September 1, 2004, Newmarket By-pass and Combating Traffic Congestion

Newmarket By-pass

NEWMARKET – Construction of the final piece of the Newmarket By-pass between Highway 400 and Highway 404 is complete. The By-pass will reduce traffic congestion and delays on Regional roads along the Highway 9/ Green Lane corridor.

Outlined below are some of the highlights of the project:

Total Regional Cost:

Earlier Projects:

$28.7 Million
- Highway 9 widening - $10 million
- Green Lane East construction from Yonge to Woodbine Avenue - $10 million

This Final Project:

o Green Lane West construction between Bathurst Street and Yonge Street - $8 million

Final Project Construction Duration:

Started in September 2002, Completed August 2004

Combating Traffic Congestion:

Expected to handle up to 20,000 vehicles a day and reduce delays along Yonge Street between Davis Drive and Green Lane and Davis Drive East to Highway 404

Scale of Construction of this final project:

350,000 m3 of earth excavation, the equivalent of a football field piled 69 metres high
360 m of creek realignment
1 six lane bridge
1 two lane bridge
1 signalized intersection at Green Lane and Bathurst
1 signalization upgrade at Highway 9 and Bathurst
1 new intersection at shopping centre
1,220 trees planted - 14 different species

Earlier Completed Stages:

Highway 9 widening from 2 to 4 lanes between Highway 400 and Bathurst Street
Green Lane East between Yonge Street and Highway 404
The provincial extension of Highway 404 to a new interchange at Green Lane East

Combating Traffic Congestion

NEWMARKET – The Combating Traffic Congestion Plan aims to help reduce traffic congestion in York Region and is comprised of the following key initiatives:

Reducing delays along portions of Regional roads through traffic light signalization improvements

Delays have already been reduced by up to 52 per cent in some sections
Delays at Yonge and Davis Drive have been reduced by up to 30 per cent since the left turn signalization improvement in April and will improve more with the opening of the Newmarket By-pass

York Region Capital Roads Budget

Newmarket By-pass will accommodate up to 20,000 vehicles a day – greatly reducing traffic along Yonge Street in Newmarket
The Transportation and Works 2004 capital roads budget is $156.3 million – 103 additional lane kilometres of roads will be added to the Region and 77 lane kilometres of roads will be resurfaced.

York Region Transit

Took delivery of 12 new conventional YRT buses to expand existing service and replace older models. The vehicles were acquired in July as part of a purchase of 40 new buses approved by York Regional Council in the 2004 YRT Capital budget.

York Rapid Transit Plan

Announced a $150 million partnership with the Federal and Provincial governments to implement Quick Start, the initial phase of a three phased rapid transit network.
Construction of Quick Start began in July and will include building bus platforms, distinctive shelters, bus bays, receiving lanes and queue jump lanes and traffic signal priority equipment
When Quick Start is fully implemented in 2006, York Region estimates a 30 per cent increase in transit ridership – moving 7,000 car trips a day off the road system.

Smart Commute Initiative

In November 2003, Transport Canada awarded $2.5 million over three years to the GTA-wide Smart Commute Initiative to implement transportation demand management (TDM) programs and services to the GTA and Hamilton area.
This initiative provides funding for the creation of two new Transportation Management Associations (TMAs) to develop alternative solutions to single occupant vehicle trips in York Region.
In July 2004, the second TMA in Ontario, the Smart Commute 404-7 Association of Markham, Richmond Hill was launched.
In 2003 the newly re-branded Smart Commute Association of Black Creek was instrumental in removing 4,000 cars daily from our roads.

Advocating for the Expansion of Highway 404 and Highway 427

Important for the Region's economic growth

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Contact: Michael Kemp, Corporate Communications, York Region

- (905) 830-4444 or 1-877-464-9675, ext. 1232

- Email: michael.kemp@region.york.on.ca