YRT/Viva Construction Thread (Rapidways, Terminals)

[Leo_Chan]

Slide a little bit back to topic?

Does anyone know when the Highway 7 East Rapidway from Birchmount Road to Unionville GO is going to be built? It's suppose to by done by 2021, so how long would it take. It involves two grade-separations, one at Enterprise Blvd and another at the tracks. I guess it would make sense for it to be built at the same time as the double tracking and double platforming of Unionville GO for RER. What do you think?

 

[amnesiajune]

I often drive hwy 7 myself - I once went from Keele to Leslie without encountering a single Viva Blue in either direction. This was in the early afternoon. Usually, I see no more than one, which is also really bad.

That would be a problem if it was the route that Viva Blue takes, but it's not. You certainly would've seen a bus or two passing in the other direction if you took Bathurst and Centre, and odds are that there was a bus at Richmond Hill Centre when you passed there (if not you would've seen one somewhere between Bathurst and Leslie).

 

[BMO]

...Honestly, how long does it take to allow a bus to scoot through an intersection before the heavy traffic flow resumes? It can't be more than a 30 seconds in most cases. As a driver, this wouldn't bother me at all, especially if I was seeing many of these buses packed with passengers. I dare say drivers are more pissed when they see empty buses going by. A full bus at least shows that it's having an impact/doing something.

That's actually a well documented rationale used in traffic engineering. Motorists tend to be less frustrated waiting longer at lights if they see that the intersection is being well - used.

As for 30 seconds pre-emption for VIVA vehicles is pretty long. You'd likely have better results having vehicles extend a green phase for the through phases since stations are far-side and then if you must, then you add pre-emption so that cycles upstream can adjust in anticipation of transit vehicles. But there's timing and other adjustments that can be made to the line to promote coordinated operations based on maintaining a consistent vehicle speed.

 

[amnesiajune]

Does anyone know when the Highway 7 East Rapidway from Birchmount Road to Unionville GO is going to be built? It's suppose to by done by 2021, so how long would it take. It involves two grade-separations, one at Enterprise Blvd and another at the tracks. I guess it would make sense for it to be built at the same time as the double tracking and double platforming of Unionville GO for RER. What do you think?

It's being built as the area is developed. They'll probably build the Birchmount Station whenever they develop the area north of the Marriott hotel, and then they'll keep building west. There's no additional grade separation planned though - the buses would rejoin Enterprise at a five-way intersection with the southern extension of Sciberias Road, which is about 700 meters east of Birchmount and 200 meters west of the rail crossing.

What would be interesting is if Go Transit built a spanish solution whenever the development reaches the station, so that people can get on trains at either side of the station.

 

[innsertnamehere]

GO's Unionville expansion plan is for 3 platforms, one as a turnback track for RER. The tunnels will be built for a future connection to the west of the track when that plot develops.

 

[Neutrino]

That would be a problem if it was the route that Viva Blue takes, but it's not. You certainly would've seen a bus or two passing in the other direction if you took Bathurst and Centre, and odds are that there was a bus at Richmond Hill Centre when you passed there (if not you would've seen one somewhere between Bathurst and Leslie).

Yeah I realized I had the wrong route. Purple, is it? Regardless, I don't recall seeing one going in either direction between Keele and Leslie. Perhaps it was at RHC.

That's actually a well documented rationale used in traffic engineering. Motorists tend to be less frustrated waiting longer at lights if they see that the intersection is being well - used.

Can attest to that. I find it more irritating having to wait for the lights on rural concession roads when there's very little cross traffic.

As for 30 seconds pre-emption for VIVA vehicles is pretty long. You'd likely have better results having vehicles extend a green phase for the through phases since stations are far-side and then if you must, then you add pre-emption so that cycles upstream can adjust in anticipation of transit vehicles. But there's timing and other adjustments that can be made to the line to promote coordinated operations based on maintaining a consistent vehicle speed.

My point being that any disruption for drivers would be minimal.

 

[Neutrino]

With respect to the Viva station under construction at 7-Bathurst - is that for the Viva Purple?

 

[applepill]

With respect to the Viva station under construction at 7-Bathurst - is that for the Viva Purple?

Well yes, but when it opens, it will be solely served by Viva Orange as Viva Purple would have stopped running to Pioneer Village by September 2018.

 

[Neutrino]

Well yes, but when it opens, it will be solely served by Viva Orange as Viva Purple would have stopped running to Pioneer Village by September 2018.

So Viva Orange will serve YorkU?

 

[Leo_Chan]

So Viva Orange will serve YorkU?

No, you will have to take Viva Orange to VMC and transfer to the Subway. This is why Viva Purple still serve York U in the transitional period. I don't know if YRT will still run the previously planned YRT Route 100/101 from RHC to York U, but I think those plans are no longer going to happen.

 

[Neutrino]

@Leo_Chan thank you for clarifying. Why don't they combine Orange and Purple? (apologies if this topic has already been raised in this thread)

 

[Sandpit]

@Leo_Chan thank you for clarifying. Why don't they combine Orange and Purple? (apologies if this topic has already been raised in this thread)

Come September, York U will be served by the 3 and either Viva Purple or Route 100 (we don't know exactly yet). Contrary to popular belief on this board, YRT is not pulling out of York U entirely (only north-south routes are planned to be withdrawn). As for combining Orange and Purple, doing so would make the route too long. Plus Western York Region (served by Orange) and Eastern York Region (served by Purple) are really two different worlds.

 

[Megaton327]

@Leo_Chan thank you for clarifying. Why don't they combine Orange and Purple? (apologies if this topic has already been raised in this thread)

I believe long routes are generally more difficult to manage and keep on time vs. two shorter routes, and many riders transfer to/from Viva Blue at RHC.

Presumably ridership studies have been done on what percentage of passengers travel through RHC and they'll keep an eye on that going forwards. The routes can always be recombined in the future.

 

[Leo_Chan]

Come September, York U will be served by the 3 and either Viva Purple or Route 100 (we don't know exactly yet). Contrary to popular belief on this board, YRT is not pulling out of York U entirely (only north-south routes are planned to be withdrawn). As for combining Orange and Purple, doing so would make the route too long. Plus Western York Region (served by Orange) and Eastern York Region (served by Purple) are really two different worlds.

I believe long routes are generally more difficult to manage and keep on time vs. two shorter routes, and many riders transfer to/from Viva Blue at RHC.

Presumably ridership studies have been done on what percentage of passengers travel through RHC and they'll keep an eye on that going forwards. The routes can always be recombined in the future.

Thanks for saying everything I wanted to say

 

[Leo_Chan]

I still don't see why this can't be done with the Rapidway from Birchmount to Unionville GO:

Surely this can be modified to add at least one bus lane