Province awards $261M deal to build rapid bus network north of Toronto

RICHMOND HILL, Ont.—A consortium of Canadian contractors have won a $260.5-million contract from the province to design and build the infrastructure for road-going rapid transit north of Toronto.

York RapidLINK Constructors, a consortium made up of Aecon Construction and Materials Ltd., Dufferin Construction Co., Hatch Mott MacDonald Ltd., Morrison Hershfield Ltd. and Leigh Fisher Canada Inc., was awarded the deal that will see the massive York Viva Bus Rapid Transit project built along Yonge Street in Richmond Hill and Newmarket, Ont.

The four-year project will see Yonge Street widened in the two cities to make way for roughly nine kilometres of dedicated bus lanes, as well as 10 bus stations along the route.

The contract was awarded by Metrolinx, the provincial transportation agency.

“This is an important project that will benefit the local economy for generations and will support the significant development and growth of these communities,” Richmond Hill MPP Reza Moridi said in a statement announcing the deal.

“Congestion will be reduced and commuters will have a better way to get around with this improved rapid transit.”

In Richmond Hill, the project will run 6.5 kilometres along the centre of Yonge Street from Highway 7 to 19th Avenue/Gamble Road, and will include seven new stations

Further north in Newmarket, the project will extend 2.4 kilometres on Yonge Street from just south of Mulock Drive to Davis Drive, and will include three new stations.

The project is part of York Region’s rapid transit plan that aims to connect residents to surrounding urban centres and other transit services, including GO Transit and the Toronto Transit Commission’s (TTC) Spadina subway extension and the proposed Yonge subway extension.

Construction on the York Viva Bus Rapid Transit project is expected to begin later this year, and be completed by the end of 2018.