​BRAMPTON, ON (February 18, 2021) – Metrolinx has completed the Queen Street – Highway 7 Initial Business Case and is moving forward to the next step of the Preliminary Design Business Case. Yesterday, Brampton City Council supported the conclusions of the Initial Business Case and City staff are actively engaged as Metrolinx carries forward next steps.

The Initial Business Case identified two scenarios as having the greatest transit benefits to be considered in the Preliminary Design Business Case:

Centre-Median BRT with Lane Conversion
• Conversion of a traffic lane per direction to median BRT exclusive lanes along the length of the Queen Street – Highway 7 Corridor, except in Downtown Brampton where one traffic lane per direction is converted to a curbside BRT lane, between McMurchy Avenue and Kennedy Road.

Centre-Median BRT with Lane Addition
• Implementation of median BRT lanes (one per direction) along the length of the Queen Street – Highway 7 Corridor as a result of road widening (retaining the current number of traffic lanes), everywhere except Downtown Brampton (Queen Street between McMurchy Avenue and Kennedy Road) where lane conversion is considered.

“Brampton is a Green City, and the Queen Street – Highway 7 BRT is a milestone project that will transform our transit network and lower our carbon footprint in Brampton,” said Mayor Patrick Brown. “Queen Street is our busiest transit corridor and ridership is growing rapidly. In collaboration with Metrolinx, this project aims to enhance Brampton’s inter-regional connectivity, economic development, and sustainability.” 

The Queen Street-Highway 7 BRT will be integral to development and growth along the corridor and act as a catalyst for mixed-use intensification, especially near the major transit stops.

“In the Queen Street BRT Preliminary Design Business Case, we will explore whether to widen the road or convert general purpose traffic lanes into transit lanes to ensure integration between Brampton and York Region services,” said Paul Vicente, Regional Councillor, Wards 1 & 5; and Chair, Public Works and Engineering. “We look forward to our continued work with Metrolinx to bring the best option to life.”

The Queen Street – Highway 7 BRT will see the upgrading of the existing Züm services on Queen Street to full bus rapid transit on dedicated lanes, and extending to York Region Viva BRT Rapidway.

“The Queen Street BRT is essential for Brampton’s growth and development. Overall transit ridership grew 160 per cent from 2009 to 2019,” said Alex Milojevic, General Manager, Brampton Transit. “City staff are dedicated to working with Metrolinx to connect more people in the GTHA with the places they need to go in the most sustainable way, by upgrading the Zum service on Queen.”

For more information on Queen Street BRT, visit www.brampton.ca/QSBRT.

Background
The Queen Street BRT is a designated rapid transit corridor in the City of Brampton’s Transportation Master Plan, and enhances Brampton is a Green City under Term of Council Priorities, With more than 28,000 transit customers each weekday, rapid transit is essential to supporting population and employment growth, improves connectivity and provides a competitive travel choice for Brampton residents

Advancing the Queen Street BRT is key to building a Green City and to achieving our commitments to improving transit in our community and our climate change target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% from 2016 levels by 2041, as outlined in Our 2040 Energy Transition: Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan.

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MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Sharma
Media Relations, City of Brampton
647.242.4319 | christine.sharma@brampton.ca