My Plan to Get Vaughan Moving

Traffic is the number one concern I hear from residents. In the last election, I told you I had a plan for that. Over the last four years, I worked with my colleagues at both the Regional and City levels to make significant investments to improve mobility, take advantage of leading edge technology, expand transportation options, and reduce congestion by widening critical roads, building new connections, improving transit infrastructure and advancing long-overdue transportation projects.

I have done this before. In over the past term of Council I did not just talk about reducing congestion. I helped deliver the Kirby Road Extension, advance the Bass Pro Mills Drive Extension, support the Canada Drive-America Avenue Bridge, open the Major Mackenzie West Bus Terminal, and advance critical road-widening projects across Vaughan and York Region. Now I want to take the next step by deploying smarter traffic technology, improving east-west connectivity and delivering measurable reductions in congestion.

Achievements Over the Past Term of Council:

• Completed the Kirby Road Extension between Dufferin Street and Bathurst Street, creating a new four-lane east-west connection with intersection upgrades, multi-use pathways, roadway lighting and a new bridge over East Patterson Creek. Kirby Road Extension now open vaughan.ca
• Completed the Canada Drive Bridge over Highway 400, connecting Canada Drive and America Avenue and creating an important new east-west connection for residents, businesses, pedestrians and cyclists. Canada Drive Bridge now open vaughan.ca
• Advanced major Rutherford Road improvements, including widening sections from four to six lanes, rebuilding the CN Rail bridge, upgrading intersections and traffic signals, and adding sidewalks and cycling infrastructure. Rutherford Road: Highway 400 to Westburne Drive and Rutherford Road: Bathurst Street to Peter Rupert Avenue york.ca, york.ca
• Opened the Major Mackenzie West Bus Terminal, expanding transit options and improving connections to jobs, businesses and healthcare services at Cortellucci Vaughan Hospital. Major Mackenzie West Bus Terminal opens vaughan.ca
• Moved the Bass Pro Mills Drive Extension into construction, beginning work on a new east-west connection between Highway 400 and Weston Road that will help ease congestion on Rutherford Road and surrounding corridors. Bass Pro Mills Drive Extension groundbreaking vaughan.ca
• Approved the 2023 Vaughan Transportation Plan and advanced the Nine Point Action Plan to Fight Traffic Gridlock, establishing a long-term framework for roads, transit, active transportation and improved east-west connections. Vaughan Transportation Plan approved and Action Plan to Fight Traffic Gridlock vaughan.ca, vaughan.ca
• Expanded cycling, sidewalk and active transportation infrastructure, including advancing the Jane Street Uptown Link and completing two kilometres of cycle tracks and related accessibility improvements on New Westminster Drive. Advancing Vaughan’s transportation network and Jane Street Uptown Link vaughan.ca, vaughan.ca
• Advanced 25 of the 29 initiatives in Vaughan’s MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, including traffic-calming reforms, data-driven corridor reviews, automated speed enforcement and road-safety initiatives. Driving into the fifth year of MoveSmart vaughan.ca

My Plan For the Next Term of Council To Keep Vaughan Moving

Less Time In Traffic. More Time With Family.

Over the last four years, I worked with my colleagues at the City of Vaughan and York Region to widen roads, improve transit, build new transportation connections and advance key infrastructure projects.

The next four years are about delivering measurable results.

My goal is simple: Reduce Congestion. Reduce Commute Times. Keep Vaughan Moving.

I will fight for smarter roads, better transit, innovative, technology and targeted infrastructure investments that deliver real, measurable reductions in congestion and keep Vaughan moving.

The next four years must focus on delivering measurable reductions in congestion by combining strategic infrastructure, smart technology, and better transportation choices.

We need to be a leader – here’s my 8point plan on how we will lead:

1Create Ontario's first municipal-regional Smart Mobility Operations Centre

Construction, collisions, road closures and traffic signals should not operate independently.

I will champion the creation of Ontario's first Smart Mobility Operations Centre that integrates:

• traffic signals;
• road closures;
• construction activities;
• transit operations;
• emergency response routing;
• traffic incidents; and,
• real-time traveller information.

York Region already operates a Roads and Traffic Operations Centre, traffic cameras, centralized signal systems, vehicle detection technology, and transit-priority infrastructure.

The next step is integrating these systems into a comprehensive congestion-management platform to ensure that the bottlenecks due to road improvements (such as the current bottleneck along Rutherford Road) never happen again.

This will required integration amongst York Region, York Regional Police, York Region Transit, Metrolinx, emergency services and neighbouring municipalities.

Goal Reduce congestion before it happens, not simply react after it occurs.

2Be A Leader in Deploying AI-Powered Traffic Signals

Cities around the world are using artificial intelligence and adaptive signal technology to reduce delays and improve travel times.

Vaughan must deploy adaptive, AI-enabled traffic signals on Vaughan's busiest corridors to reduce delays, improve traffic flow, prioritize transit vehicles, and provide faster emergency response times. Vaughan has already begun testing this technology through its Transportation Innovation Program vaughanbusiness.ca.

I will work to deliver:

• real-time signal optimization on major corridors;
• coordinated green-light corridors;
• adaptive response to traffic incidents;
• transit-priority signal timing; and,
• emergency vehicle signal pre-emption.

Goal Reduce unnecessary delays at intersections and improve traffic flow using existing technology.

3Fast-Track East-West Connections

The biggest structural transportation problem in Vaughan remains insufficient east-west connectivity due to Highway 400 and the CN MacMillan Yard.

I will make completion of the following projects a top municipal priority:

• Bass Pro Mills Drive Extension;
• Teston Road Extension;
• Langstaff Road CN crossing improvements; and,
• Additional Highway 400 crossings.

Goal Reduce congestion NOW by increasing east-west connections.

4Improve (Fix) our Existing Road Network

We need to fix our current road network. A small number of corridors generate a disproportionate amount of congestion.

I will establish annual congestion reduction targets for:

• Rutherford Road;
• Major Mackenzie Drive;
• Jane Street;
• Highway 7;
• Dufferin Street;
• Bathurst Street; and,
• Teston Road.

Using traffic data and public reporting, we will identify bottlenecks and prioritize operational improvements where they will have the greatest impact:

• more lanes where necessary;
• dedicated turning lanes;
• intersection redesigns;
• signal timing improvements; and,
• access management.

Goal Add more lanes and improve our roads. Using traffic data and public reporting, we will identify bottlenecks and prioritize operational improvements where they will have the greatest impact.

5Keep Fighting for Major Regional Transit Investments

Some of the most important congestion solutions are beyond municipal control.

I will continue advocating for:

• the Yonge North Subway Extension
• increased GO service throughout Vaughan
• future GO station opportunities
• Highway 407 transit improvements
• stronger provincial investment in regional transportation infrastructure

These investments have the potential to significantly reduce vehicle trips on Vaughan roads over the long term.

Goal More choices, fewer cars on the road.

6Expand Transit Priority

York Region already uses signal technology capable of providing priority for transit vehicles at intersections.

I will advocate for expanded:

• transit-signal priority;
• queue-jump lanes;
• express bus connections; and
• rapid transit integration.

Goal Improve transit travel times and make transit a more competitive alternative to sitting in traffic. When public transit moves, people choose transit – this reduces traffic for those who don’t or can’t.

7Build Integrated Mobility Hubs

Transportation is about providing choices.

I will work with regional partners to expand mobility hubs at:

• Vaughan Metropolitan Centre;
• Rutherford GO;
• Maple GO;
• Major Mackenzie West Bus Terminal; and,
• future GO Transit locations.

Mobility hubs would integrate:

• passenger pick-up/drop-off zones;
• transit;
• cycling facilities;
• pedestrian connections; and,
• micro-mobility services.

Goal Make it easier for residents to choose alternatives to driving.

8Require Traffic Accountability

Residents deserve to know whether congestion is improving.

I will publish an annual Vaughan Mobility Report Card measuring:

• travel times on major corridors
• congestion trends
• construction impacts
• transit performance
• road safety improvements

Goal I want real improvement – not just promises. What gets measured gets managed. By requiring accountability, we will achieve real results.

My Commitment

Traffic remains Vaughan's number one concern.

Over the past four years, we laid the groundwork through major investments in roads, bridges, transit and transportation infrastructure.

Over the next four years, I will focus on delivering results through smarter technology, better coordination, strategic investments and real accountability.

Less time stuck in traffic. More time with family. A Vaughan that keeps moving.