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YRT/Viva Construction Thread (Rapidways, Terminals)

Reecemartin said:
Any progress on the Smartcentres bus terminal? Coming up on 2 years now lol
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The interior and exterior of the bus terminal seems pretty much done from the outside with all the plastic wrapping off the furnishing. The enclosed portion of the terminal has an assortment of: tables, chairs and ticket machines spread about and I believe I saw washrooms, which is strange since the main subway station already has washrooms outside the fare zone. They have also put in the blue digital next bus arrival system at each bus bay. They typically blast all the lights on inside and outside the terminal at night with the timber roof giving off a "warm" and "natural" look unlike the brutalist or metallic design of other terminals. Credit to the architect for making the building look so stunning at night. All the construction equipment has disappeared from the site and with the only activity being that of a pick up truck that will occasionally park inside the terminal. There is still a chain link fence around the terminals perimeter so there might be some structural issues to work out (or they forgot to remove it). Once the terminal opens, it should be a relief on the PUPD which is typically clogged during rush hour as the flow of YRT passengers crossing New Park Place hold cars hostage. A weird oddity is that the YRT installed a ticket machine at the temporary bus stop at VMC over the summer (not relevant to the terminal just wanted to include that). The YRT mentioned the terminal in its latest MyTransit pamphlet. https://www.yrt.ca/en/about-us/resources/SEPT_2019_MyTransit_web.pdf. I would take the "opening soon" with a pinch of salt given they have consistently pushed the opening for the terminal. I'll just hope the project doesn't turn into a mini-Brandenburg airport.
 
ViveleCanada said:
The interior and exterior of the bus terminal seems pretty much done from the outside with all the plastic wrapping off the furnishing. The enclosed portion of the terminal has an assortment of: tables, chairs and ticket machines spread about and I believe I saw washrooms, which is strange since the main subway station already has washrooms outside the fare zone. They have also put in the blue digital next bus arrival system at each bus bay. They typically blast all the lights on inside and outside the terminal at night with the timber roof giving off a "warm" and "natural" look unlike the brutalist or metallic design of other terminals. Credit to the architect for making the building look so stunning at night. All the construction equipment has disappeared from the site and with the only activity being that of a pick up truck that will occasionally park inside the terminal. There is still a chain link fence around the terminals perimeter so there might be some structural issues to work out (or they forgot to remove it). Once the terminal opens, it should be a relief on the PUPD which is typically clogged during rush hour as the flow of YRT passengers crossing New Park Place hold cars hostage. A weird oddity is that the YRT installed a ticket machine at the temporary bus stop at VMC over the summer (not relevant to the terminal just wanted to include that). The YRT mentioned the terminal in its latest MyTransit pamphlet. https://www.yrt.ca/en/about-us/resources/SEPT_2019_MyTransit_web.pdf. I would take the "opening soon" with a pinch of salt given they have consistently pushed the opening for the terminal. I'll just hope the project doesn't turn into a mini-Brandenburg airport.
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My understanding with regards to the ticket machines is to help alleviate the bus loading time. Specifically the 20 Jane route with everyone heading towards Vaughan Mills and Wonderland. They instituted all doors boarding at VMC to quicken the loading with VIVA Fare Inspectors checking for valid fares at the rear doors; pre-purchase your fare beforehand. So buy your tickets before if you’re paying cash/credit or debit and let those paying with Presto enter from the front doors.
 
FWIW, this is the latest on the terminal, from the Sept. 19 YRRTC board of directors report...
207766
 
cplchanb said:
thats actually a regression pic... we had EMUs back then on yonge st. now were stuck with cars and buses...
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I'm not sure how you can consider a single streetcar every hour or two a regression compared to the 15 minute and better service that exists today.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
I'm not sure how you can consider a single streetcar every hour or two a regression compared to the 15 minute and better service that exists today.

Dan
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Rail regardless of frequency is the higher order of transit. It's like the downgrade of ontatio northland rail from union station to buses. I would coin that as a regression
 
cplchanb said:
Rail regardless of frequency is the higher order of transit. It's like the downgrade of ontatio northland rail from union station to buses. I would coin that as a regression
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Maybe if you're a fanboi.....

But to the people who actually take the service, that is most certainly not the case.

Dan
 
smallspy said:
Maybe if you're a fanboi.....

But to the people who actually take the service, that is most certainly not the case.

Dan
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I would invite you to ask any normal passerby what they think about this exact thing. I'd bet the majority of them would agree that replacing a train with a bus is a downgrade
 
TossYourJacket said:
While I'd agree a train is certainly seen as a higher form of transit, just because it's perceived as a downgrade, doesn't mean it necessarily is one in terms of functionality.
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I'm just trying to put it out there in a normal non fanboy/enthusiast/SME just a normal passerby perspective. Had they kept the food infrastructure like japan/Europe did with their railways we would be in a much better place than today
 
cplchanb said:
I would invite you to ask any normal passerby what they think about this exact thing. I'd bet the majority of them would agree that replacing a train with a bus is a downgrade
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Are you going to put it your terms, or in the actual terms of how people see the service?

Because I can tell you the answers pretty easily in both cases.

Dan
 
cplchanb said:
I would invite you to ask any normal passerby what they think about this exact thing. I'd bet the majority of them would agree that replacing a train with a bus is a downgrade
Click to expand...

I'm not sure who would think that 6 trains per week is an upgrade over several buses per day. Make sure to ask people in North York, Vaughan, Barrie and Orillia, all fairly important stops that the train did not make.

The train was comfortable, yeah. The bus is faster, more reliable, more frequent, serves more people, and doesn't need obscene subsidies. Comfort is nice, but on its own it's not deserving of subsidies to the tune of hundreds of dollars per passenger.
 
amnesiajune said:
I'm not sure who would think that 6 trains per week is an upgrade over several buses per day. Make sure to ask people in North York, Vaughan, Barrie and Orillia, all fairly important stops that the train did not make.

The train was comfortable, yeah. The bus is faster, more reliable, more frequent, serves more people, and doesn't need obscene subsidies. Comfort is nice, but on its own it's not deserving of subsidies to the tune of hundreds of dollars per passenger.
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I was referring to the mode not the frequency. The soft items like frequency can easily be varied to suit, but the hard items like the infrastructure was what I was referring to. When people look back and realise that what is now York region had a sophisticated electrified rail network 100 years ago only to be replaced by diesel buses they would wonder what happened, and why did they downgrade? We wouldnt be squabbling over tax money to build new LRTs and subway extension if we didnt rip up the tracks to replace with roads and cars.
 
I have taken the train and the bus. A bus is a big downgrade. The train had a dining car with meals sold on board. The ride was reasonably smooth.
 
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