Mississauga, Halton and Hamilton residents to learn more about huge Dundas St. transit project

Mississauga, Hamilton, Oakville and Burlington residents who want to learn more about the 48-kilometre bus rapid transit (BRT) route that will cut an east-west path from Toronto to Hamilton will have the opportunity to do so next month.

Metrolinx, the provincial agency overseeing the Dundas BRT project along with the City of Mississauga, will host its third Public Information Centre (PIC) related to the massive transit undertaking on dates in January yet to be determined.

The PIC will present information to the public and seek feedback on components of the project to date via online engagement.

When completed years down the road, the Dundas BRT will run 48 kilometres along Dundas St., from Hwy. 6 in Hamilton to Kipling Transit Hub in Toronto.

The project, a joint initiative between Mississauga and Metrolinx, calls for about 20 kilometres of the route to be a bus-only lane or dedicated right-of-way, separate from other traffic. 

Metrolinx says that design will allow for “faster and more reliable transit connections.”

Of the 48-kilometre stretch, 17 kilometres of the route will run along Dundas St. in Mississauga.  

A virtual open house hosted by the City in September focused on moving along the design of the Mississauga East segment of the route, from Confederation Pkwy. to Etobicoke Creek. 

Metrolinx officials said earlier that the Dundas BRT, first introduced to residents and businesses in April, will fill a significant transportation void in Mississauga and beyond.

“Right now, there’s no continuous east-west transit service along Dundas St., which impacts connectivity and accessibility for residents, workers and commuters,” Metrolinx officials said. 

When completed, it “will allow for faster, reliable and frequent bus service along Dundas St. as well as provide connections to other transit services and key destinations along the corridor.” 

Furthermore, according to Metrolinx, the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area welcomes some 110,000 new residents each year and it’s expected to be home to more than 10 million people by 2041.

“Growth in our communities means that a reliable transportation system is needed to support the convenient and reliable movement of people as they travel from their homes for work and recreation,” project officials said this week.

Metrolinx said the last round of public engagement provided updates on environmental studies completed to date and shared progress on the preliminary design for the Mississauga East segment of the route.

January’s public information session will build upon that, according to project officials.

Additionally, an analysis of options to build the BRT through two constrained areas, or “pinch points,” and the impacts of those options, plus the proposed stops for Mississauga East, were presented for the public to review and comment on. 

The “pinch points” are in:

• Cooksville, where designers must take into account a dense mix of existing structures and some heritage properties
• Erindale Valley (Mississauga West segment), where there’s a need to protect the surrounding natural environment and several heritage sites

As work begins down the road, Dundas St. will be widened to create room for the dedicated BRT lane, officials note, adding that might include the removal of some existing structures and other impacts to properties such as altering parking spaces, entrances and exits, and landscaping.  

Metrolinx said this week that its first BRT project, vivaNext in York Region, celebrated its first anniversary of operation yesterday.

Officials added that they’re taking what they learned from that project and applying it to current projects, including the Dundas BRT.