Major Mackenzie West Terminal - Before & After

This is not an official study, it is entirely independent.

In September and October 2024, I conducted a short study on Major Mackenzie West Terminal in Vaughan, recommending a change to the exit. In April 2025, York Region Transit (YRT) announced the exit would be modified by converting the one-way Amusement Drive to two-way traffic, with the new lane being bus-only. This allows for a more direct exit at the intersection with Major Mackenzie, but the intersection's signal cycle length remains long. Did this solution reduce the time buses need to exit?

Yes, but not by much. Based on my data, the time buses take to exit dropped by approximately 45 seconds (20-30%), but the variability has continued to remain high due to the long signal cycle length at the Major Mackenzie/Amusement Drive/Wellness Way intersection. The transit signal only activates during a single phase and buses do not turn right during any other times.

With the present intersection designed for Amusement Drive to be a one-way road, the curb radius at the intersection is very small, requiring buses to turn onto one of the further left lanes. A wider curb radius would allow for the bus to turn without disrupting traffic from Wellness Way, potentially allowing for right turns on red (or the signal activating during an additional signal phase). The design and whether another solution would be preferable is undetermined.

November 2025 & January 2026 Updates

Presently, there are a few ideas to be considered. As part of my design consideration, I intend to use tools I have learned since the last report's completion (such as AutoCAD) in the design process. This list may be updated if I find any additional ideas for consideration.

Preferred Solution: Increase the turning radius of the south-east curb

Buses exiting the terminal do not turn right on red despite no signs indicating such a movement is prohibited. However, due to the tight (4.85-metre) turning radius the bus must turn to one of the two left lanes rather than the right lane, preventing a safe turn during most of the signal cycle. A 12.5-metre radius like the one shown in the Figure (dimensions in millimetress) would allow a bus to avoid disrupting all traffic during its turns. Allowing the bus to turn right on red (as well as other signal adjustments) will require this remedy.

The ideal turning radius for a bus is unclear. 20 to 30 feet (6.1 to 9.1 metres) has been suggested for "dense urban streets", but others state a minimum 8.6-metre radius. The turning radius should certainly not be lower than this number, but should not be higher than 12.5 metres. The Figure shows the maximum turning radius to be considered.

Enabled by Preferred Solution: Lengthen the transit signal phase

The transit signal phase is presently only long enough for two buses to make it through during each cycle. My site visits noted multiple occasions when the signals were unable to accomodate all buses needing to exit. This problem will grow over time as the routes serving the terminal (particularly Route 20 - Jane) run more frequently. The issue also occurs when a bus driver does not start moving once the signal turns green, which I observed at one point while at the terminal.

A longer radius would enable buses to turn onto Major Mackenzie Drive without interfering with traffic turning left from Wellness Way. This would allow the transit signal to remain green during the green phase for traffic exiting Wellness Way (shown above in the Figure).

Allow buses to turn left from the bus lane

With the extra time alotted during Wellness Way's green phase, the number of buses the intersection can handle increases greatly. As no traffic from Wellness Way is allowed to go straight onto Amusement Drive, buses on Routes 6 and 165 could turn left from the exit lane without conflict. To save the time required to exit via the existing circuitous exit, this solution is preferred.

Other Solutions Considered

The proposed exits from the 2024 report

The bridge may be expensive, but it is more direct than the existing exit. However, this expense may be significantly less worthwhile now given a less expensive, more direct exit was found.

The westbound ramp is, like the bridge, a more expensive solution. The current solution has not improved exit times much, so such a solution may still be worthwhile. However, the removal of the prohibition of right turns on red may reduce the wait at the Major Mackenzie/Wellness Way & Amusement Drive intersection (henceforth referred to as "the intersection").

Shorten the Signal Cycle

As noted in the 2024 report, the 150-second signal cycle is very long. However, during my time at the intersection I noticed how the signal's timing prevented traffic problems at the intersection, as traffic would normally get a red light once traffic approaching Jane Street backed up near the intersection. This may indicate the cycle at Jane Street needs to be shortened, but due to the high traffic at that intersection the benefit of such a change is less clear.

Lengthen the eastbound exit

Presently, the exit only has room for two buses which themselves can barely fit without partly blocking other buses from entering the terminal. This option would most likely require some new infrastructure, though where the lengthened exit would go is unclear.

Convert Coaster Way to two-way Operation

This would allow buses to exit eastbound using the ramp to eastbound Major Mackenzie Drive currently used by drivers, without the need for a new bridge. However, it may disrupt car traffic exiting the park particularly on busy nights.

Redesign Coaster Way

This would involve reconstructing the existing Coaster Way to allow buses to exit onto the existing exit ramp to eastbound Major Mackenzie Drive without crossing exiting car traffic. This would require new infrastructure, but it would not require constructing a new bridge.

Jane Street BRT Study

This study may be impacted by the existing Jane Street BRT study currently being conducted by the York Region Rapid Transit Corporation (YRRTC). The BRT's connection to Major Mackenzie West Terminal may impact the recommended exit from this study if the Jane Street study recommends modifications to the existing terminal.

Last updated: 01/20/2026