Metrolinx, Regional Municipality of York and Infrastructure Ontario have released a request for qualifications to pre-qualify and short-list companies to deliver the next phase of York Viva Bus Rapid Transit rapidways in the cities of Vaughan and Markham.

The RFQ is the first step in the competitive tendering process to select a company to design, build and finance dedicated bus lanes, stations and boulevards.

Teams shortlisted from the RFQ process will be invited to respond to a request for proposals, expected to be released in summer 2014.

The project consist of:

• In Vaughan, the next phase of vivaNext rapidways will include approximately 12 kilometres of dedicated bus lanes on Highway 7 with nine median stations and one curbside station. It will run from about Helen Street to Interchange Way/Edgeley Boulevard, and from Bowes Road to Yonge Street via the existing Centre Street and Bathurst Street Viva route.
• In Markham, the next phase of vivaNext rapidways will include approximately two kilometres of rapidway along Simcoe Promenade and YMCA Boulevard with two curbside stations. Flexibility will be built into the design to allow for coordination with future development in Markham Centre.

The York Viva BRT project received $1.4 billion (2009) from the Government of Ontario, and it is part of The Big Move in action Metrolinx's 25-year plan to implement a common vision for transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA).

The project is being implemented by Metrolinx, an agency of the Province of Ontario.

See RFQ: https://bids.york.ca/Module/Tenders/en/Tender/Detail/0893afd0-3760-4441-b555-86731b478ec9