Durham BRT Lane Changes are affecting drivers in Ajax as construction moves forward on the Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit project, with additional work also advancing toward Pickering.
Motorists travelling along Kingston Road are being asked to pay close attention to new lane configurations and traffic signal changes near major intersections, including Harwood Avenue and Salem Road.
The work is part of a planned 36-kilometre rapid transit corridor that will eventually connect communities in Durham Region with Scarborough.
Major changes underway in Ajax
Construction is well underway on Kingston Road from approximately 300 metres west of Harwood Avenue to Galea Drive.
The project includes dedicated median bus lanes, four median transit platforms, reconstructed roadway, cycle tracks, upgraded sidewalks, water infrastructure and modifications to traffic signals and crosswalks.
Durham Region began construction on this section in 2025. The Region has also been carrying out related watermain and sanitary sewer work through 2026.
As median construction progresses, drivers are encountering adjusted lane alignments and changes to signal timing.
The revised intersections include offset left-turn lanes and fully protected left-turn signals designed to manage vehicles safely around the future transit infrastructure.
Second Ajax section also under construction
Another section of the BRT corridor is being built along Kingston Road between Rotherglen Road and approximately 300 metres west of Harwood Avenue.
Construction on that segment began April 20 and is scheduled to continue until July 2027.
Durham Region says lane shifts and off-peak restrictions are required during construction. Kingston Road is also expected to be reduced to one lane in each direction for longer periods beginning in fall 2026 as median transit platforms are constructed.
Businesses, sidewalks and transit services are expected to remain accessible during the work.
Pickering construction moving forward
The Durham BRT Lane Changes are part of a larger project that will eventually extend through Pickering, Ajax, Whitby and Oshawa.
Durham Region is planning several construction sections in Pickering, including work between Steeple Hill and Merritton Road and between Dixie Road and Bainbridge Drive.
Other Pickering sections, including Altona Road to Steeple Hill and Merritton Road to Dixie Road, remain part of the broader implementation plan.
As these projects advance, additional intersections and portions of Kingston Road are expected to experience construction-related traffic changes.
What the new BRT will provide
The Durham-Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit system is designed to provide faster and more reliable public transportation along the Highway 2 corridor.
Plans include dedicated bus lanes, transit-priority signals and frequent service.
Durham Region says the completed corridor is expected to offer peak-period service approximately every five minutes by 2030 and could reduce transit travel times along the route by about 20 minutes.
The project also includes new cycle tracks and wider accessible sidewalks to improve travel options for pedestrians and cyclists.
Drivers urged to watch for changing conditions
The Durham BRT Lane Changes will continue evolving as different phases of construction progress.
Drivers should watch lane markings, construction signage and traffic signals carefully, particularly around Harwood Avenue, Salem Road and other major Kingston Road intersections.
Transit riders should also monitor Durham Region Transit updates because stops and routes may be adjusted temporarily as construction moves from one section of the corridor to another.
Once completed, the BRT is expected to become one of Durham Region’s largest transit infrastructure improvements, connecting growing communities across the region with faster service into Toronto.
