Municipalities have been busy this summer and fall with many infrastructure projects. And, transit agencies have been busy diverting or adjusting their regular services so that they could continue to serve passengers during the construction season.
(The large number of construction projects may have resulted from provincial and federal funds to create construction jobs and stimulate local economies.)
As winter approaches, many of these projects are winding down and transit services are settling back into their regular schedules and routines for the winter.
Projects affecting transit that we’ve been watching and that have now ended for the season — or permanently — include:
- Burton Avenue in Barrie.
- Bathurst Street — two projects, one in King, Richmond Hill and Vaughan and one in Richmond Hill and Vaughan.
- Highway 7 in Markham and Vaughan.
- Kingston Road — two projects, one in Ajax and one in Pickering.
- Leslie Street in Markham.
- McLaughlin Road North in Brampton.
- Sheridan College’s Davis Campus in Brampton.
- Warden Avenue in Markham.
- Weston Road in Vaughan.
- Yonge Street — two projects in Richmond Hill.
Ajax
Kingston Road (Durham Regional Highway 2)
Durham Region Transit buses operating along the 225 Audley North, 235 Puckrin, 235B Puckrin - Elm and 282 Applecroft - Nottingham - Audley North routes and GO Transit buses operating along the 94 Oshawa - Yorkdale via Highway 2 route recently resumed regular service between Salem Road and Wicks Drive.
Construction has affected GO buses since Tuesday, July 21 and DRT buses since Monday, August 17.
Barrie
Burton Avenue
Barrie Transit buses operating along the 30 Yonge, 31 Essa, 34 Ardagh, 39 Hurst and 41 Allandale routes and GO Transit buses operating along the 68 Barrie - Newmarket route recently resumed regular service between Tiffin Street and Minet’s Point Road.
Construction started on Wednesday, August 12.
Brampton
McLaughlin Road North
Buses operating along Brampton Transit’s 3 McLaughlin and 1 Queen routes recently resumed regular service on McLaughlin Road North between Holtby Avenue and Queen Street West.
Construction has delayed transit service since Tuesday, September 1.
During the project, BT detoured buses off McLaughlin for two weekends: overnight on Friday, October 9 and Saturday, October 10 and on Friday, November 13 and Saturday November 14
Sheridan College Davis Campus
Buses operating on Brampton Transit’s 53 James Potter and 52 Sheridan routes and Mississauga Transit’s 61A Mavis - Sheridan and 66 McLaughlin routes recently resumed regular service through campus.
Construction has disrupted transit services from time to time since Tuesday, August 7, 2007, with the latest round of detours affecting Brampton Transit services only since Friday, December 12, 2008.
King
Bathurst Street (York Regional Road 38)
Buses operating along York Region Transit’s 88 Bathurst route have resumed regular service south of King Road.
A repaving project started on Monday, September 14.
Work on a project to widen Bathurst between Highway 9 and Mulock Drive in King and Newmarket continues.
Markham
Highway 7
Buses operating along York Region Transit’s 1 Highway 7, 87 Langstaff - Maple, Viva pink and Viva purple routes recently resumed regular service between Bathurst Street and Bayview Avenue.
Construction started on Monday, August 31.
Construction on another project further west on Highway 7 continues to affect YRT services.
Leslie Street
Buses operating along York Region Transit’s 83A Trench, 82 Valleymede / Spadina, 90 Leslie South, 429 Richmond Green high school special and 452 Richmond Green high school special via Hazelton routes recently resumed regular service between 19th Avenue and Elgin Mills Road East.
Construction started on Monday, August 31.
Warden Avenue
Buses operating along the TTC’s 68 Warden route and York Region Transit’s 404 Father McGivney high school special via Kennedy / Warden and Viva green routes recently resumed regular service between McPherson Street / McNabb Street and Steeles Avenue West.
Construction started on Monday, September 14.
A repaving project started on Monday, September 14.
Pickering
Kingston Road (Durham Regional Highway 2)
Buses operating along Durham Region Transit’s 104 Glendale, 107 / 107B Rosebank, 111 Finch / Highway 2, 121 Liverpool / Finch / Highway 2, 144 Glendale / Maple Ridge, 181 Liverpool / Finch / Highway 2 / Maple Ridge / Glendale and 183 Amberlea / Ajax routes and GO Transit’s 94 Oshawa - Yorkdale via Highway 2 and 95 Oshawa - Yorkdale express via Highway 2 routes recently resumed regular service between Glendale Drive and Dixie Road.
Construction affected bus stops along the route since Monday, July 21, 2008.
Richmond Hill
Bathurst Street (York Regional Road 38)
Buses operating along York Region Transit’s 88 Bathurst, 81 Inspiration, 90 Leslie South and 83 Trench routes recently resumed regular service on Bathurst north of Major Mackenzie Drive West.
Construction started on Monday, September 14.
Buses operating along YRT’s 88 Bathurst route and the TTC’s 160 Bathurst North route also recently resumed regular service between Centre Street and Steeles Avenue West.
Construction started on Tuesday, September 8.
Work on a project to widen Bathurst between Highway 9 and Mulock Drive in King and Newmarket continues.
Yonge Street (York Regional Road 1)
A Town of Richmond Hill project to rehabilitate the sewers between Oxford Street / Industrial Drive and Major Mackenzie Drive no longer affects transit services.
GO Transit buses operating along the 62 Newmarket “B” route and York Region Transit buses operating along the 83 Trench, 99 Yonge South, 589 Richmond Hill community and Viva blue routes recently resumed regular service.
This project started on Monday, July 27.
A Region of York waterworks project in Oak Ridges also no longer affects transit services.
GO Transit buses operating along the 62 Newmarket “B” route and York Region Transit buses operating along the Viva blue and 98 Yonge North routes recently resumed regular service along Yonge Street between Estate Garden Drive / Old Colony Road and Jefferson Forest Drive.
This project started on Thursday, September 3.
Vaughan
Bathurst Street (York Regional Road 38)
Buses operating along York Region Transit’s 88 Bathurst, 81 Inspiration, 90 Leslie South and 83 Trench routes recently resumed regular service on Bathurst north of Major Mackenzie Drive West.
Construction started on Monday, September 14.
Buses operating along YRT’s 88 Bathurst route and the TTC’s 160 Bathurst North route also recently resumed regular service between Centre Street and Steeles Avenue West.
Construction started on Tuesday, September 8.
Work on a project to widen Bathurst between Highway 9 and Mulock Drive in King and Newmarket continues.
Weston Road (York Regional Road 56)
Buses operating along the TTC’s 165D / F Weston Rd North route recently resumed regular service between Rutherford Road and Langstaff Road West in Vaughan.
Construction started on Sunday, August 30.