[MisterF]

York Region is a sprawling suburb. Urban, it is not. There's so much space in York, burying wires is a waste of money.

Here is a Tokyo street:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Toky...noid=KY_eg1H3K0yuKnj7L2gltA&cbp=12,51.96,,0,0

If Tokyo jumped off a bridge...

Highway 7 is the most important east-west route through York Region. It's supposed to be the main street, to be lined with mid and high rise buildings for much of its length. The reconstruction of the road is as much about city building as it is about transit. With all the millions they've spent digging up the street (deep underground literally right next to the hydro poles) and using such high quality finishes, the decision not to bury the power lines is incredibly shortsighted.

By the way, Tokyo has many areas where the power lines are buried, especially on the main streets. It's routine in most industrialized countries.

 

[reaperexpress]

On the way home from work today, I took some pictures of the nearly-open segment of Highway 7 Rapidway (Hwy 404 to Bayview).

East from East Beaver Creek. The single main reason people don't cycle to their office jobs in Markham: the ramps going onto the 404 (or 407). No geometric changes planned, just some bike lanes.

East Beaver Creek eastbound stop. Note the loop detector at the intersection. Hopefully there will be one in advance as well, unlike on the existing Enterprise Rapidway. All the stops are pretty much the same, so I didn't upload all my pictures.

Looking east at West Beaver Creek:

Valleymede Drive eastbound:

Seat in Valleymede VivaStation:

The backside of Valleymede westbound stop. The car lanes will be shifted left to where the pylons are, freeing up space for a bike lane with double lines. It was painted that way for about a week at one point, and you can see where the lines were.

Saddlecreek Drive is the only traffic light without a VivaStation. It is, however site to some new condo construction. Hwy 7 users will welcome the return of left turn loop detectors. The temporary traffic lights gave left turn phases even when no one wanted to turn left.

The new signals are operational, though the transit signals are (ineffectively) covered by bags.

Looking east from Chalmers. The beginning of the line of midrises.

Route 1 will continue to operate in mixed traffic, even though Saddlecreek Drive is the only intersection without a VivaStation.

Chalmers VivaStation is the closest to being finished. It is also where they are testing the thermoplastic road markings.

New ticket machines. Yes, that is bubblewrap. Click here for a closer look.

Last, and clearly determined not to be least, is Bayview VivaStation. Collossally overbuilt, it is simply a roadside bus stop.

A few more pictures are up on my flickr page.

 

[cplchanb]

thanks for the update!
looks like there taking the KISS approach to the new machines by going with conventional buttons instead of the troublesome touchscreens.
interesting on how they left sections of the road "unpartitioned" but i guess that will aid snow removal and breakdown recoveries.
When will they be repainting the road surface?

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Great pictures.

Viva has a bit of a rep for overbuilding - that bridge at Richmond Hill Centre comes to mind - but Bayview was tricky. First, it's where the grade shifts, so instead of being an intersection, it's an underpass. Secondly, they have to have elevators to meet AODA standards. Third, they are trying to have pretty consistent branding and aesthetics. I don't know how much less they really could have done there...

IIRC, the initial plans for the rapidway surface had it using red pavement but there were issues with it, when they tried it Enterprise. It's a superficial thing but it would have been nice to be able to see the distinction between the rapidway and road more clearly.

 

[smallspy]

IIRC, the initial plans for the rapidway surface had it using red pavement but there were issues with it, when they tried it Enterprise. It's a superficial thing but it would have been nice to be able to see the distinction between the rapidway and road more clearly.

The surface of the Rapidway will be red. There is a thin layer of asphalt still to be laid across the whole roadway - it will be installed in the next week or two.

Dan
Toronto, Ont.

 

[Tuscani01]

Looking east at West Beaver Creek:

This picture is great! It shows the potential that Highway 7 has to become a real urban thoroughfare, even if its 6 lanes wide not including the Rapidway. As the trees mature, and more buildings line the street, it will become one hell of a good looking avenue.

 

[Fred.S]

Things are looking good. Are they planning on painting the whole rapidway red? Seems like a bit of a waste, and would eventually just fade. I know in the Netherlands they use an actual red asphalt mixture instead of paint, so it won't fade.

 

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

IIRC, they tried some sort of different material (perhaps the red asphalt mixture) at Enterprise...something there did didn't work but maybe they're just painting it now?

On a lighter note, as some surely know, they have talked several times about renaming Hwy. 7, with the region liking "Avenue 7" and everyone else thinking it was terrible. The initial goal was to coordinate the name change with the new signage going in the rapidways but, after a few rounds of back and forth, they just couldn't agree on a better name and so the name will stay, for now....again.

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/3844362-hwy-7-keeping-its-name-for-now/

I understand the idea that "it's not a highway anymore and we want a name that fits that new role.." but they need something that actually works, I think.

 

[ShonTron]

IIRC, they tried some sort of different material (perhaps the red asphalt mixture) at Enterprise...something there did didn't work but maybe they're just painting it now?

On a lighter note, as some surely know, they have talked several times about renaming Hwy. 7, with the region liking "Avenue 7" and everyone else thinking it was terrible. The initial goal was to coordinate the name change with the new signage going in the rapidways but, after a few rounds of back and forth, they just couldn't agree on a better name and so the name will stay, for now....again.

http://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/3844362-hwy-7-keeping-its-name-for-now/

I understand the idea that "it's not a highway anymore and we want a name that fits that new role.." but they need something that actually works, I think.

For a bit, I thought York Region was actually going to go with International Avenue. I admit that's better than "Avenue 7", but not by that much.

 

[GenerationW]

I understand the idea that "it's not a highway anymore and we want a name that fits that new role.." but they need something that actually works, I think.

I vote for Highway 10!

 

[doady]

Last, and clearly determined not to be least, is Bayview VivaStation. Collossally overbuilt, it is simply a roadside bus stop.

I think it does make sense have all the stops be the same design though...

 

[ShonTron]

I vote for Highway 10!

I have to admit, I laughed at that.

(As an aside, Highway 10 has many names. In Mississauga and the pre-1974 Townships of Chinguacousy and Caledon, it's Hurontario Street. In pre-1974 Brampton, it's Main Street. Between Orangeville and Primrose, it's 1st Line WHS. in Shelburne, it's Main Street and Owen Sound Street. From Shelburne to Chatsworth, it's Sydenham Road, most of the co-signed with Highway 6, it's Garafraxa Road, within Owen Sound its 9th Avenue East. All those names pre-date Highway 10.)

 

[gweed123]

Looks like none of the Rapidway Stations will have concrete pads in the station areas. OC Transpo has recently switched every single Transitway station over to a concrete pad for the right line for the entire length of stations. Otherwise you get ruts in the pavement with buses constantly stopping, sitting, and starting there again. Even OC Transpo "temporary" stations have them now. I'm surprised VIVA didn't go for that. Good pictures though!

 

[cplchanb]

probably due to cost savings...

 

[rbt]

Looks like none of the Rapidway Stations will have concrete pads in the station areas. OC Transpo has recently switched every single Transitway station over to a concrete pad for the right line for the entire length of stations. Otherwise you get ruts in the pavement with buses constantly stopping, sitting, and starting there again. Even OC Transpo "temporary" stations have them now. I'm surprised VIVA didn't go for that. Good pictures though!

Ottawa actually has buses and passengers though. If you only have 4 buses an hour, half of which don't need to stop because nobody is waiting, then a pad matters a lot less.