Metrolinx and York Region contractors continue getting ready to build a rapidway — bus-only lanes in the centre of the roadway — along Highway 7 West from west of Jane Street to east of Keele Street.

As of tomorrow, Friday, August 28, traffic lanes on Highway 7 West at Jane Street will be in their final set-up after months of construction on the rapidway project. The roadway now includes a median in the centre of the road, east and west of Jane Street.

To prepare for reconfiguring the lanes, crews are painting lines overnight from 6 p.m. tonight until 8 a.m. tomorrow on the west side of the intersection with Jane.

They’re reducing traffic lanes on Highway 7 to just one lane in each direction between Edgeley Boulevard and Maplecrete Road. After 4 p.m., traffic signals will flash red and “paid-duty” York Regional Police officers will be on site to help direct traffic.

Starting at 8 a.m. tomorrow, the intersection with Jane will have a left-turn traffic signal. Drivers can only turn left when the left-turn arrow is illuminated, and left turns are not permitted when through traffic proceeds.

To access mid-block entrances on opposite sides of the road between Edgeley and Creditstone Road, you can U-turn at Jane or Creditstone Road. Today’s right-turn lanes will be for both through and right-turning traffic tomorrow.

Since intersections are wider with new signals, pedestrians need to cross Highway 7 in two stages. A countdown signal will indicate how many seconds you have left to safely cross the street. At a pedestrian waiting area in the middle of the crosswalk, you can stop, push the “walk” button and wait for the next walk signal to safely cross the second half of the street.

Expect construction-related noise from equipment and trucks and traffic delays in this area.

During Highway 7 West rapidway construction, also expect delays for:

• Brampton Transit Züm express buses operating along the 501 Züm Queen route;
• TTC buses operating along the 35D Jane and 107 Keele North routes; and
• York Region Transit Viva express buses operating along the Viva orange route and YRT local buses operating along the 20 Jane and 77 Highway 7 routes.

Source:

• vivaNext.