YRT/Viva Construction Thread (Rapidways, Terminals)

[wilson_wu]

It's very smart of them to install an eastbound rapidway specifically for the left turn.

Left turns bog down Viva buses a lot in mixed traffic. For example, it's not uncommon for the Viva Purple buses to wait 3 light cycles before finally getting through an intersection @ Keele, Kennedy. That's upwards of 6-10 minutes spent just idling at a light.

Although the rapidway bogs down service a lot through Downtown Markham, it more than makes up time for the amount of time the buses used to spend making a left turn from Warden to Enterprise.

I also agree, a rapidway is not required between Bayview -> Bathurst. There is almost never traffic. I also think there's complications in that there would need to be multiple bridge widenings to install rapidways in that segment.

 

[Leo_Chan]

If the rapidway lanes were added on Highway 7 in the future (long future IMO), I hope they increase the "speed limit" the buses must follow and allow for 80km/h on the long sections of no stops between Bathurst and RHC and Bayview. The current "speed limits" are retardedly slow at stations and intersection, as well as along the rapidway.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

"retardedly"? If being used literally, it's redundant. If not, not very polite, IMHO. So, kinda unnecessary either way.

 

[Leo_Chan]

I couldn't find any diagrams or renderings of a top view of the VMC Viva Station, so I decided to draw my own. Let me know how you feel about this drawing, and the how the actual design differs from my drawing:
This is the Google Earth Image:

And this is my drawing:

If anyone can find a real diagram/plan from Vivanext, then post it here to compare because I can't find one.
Also, does anyone know if there will be an intersection directly East of the Viva station because it looks like one could fit, but it seems a bit close to Jane St at the same time.

Heres a drawing with the Millway Ave crossing:

 

[Megaton327]

Also, does anyone know if there will be an intersection directly East of the Viva station because it looks like one could fit, but it seems a bit close to Jane St at the same time.

According to renderings an intersection is planned:

 

[Leo_Chan]

According to renderings an intersection is planned:

Well, the rendering doesn't really confirm it because look at the first building with the TTC entrance, this was made without the current VMC subway station design.

 

[Megaton327]

Well, the rendering doesn't really confirm it because look at the first building with the TTC entrance, this was made without the current VMC subway station design.

If there's no intersection, how are pedestrians supposed to access Viva? Do they walk a block east or west to the next nearest intersection, head to the north side of the street, enter the TTC station, walk to the Vivastation, and go back to ground level? That seems unlikely. There's no good reason to believe that rendering is outdated. It simply doesn't show the entrance building just to the right out of frame.

 

[Leo_Chan]

If there's no intersection, how are pedestrians supposed to access Viva? Do they walk a block east or west to the next nearest intersection, head to the north side of the street, enter the TTC station, walk to the Vivastation, and go back to ground level? That seems unlikely. There's no good reason to believe that rendering is outdated. It simply doesn't show the entrance building just to the right out of frame.

Good points, an intersection is very likely, and I also added an extra drawing with the crossing.

I found a higher resolution of the rendering above:

 

[Woodbridge_Heights]

I think there will have to be a crossing because some of the YRT routes will have on street connections to the VIVA terminal instead of through the bus terminal. Rte 77 comes to mind in this regard.

 

[strookie]

Hi, Leo_Chan. Your drawing, the one including the intersection, is missing the fourth lane on eastbound Hwy 7. It is a left turn lane for eastbound traffic to go north on Millway. You can see on the photo that there is enough room for four lanes plus a bike lane.

Also, regarding that TTC entrance in the rendering. That rendering was drawn well after the final design of the main entrance was decided. There are enough knockout walls designed at the concourse level to allow for whatever building that will replace the dilapidated Future Shop building to have pedestrian access to the concourse directly off Hwy 7.

I am always amazed that Smart Centres hasn't repurposed that space yet. Ever since Future Shop left, I rarely find more than 5 cars on the parking lot during the weekday, not including a handful of construction workers' cars. And the Penguin Pick-Up doesn't seem to be doing any business.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Hi, Leo_Chan. Your drawing, the one including the intersection, is missing the fourth lane on eastbound Hwy 7. It is a left turn lane for eastbound traffic to go north on Millway. You can see on the photo that there is enough room for four lanes plus a bike lane.

Also, regarding that TTC entrance in the rendering. That rendering was drawn well after the final design of the main entrance was decided. There are enough knockout walls designed at the concourse level to allow for whatever building that will replace the dilapidated Future Shop building to have pedestrian access to the concourse directly off Hwy 7.

I am always amazed that Smart Centres hasn't repurposed that space yet. Ever since Future Shop left, I rarely find more than 5 cars on the parking lot during the weekday, not including a handful of construction workers' cars. And the Penguin Pick-Up doesn't seem to be doing any business.

The intersection at Millway Ave was an after thought on my drawing. I would fix it, but lazy

I would guess the not utilized building won't have any occupants until closer to the subway opening.

 

[strookie]

I would guess the not utilized building won't have any occupants until closer to the subway opening.

The building still has one main tenant, Home Outfitters, but I see very little patronage and it's a wonder why it hasn't already closed. Perhaps Smart Centres is paying them a subsidy to stay open.

 

[TOareaFan]

The building still has one main tenant, Home Outfitters, but I see very little patronage and it's a wonder why it hasn't already closed. Perhaps Smart Centres is paying them a subsidy to stay open.

Or, perhaps, they have a lease that has not expired and, even more perhaps, there is an operating covenant in the lease? Maybe?

 

[wilson_wu]

I have a crazy conspiracy theory (ok maybe not that crazy).

But does anyone find it strange that the Viva green, silver, purple and orange routes end at Yonge and wont cross from east into west? It's so counter intuitive to cross-regional travel. Anyone think they're doing this to artificially inflate numbers for the Viva Blue Yonge line so they can justify their Yonge subway?

It's also strange that they could also divert their Markham Express routes directly to the Highway 407 subway station, but they instead choose to make buses exit the 407 and crawl through dense Yonge St traffic to Finch Station. Another case of artificially inflating the number of buses travelling down Yonge.

 

[cplchanb]

I have a crazy conspiracy theory (ok maybe not that crazy).

But does anyone find it strange that the Viva green, silver, purple and orange routes end at Yonge and wont cross from east into west? It's so counter intuitive to cross-regional travel. Anyone think they're doing this to artificially inflate numbers for the Viva Blue Yonge line so they can justify their Yonge subway?

It's also strange that they could also divert their Markham Express routes directly to the Highway 407 subway station, but they instead choose to make buses exit the 407 and crawl through dense Yonge St traffic to Finch Station. Another case of artificially inflating the number of buses travelling down Yonge.

not really...TTC do that for plenty of their EW routes that cross yonge st.... sheppard E/W, Steeles E/W, Lawrence E/W... its probably more to do with the length of the route than ridership imo