Busway could be best way to York

www.torontosun.comYork University students now have one less excuse for being late for class.Click here for full storyThe TTC's new York University busway opened yesterday and is expected to shave 15 minutes off the trip from Downsview Station at the end of the Spadina subway line to the school."We've been waiting for this for decades," said York provost Patrick Monahan. "What this is going to mean for the thousands and thousands of students is less time on the bus, and more time in the library and classrooms."The 6 km, $40-million busway, the first of its kind in Toronto, moves vehicles on dedicated lanes on Dufferin St. and even on a new bus-only roadway between Keele and Dufferin Sts. along the Finch hydro corridor.Daily, the busway will see 1,600 busloads move 22,000 people between the university and Downsview station."What a great day this is for York University. This busway is a great idea," said Gerry Phillips, Ontario's new infrastructure minister.The province paid nearly $10 million of the $40 million pricetage, with the City of Toronto paying $18 million.Although construction began in July 2008, the TTC first approved the idea in July 2004."There were some issues that had to be worked out with York University about exactly where it would go because York ... didn't want the busway in the middle of land that was going to be built on," said Mayor David Miller. "That took a little bit of time."While there are fears the Spadina subway extension -- due to be completed in 2015 -- may render the busway obsolete, Miller said it will still be needed."Although it seems like a lot of money ... that money is a really great investment because this will be here forever," he said. "There will always be a need for buses."By BRYN WEESE

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