The Regional Municipality of Durham’s Construction Engineering transit branch, operating in coordination with Metrolinx, has finalized a major shift in the deployment of the $1 billion transit corridor project. Tracked under the central infrastructure folder The Durham Scarborough Bus Rapid Transit Ajax Expansion 2026, transit engineers published the mandatory traffic bypass and lane reduction bulletins on Friday, June 12, 2026. The incoming construction push requires heavy watermain installations, forcing crews into nocturnal shift windows to mitigate severe daytime traffic gridlock along the high-volume Highway 2 commercial grid.
The tactical transition to night operations marks an acceleration in the multi-jurisdictional program, which aims to seamlessly link the eastern edge of the Greater Toronto Area to downtown Oshawa via a 36-kilometer dedicated transit right-of-way.
Nighttime Construction Coordinates and Traffic Controls
To maintain steady progress on the $11 million local contract segment while keeping daytime business access fully operational, engineers have established a strict nighttime work schedule.
The construction schedule runs for five consecutive nights, setting specific limits for drivers traveling through the area:
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The Shift Hours: Heavy drilling and watermain assembly will take place strictly between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. starting Monday evening, June 15, through Saturday morning, June 20, 2026.
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The Physical Footprint: Heavy machinery will block the intersection of Kingston Road and Rotherglen Road, stretching west toward the Harwood Avenue urban center.
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Traffic Management: Vehicle movement through the construction zone will be trimmed to a single lane in each direction. Uniformed Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) officers will be stationed at the intersection overnight to manually direct drivers and ensure safety.
Local bus routes, transit stops, and pedestrian sidewalks will remain fully open during normal daytime business operating hours.
The Multi-Municipal Transit Plan and Long-Term Goals
The ongoing work in Ajax represents the first active phase of a massive transit project designed to handle the 43,000 new residents and 26,000 new jobs projected to move into the Highway 2-Ellesmere corridor over the next two decades.
| Active Transit Segment Node | Present Project Status | Estimated Capital Valuation | Planned Infrastructure Assets |
| Harwood Ave. to Galea Dr. | Active Construction | $12.0 Million CAD | Median bus lanes, stop shelters, cycle tracks |
| Rotherglen Rd. Corridor | Active Night Work Phase | $11.0 Million CAD | Deep watermain & sewer utility systems |
| Steeple Hill to Merritton | Pre-Tender Document Review | $11.0 Million CAD | Road reconstruction & median preparation |
| Dixie Road to Bainbridge Dr. | Tendering Sequence Stage | $28.0 Million CAD | Advanced transit tracking signals |
As crews push ahead on the Ajax tracks for a Summer 2027 completion, utility teams are finalized to expand the project westward into Pickering, moving pre-tender files toward active bidding wars.
The eastern end of the completed line will run straight through Whitby and into downtown Oshawa. The route wraps up with a direct connection to the incoming Central Oshawa GO Station, currently being built on the historic old Knob Hill Farms site.
Once the entire system goes live by 2030, the dedicated median bus lanes will give riders rapid five-minute service during peak hours, cutting up to twenty minutes off average cross-regional commutes.
Commuters can monitor real-time traffic delays and follow live progress on the transit build by exploring the region’s interactive mapping system online at durham.ca/TrafficWatch, or contact the regional engineering hotline at 905-668-7711.
