DRT Celebrating Milestones in the BRT Project

Nov. 3, 2014
The Regional Municipality of Durham is improving transit service on Highway 2 with the official opening of its first segment of bus-only lanes.

The Regional Municipality of Durham is improving transit service on Highway 2 with the official opening of its first segment of bus-only lanes. Located on Kingston Road (Highway 2) between Salem Road and Harwood Avenue, the bus-only lanes are a part of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, which receives a large portion of its funding from the Province of Ontario. The area also features cycling lanes along the curbside, making it safer and easier for cyclists to use Highway 2. As well, Durham Region Transit (DRT) buses that travel this road are now outfitted with GPS-based smart technology through the BRT project.

Roger Anderson, regional chair and chief executive officer, welcomed the Honourable Steven Del Duca, minister of transportation, and Bruce McCuaig, president and CEO of Metrolinx, at an event today that celebrated these important milestones.

“This is an important project that is contributing to the growth and development within the Region of Durham,” said Steven Del Duca, Minister of Transportation. “Once complete, DRT Pulse will get local commuters where they need to go sooner and connect people to other transit systems in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. This project is proof of our government’s commitment to making the daily commute and quality of life better for Ontario families.”

“The Highway 2 BRT project reflects an integrated approach to moving people in Durham Region using new transit infrastructure, cycling lanes, smart technology, and more frequent, faster service,” says Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer Roger Anderson. “Building a great transit system and reducing gridlock are goals we share with the Province.”

“The Highway 2 BRT project is an excellent example of the types of integrated projects Metrolinx supports, with buses and cyclists safely sharing the road to bring more travel options to communities,” said Bruce McCuaig, President & CEO of Metrolinx. “The rise of rapid transit projects across the region speaks to the growth of our communities and the importance of building convenient, fast, lasting transit options for residents.”

Residents will be seeing more bus-only and cycling lanes along Highway 2 in the coming years. Construction of the next section, located in the Liverpool Road area of Pickering, will commence later this year. Because these reserved lanes are new to Durham and unfamiliar to some residents, the Works Department has started an education campaign to help motorists learn how to use them.

“Bus-only and cycling lanes are a forward-thinking solution to improve traffic flow in Durham Region,” says Cliff Curtis, Commissioner of Works. “The bus-only lanes — the first of their kind in Durham Region — are clearly marked with diamond bus-only overhead signage and pavement markings to remind drivers that vehicles should only enter these lanes to access driveways or turn at intersections, when guided by dashed, white-lane markings.”

Along Highway 2, DRT operates Pulse — a route that extends from downtown Oshawa to U of T Scarborough. With frequent, 7.5-minute service during peak times, PULSE buses use the bus-only lanes to provide a reliable and rapid route along this busy corridor. With the installation of GPS-based smart technology, riders will find further improvements to service. Automatic next-stop announcements and on board displays, as well as real-time bus arrival tracking for both transit control and riders are just some of the benefits this will create.

“Smart technology on PULSE buses is an exciting leap forward for DRT,” says Vincent Patterson, general manager of Durham Region Transit. “As the entire fleet comes online, riders will be able to access a real-time schedule from their phone or computer. They’ll know exactly when a bus will arrive at their stop.”

Smart technology will be rolled out fleet-wide in the coming months, with access to the online tools that provide bus-arrival information to follow.