teenagers using the "freeva" I would argue if they're taking the bus after work they likely either A) live close enough to walk to school, or B) don't take the School bus home which means C) They likely already own a monthly YRT pass. Otherwise they would be driving to the mall or catching a ride with their friends. Sure there are probably those few people who pay for every trip they take and just skip out on paying when they take the Viva, but I suspect it's substantially lower than the majority.
I will try to track down the link about promenade stop being the sixth busiest. Granted it probably classifies it being the 6th busiest just because of the amount of routes that go there, but still IMO that warrants providing a trunk route just for the collector route connections.
I agree as well that the 75cent discount isn't well known to students, and based on my experience when I was in high school, the GO system can seem like a confusing and daunting thing to understand.
I think once Viva next comes online across highway 7 we may see some express routes by-pass the detours (you'll notice that the 2017 plan for Viva Purple shows one branch keeping straight on highway 7 instead of detouring down to Enterprise), but I wouldn't hold my breath, because there is absolutely no development between centre and Bathurst on highway 7, and very few route connections either, it just doesn't make very good planning sense. I think the best we may se eon this route, would at most, be one or two trips per peak period dedicated to express towards RHC, but even then it's a long shot as the difference between the 407 GO, would be one stop at Keele and the GO would arrive much, much quicker with it travelling on the 407. It would be duplication of service, without adding much else other than the stop at Keele.
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canarob
Senior Member
doady
Senior Member
If it's all about recognizing history, then just call it "Highway 7."
What about something like York Boulevard? Geographically accurate, and something like Boulevard gives it a sense of grandeur.
BMO
Senior Member
Just looked for it yesterday because I had to use it for my work at the consulting firm I work for. It's part of an internal document I've used for planning work with the Region. Not sure if i'm allowed to post it or not.
TJ O'Pootertoot
Senior Member
There's already a York Boulevard, and it runs off Highway 7. I suppose they could rename that too but it's kind of a moot point.
They took 2 or 3 runs at renaming the road over the past few years and it all came to naught. They had to get new street signs anyway with the rapidways but now they're going in so the ship has kind of sailed. Everyone had a half-decent idea of what to change it too but no one had a fully good idea so, luckily, they didn't change it just on principle.
They took 2 or 3 runs at renaming the road over the past few years and it all came to naught. They had to get new street signs anyway with the rapidways but now they're going in so the ship has kind of sailed. Everyone had a half-decent idea of what to change it too but no one had a fully good idea so, luckily, they didn't change it just on principle.
drum118
Superstar
The first section of the Hwy 7 BRT ROW will open in Aug and well before the schedule time.
Transportfan
Senior Member
Because "Highway" isn't appropriate any more.