Metrolinx and York Region contractors continue building a rapidway — bus-only lanes in the centre of the roadway — along Highway 7 West, Centre and Bathurst Streets between Dufferin and Yonge Streets.

Sunday, January 5, Metrolinx and the Region are opening a new 5.5-kilometre section of rapidway

• on Centre Street between Dufferin and Bathurst Street and
• on Bathurst Street between Highway 7 and Centre Street

in Vaughan.

Metrolinx and York opened the western segment of the Highway 7 project between Bruce Street and Interchange Way / Edgeley Boulevard Sunday, November 24, 2019. In September 2019, the partners opened a segment on Highway 7 between Bathurst and Richmond Hill Centre Terminal, including the Bathurst & Highway 7 vivastation, which they finished three months ahead of schedule. Opening this new section of rapidway completes the project to design, build and finance 12.6-kilometres of rapidway, 10 new stations, raised bike lanes, a multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians over Highway 400 and a seamless connection to TTC’s Line Yonge - University subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre Station.

Dedicated bus lanes, four new vivastations, upgraded utilities, raised bike lanes and tree-lined sidewalks are features of the new rapidway. On Centre Street the new vivastations are Dufferin Street, Taiga Drive and Disera - Promenade, and on Bathurst the new vivastation is Atkinson Avenue.

Motorists should be aware that the “BUS ONLY” lanes on this part of Yonge are rapidway lanes only for Viva buses and emergency vehicles — similar to other rapidways in York Region on Highway 7 and Davis Drive. The rapidways also include traffic signals that only control how Viva buses move through intersections.

The York Viva bus rapid transit project represents a $1.4 billion (2009$) transit investment from the Government of Ontario and is part of Metrolinx’s regional transportation plan.

York Region Rapid Transit Corporation is responsible for planning, designing and building the full vivaNext rapid transit network and infrastructure to deliver on the transit priorities set out in the York Region Transportation Master Plan. YRRTC is a wholly-owned subsidiary and share capital corporation of The Regional Municipality of York.