Viva BRT service opens in Newmarket, Ont.

Ontario, Metrolinx and The Regional Municipality of York launched a new Viva 1.6-mile bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor in the Town of Newmarket, and a corresponding park-and-ride facility.

Service of the new "Yellow" Viva route, which launched Nov. 29, will travel in the rapidway from Yonge Street to Roxborough Road, and then continue in mixed traffic with curbside stops and a turn-around at the new park-and-ride facility at Highway 404. The new park-and-ride facility, launching January 2016, was built in partnership with GO Transit, York Region and the Ministry of Transportation to provide enhanced connectivity between GO Transit and Viva services.

The transformation of this section of the BRT corridor, which traverses Davis Drive, includes wider streets, enhanced landscaping, and rapid transit stations designed for safety and comfort.

The stations include arched glass canopies inspired by transportation architecture from historic and modern European examples. The 88-foot glass canopy offers protection from the elements, including a 30-foot enclosed and heated waiting area. The details at vivastations complement the existing Viva technologies, including off-board fare collection, GPS navigation, real-time information, PRESTO smart card readers and traffic signal priority. Safety and accessibility features include a textured surface near the platform edge, level boarding from the platform to the bus, a public address system for updating riders and an emergency call button.

The broader York Viva BRT project represents a $1.4 billion transit investment from the Government of Ontario, and is part of Metrolinx's Regional Transportation Plan, a 25-year plan for an integrated and sustainable transit and transportation system in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.