Metrolinx is holding a series of public information sessions (starting Oct. 14) for residents to talk about concerns around the proposed Durham Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in their community.

To allow for more conversation opportunities, Metrolinx has moved back the timelines for the upcoming Transit Project Assessment Process and start of the virtual public engagement. This shift in timing will not impact the overall project assessment process but will provide for additional conversations with community members and residents around what the transit project will bring to the community.

The next set of formal public engagements will be hosted virtually on Metrolinx Engage. Residents can log on and participate part anytime between Oct. 14 and Nov. 11.

There will also be three live virtual sessions where people can talk to Metrolinx staff and ask questions directly. All three sessions will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• Thursday Oct. 21
• Tuesday Oct. 26
• Thursday Oct. 28

People can register for the live sessions starting on Oct. 14 by logging onto Metrolinx Engage.

What is the Durham-Scarborough BRT?

The proposed Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit (DSBRT) project would add approximately 36-kilometres of new dedicated transit, connecting downtown Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering, and Scarborough.

The project would run in a dedicated bus lane, allowing transit riders to get where they need to go faster.

With 49 stops, the project builds on the existing Durham Region Transit’s PULSE service and would provide more dedicated transit along Highway 2 and Ellesmere Road to connect to Scarborough Centre.

These locations include

• Scarborough Town Centre and Pickering Town Centre
• Centenary hospital
• University of Toronto’s Scarborough Campus, Centennial College, Woburn Collegiate, and Ontario Tech University.

The project would also bring connections to the TTC, GO Transit’s Stouffville and Lakeshore East lines and the future Scarborough Subway Extension.

Learn more about the Durham-Scarborough BRT project by clicking here.

Metrolinx recently held a public open house (Sept. 23) specifically for Scarborough residents to ask questions about the proposed DSBRT project in their community. Residents can see the session and read through some of the questions and answers, here.

Approximately one third of the proposed stops are in Scarborough, bringing more frequent and reliable transit from Scarborough Centre to Port Union Road/Sheppard Avenue. The full route from Oshawa to Scarborough Centre is projected to serve 6,400 riders during the peak hour with 38,400 riders per day.

What happens next?

Ellesmere Road was selected in the Initial Business Case as the preferred roadway to run the BRT line as it provides the highest priority for transit, improving speed, reliability, and convenience.

The proposal being considered for further analysis includes having centre-median lanes, meaning buses will be able to travel in their own right-of-way down the centre of the roadway. This means being able to maintain existing traffic capacity and provide opportunities to improve the existing cycling and pedestrian transportation network.

Safety is a top priority and Metrolinx is working to ensure the proposed route is in line with Durham Region’s Strategic Road Safety Action Plan, which incorporates Vision Zero, to reduce the number and severity of collisions in the region.

The next formal public engagement will be hosted virtually starting October 14, 2021. You can learn more about the proposed project on Metrolinx Engage.