Improving Transportation and Transit in Vaughan
The City of Vaughan continues to experience rapid growth, and by 2031, it’s estimated the population will reach nearly 420,000. More people mean more cars and even more congestion on our already very busy roads. To accommodate Vaughan’s emergence as a major urban centre with increased traffic and transit demands, the City is planning ahead.
As part of the Vaughan Tomorrow growth management strategy, the City is undertaking a Transportation Master Plan. This plan will define and outline what Vaughan needs in order to accommodate the population and employment growth expected in the next two decades. The Transportation Maser Plan will involve a thorough examination of the City’s existing transportation systems, and an identification of the required improvements to ensure that the future road and public transit networks will meet the City’s needs.
Some of the key objectives of the plan are:
- An examination of the form, function and characteristics of the existing road network;
- A review of existing road safety concerns and recommendations on future road safety;
- A review of current road standards, design criteria and policies with respect to right-of-way, boulevard and pavement widths, on-street parking, provision of sidewalks and traffic calming;
August 19, 2009 Update |
- An investigation of the need and justification for additional Highway 400 series overpasses, rail overpasses and mid-block collectors.
The community has a role to play as we plan for the City’s transportation future. Throughout the Transportation Master Plan process, public consultation, stakeholder workshops, and other activities will provide a means for everyone to assist in shaping the community’s transportation vision.
A key component of meeting Vaughan’s future transportation needs is the expansion of the TTC into Vaughan. The $2.6 billion Spadina Subway Extension will, for the first time, see the subway cross the City of Toronto boundary into Vaughan. The 8.6 km extension will have six stations along the route with commuter parking facilities and bus terminals.
The project is currently in the design phase. Station design contracts and the tunneling design contract were awarded last year. Construction on the tunnels is expected to begin in 2010 and the subway’s opening is planned for 2015.
Public open houses are scheduled to begin later this year to unveil the design concepts of the six stations in order to gain public input.
In November 2008, Metrolinx identified the Yonge Street Subway Extension among its list of priority projects to be completed within the next 15 years. This project is part of vivaNext, the plan to deliver the next generation of rapid transit in York Region and to connect surrounding growing communities.
The Yonge subway extension would add 6.8 kilometres to the current line from Finch Station to Richmond Hill, adding six new subway stations, a commuter parking lot with passenger drop-off and pick-up facilities and two new terminals. Over the past several months, numerous public information meetings and workshops have been held to provide the public an opportunity to review and comment on conceptual designs and the functional planning study. Currently the projected opening date is 2016 and the estimated cost is $2.4 billion.