Transit Design Guide

TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

URBAN DESIGN
GUIDELINES

2022
Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

City of Toronto
Transit Design Guide
CITY OF TORONTO

Acknowledgements:
Access Planning
2022

Perkins&Will

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Table of Contents

Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Introduction and Background
1.0 Document Purpose and Scope
2.0 The Planning Framework
3.0 Vision
4.0 Rapid Transit Design Principles
5.0 Zones of Influence
6.0 Transit Delivery Process

Figure 1: Cover photo - of Guildwood GO Station (Photo Credits: Bob Gundu)

Figure 2: Highway 407 Bus Terminal, Toronto (Photo Credits: Toronto Star)

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 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

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CITY OF TORONTO
2022

Figure 3: Highway 407 Station, Toronto (Photo Credits: Gordon Inc)

 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE
Introduction and
Background
The expansion of Toronto’s rapid transit network has the communities and the public realm. This document is intended
opportunity to bring about a positive transformation in mobility to inform how transit can enhance and contribute to the city's
and residents' experience of the city, provided the infrastructure public realm and surrounding context. The Guide provides
is designed and integrated into the city's public realm in design guidance and process direction for consideration in the
an appropriate and thoughtful manner. The Transit Design design of both new and upgraded transit infrastructure. The
Guide (the Guide) is a tool and resource to aid in the design Guide brings together new design and process direction, as well
and development of rapid transit projects and infrastructure as reference to existing guidance for the various subject matter.
across the city. Each component or element of a transit project The purpose is to bring expediency and clarity around the City's
– from a station site, to an electrical substation building, to expectations for the design of transit infrastructure.
linear infrastructure – can have an impact on surrounding

1.0 Document Purpose and Scope

2.0 The Planning Framework
3.0 Vision
4.0 Rapid Transit Design Principles
5.0 Zones of Influence
6.0 Transit Delivery Process

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 1.0 DOCUMENT PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

1.1 Purpose of the Guide

The Guide is intended to safeguard the public interest by The Guide provides design direction for various subject matter,
establishing a design vision, principles, strategies and but project teams will still need to ensure that each project
guidelines to consistently achieve high-quality outcomes for responds to its unique project-specific requirements and urban
the urban, architectural, and landscape design of rapid transit context. In this regard, the Guide does not generally provide
infrastructure and service in Toronto. metrics or specification level guidance, but rather performance-
based design direction, leaving room for project teams to
More specifically, the Guide: adapt the design direction and apply creativity and professional
judgement.
• Establishes shared objectives and design principles,
developed in collaboration with City Divisions, the Toronto
Transit Commission (TTC), Metrolinx, CreateTO, and other 1.3 How to Use the Guide and Intended
stakeholders involved in the delivery of rapid transit; Audience
• Applies local and global best practices that are responsive The intent of the Guide is to encourage the integration of
to Toronto's varied and complex urban conditions and design considerations for transit infrastructure at the earliest
communities; stage in the planning process. This Guide should be read
comprehensively and together with other City, Provincial and
• Addresses outstanding gaps in the transit planning and
agency documents that provide direction on the planning and
design framework, relative to the established design
design of transit infrastructure. The design guidance in each
principles and reconciles disparate guidance to develop a
chapter addresses a specific element, and should be read
unified City position in the context of transit stations;
together with the Introduction section of this Guide.
• Recommends strategies and/or processes to support the
resolution of complex, multi-disciplinary design challenges; Responsibility for delivering transit projects in Toronto is
and shared between many stakeholders, including but not limited to,
the Province, City, TTC, private developers, and other agencies.
• Informs decision making by project teams, from initial With so many different stakeholders potentially involved in
business case to construction and operations. the design and delivery of transit projects, this Guide serves
as a reference for ensuring design consistency and excellence
1.2 Scope of the Guide across all projects, modes and contexts.
The Guide applies to the urban, architectural, and landscape
design of new and upgraded rapid transit sites and related The Guide is useful to a broad audience of professionals
public-facing infrastructure within Toronto. involved in the planning, design, and implementation of rapid
transit projects in the City of Toronto, including but not limited
The Guide does not apply directly to the engineering, to: City staff and/or consultants, Metrolinx, the TTC, members
construction, or operations of rapid transit facilities and lines. of City Council, third party development partners and other
Where appropriate, it includes strategies and processes to stakeholders.
resolve complex, multi-disciplinary design challenges, when
the Guide's design principles and objectives are impacted. It is
intended to supplement and create consistency amongst the
CITY OF TORONTO

large body of direct and indirect design guidance for transit

projects, rather than replace existing policies, guidelines,
2022

regulations and standards.

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 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE
1.4 Structure
The vision and principles section of the Guide sets out at a
high level, the planning and design objectives that elements of
transit projects should achieve in the context of the City's policy
framework. The Guide’s design guidance is organized around
five principles – urban integration, user experience, resilience
and sustainability, intermodal operations, and accountability
– that define the broad objectives that transit infrastructure is
intended to achieve.

The chapters that follow the Introduction provide the guidance

for the design of various elements of transit infrastructure
covered by the Guide, couched in the overarching vision and
following the five principles identified. While chapters for each
element are intended to stand on their own, they have linkages
to other chapters of the Guide for related elements. The Guide
is intended to be an organic document, for which additional
chapters will be developed over time, as needed.

Overall TDG Structure

Introduction and Background

Element Specific Guidance

Elevated Guideways Future Elements

Elevated Stations Future Elements

Portals and Retaining Walls Future Elements

Ancillary Structures Future Elements

Bus Terminals Future Elements

Figure 4: This Transit Design Guide is a living document and future elements will continue to build on the guidance existing in this Guide today.

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 2.0 THE PLANNING FRAMEWORK
Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

The Guide is informed by, and aligns with, a variety of applicable City and Provincial policies, guidelines, regulations, codes and
standards. In the event of a conflict between the guidance of this document and regulations, standards or legislation enacted by the
federal, or provincial, or municipal governments, those will prevail.

This document is intended to be read together with the following policies, regulations and standards.

Applicable Planning Framework

The following is a non-exhaustive list of applicable documents, subject to change, developed in consultation with City Staff.

City of Toronto
Provincial Transportation Toronto Transit Commission
(Policies, Guidelines and Metrolinx
Guidelines (TTC)
Standards)
• Official Plan • Provincial Policy • GO Design Requirements • TTC Design Manual
• City Planning: Applicable Statement Manual • TTC Service Standards
Guidelines and Standards • Growth Plan for the • Metrolinx Design • TTC Developer’s Guide
• Green Streets Technical Greater Golden Horseshoe Standards • Entrance Connection
Guidelines • MTO Transit Supportive • DS-01: TOC Design Guide
• Transportation Services: Guidelines Guidelines- Subways • Entrance Connection
Applicable Guidelines and • DS-02: Universal Design Policy
Standards (i.e. Complete Standard
Streets Guidelines) • DS-03: Wayfinding
• Parks, Forestry and Design Standards
Recreation: Applicable • DS-04: GO Station
Guidelines and Standards Architecture Design
• Toronto Parkland Strategy Standard
Report • DS-05: Sustainable
• Toronto Multi-Use Trail Design Standard
Design Guidelines • DS-07: Bike Infrastructure
• Ravine Strategy Design Standard
Implementation Plan • DS-09: Subway Station
• Toronto's Strategic Architecture Design
Forestry Management Standard
Plan • DS-11: Third Party
• Toronto Facilities Entrance Connection
Masterplan Requirements
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 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE
City of Toronto
Provincial Transportation Toronto Transit Commission
(Policies, Guidelines and Metrolinx
Guidelines (TTC)
Standards)
• Best Practices for • DS-25: Climate Change
Effective Lighting Data Standard
• Accessibility Design • Metrolinx Sustainability
Guidelines Strategy
• Tree Protection Policy
and Specifications for
Construction Near Trees
• Standards for Designing
and Constructing City
Infrastructure – Utility
Cut Permit Applications
and Municipal Consent
Requirements (MCR):
Third Party Vicinity Bridge
Structures
Figure 5: Table of applicable planning frameworks to compliment the contents of this Transit Design Guide

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 3.0 VISION
Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

The public facing elements of rapid transit systems, including An overarching principle of the Guide is ensuring equitable
station sites and related facilities and infrastructure, should outcomes in transit design across the city. Design resources
be designed not only for efficient movement and to encourage should be equitably allocated to ensure high-quality urban
transit use, but to integrate into the existing and planned integration, user experience, resiliency and sustainability,
context, provide a high-quality experience for pedestrians and operations, and accountability in those communities that
other users, and ultimately to help build more complete and need it most. These equity-seeking groups should not
sustainable communities disproportionately bear negative transit design externalities,
and particular attention should be paid to the process of
In addition to the Public Realm, Built Form and other related engaging these communities through the design process.
policies, the City’s Official Plan sets out the vision for higher-
order transit as follows: Some communities have differing abilities or capacities
to engage with and shape the design process of transit
"Higher-order transit contributes to the public life infrastructure, and as such particular attention and resources
of the communities it serves, and helps promote a should be allocated for those areas least able to otherwise
connected, inclusive and resilient city. The public facing participate. Investment in transit design for these communities
elements, including station sites and related facilities and can go beyond the benefits of increased transit access and
infrastructure, should be designed not only for efficient support expression of community identity, well-being, and
movement and to encourage transit use, but to integrate culture. As many of these communities may rely more heavily
into the local community in a manner that provides a high- on transit than others, the design outcomes described in the
quality pedestrian experience, supports the envisioned Guide are of priority for equity-seeking communities.
context, facilitates the creation of complete communities
and contributes to placemaking.” (excerpt from OPA 456
Section 3.1.X. Public Realm – Higher-Order Transit) Figure 6: Highway 407 Bus Terminal (Photo Credit: Access Planning)
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4.0 RAPID TRANSIT DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

The following five headings outline design principles that were developed to inform the content of the Transit Design Guide. To
ensure broad consistency and applicability with key stakeholders, these principles were developed in collaboration with multi-
disciplinary professional staff from various City Divisions involved in the delivery of transit projects, CreateTO, TTC, and Metrolinx.
These principles are intended to be consistent and read in conjunction with, other applicable principles having jurisdiction.

Integration, Placemaking,
Connectivity and Anticipation

Urban
Integration

Accountability User Experience

Life-Cycle, Future Proof, Safe, Intuitive, Convenient,

Integrated Development, Comfortable, Accessible, and
and Maintenance Delightful

Intermodal Sustainability
Operations and Resilience

Resilience, Energy, Air,

Reliability, Efficiency, Safety, Water, Ecology and Materials
and Operations

Figure 7: Illustrative diagram of the five design principles that were

developed to inform the content of the Transit Design Guide

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Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

4.1 Urban Integration 4.2 User Experience

Rapid transit station sites, facilities and related public-facing To encourage public transit use, rapid transit stations, stops,
infrastructure should be designed to support and physically and related public facilities should be designed to optimize the
express the existing and/or planned context of the communities experience for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users. For all,
they serve. Such expression should achieve, but not be limited the experience should provide for:
to:

• Safety: Support personal safety and security by mitigating

• Integration: Fit into the existing character of natural or both perceived and real threats and risks across diverse
built areas, including heritage resources and heritage lived experiences.
conservation districts, and also support the planned
• Intuition: Apply intuitive design principles to minimize the
character of areas planned for growth or change.
need for formal wayfinding tools (e.g., signage, maps, etc.).
• Place-making: Create or enhance the function, accessibility,
• Convenience: Expedite the movement of users, and
identity and quality of civic places.
similarly facilitate efficient access and connections to,
• Connectivity: Provide seamless connections and access through and between rapid transit station sites, facilities,
to and from surrounding communities and other existing and modes.
or planned transit facilities connecting mobility networks/
• Comfort: Support the comfort of all users – whether
systems, including local transit and active transportation.
moving, standing, seated, ascending, descending, or
Access to transit by sustainable and active modes including
waiting – by including and designing facilities, amenities,
walking and cycling should be prioritized.
spaces and services to mitigate the impacts of temperature,
• Anticipation: Enables future development and public precipitation, visibility, and exertion, amongst others.
infrastructure that is integrated with, or physically
• Accessibility: Ensure that users of all abilities and means
connected to rapid transit station facilities.
experience equitable access to station sites, entrances,
facilities and transit services.

• Delight: High-quality design that enhances a sense of civic

space and supporting an uplifting and inspiring experience.
Figure 8: Union Station Bus Terminal, Toronto (Photo Credits: JL Images, Shutterstock)
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 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE
4.3 Sustainability and Resilience 4.4 Intermodal Operations
Rapid transit is an essential service, critical to sustaining the At stations and stops, particularly in a context where space
normal functioning of the city, particularly during times of acute is limited, layout and design of facilities and services must
stress or emergency. The aim is two-fold: balance three, sometimes competing, operational objectives:

1. To ensure that transit systems can survive, adapt and 1. Prioritize the safety and convenience of pedestrians,
continue to operate in response to key challenges; to cyclists, transit users and employees;
achieve a sustainable future for the city and its residents,
2. Provide reliable transit journey times and facilitate frequent
and;
service, and;
2. To deliver co-benefits in coordination and alignment
3. Minimize the space required to facilitate station operations
with related City policies, including but not limited to the
by coordinating and seeking to share transit facilities,
City of Toronto Resiliency Strategy, TransformTO Net
infrastructure and resources.
Zero Strategy, City of Toronto Zero Emissions Building
Framework, the Toronto Green Standard, Toronto Parkland
To do so, design of stations and stops shall balance and
Strategy Report, Toronto Ravine Strategy and Toronto's
coordinate:
Strategic Forestry Management Plan
• Reliability: Facilitate safe and convenient connections
Accordingly, the design of stations and related public-facing between modes, to support reliable and frequent transit
infrastructure has a responsibility to advance resilience and services.
sustainability objectives.
• Efficiency: Optimize the space required to accommodate
• Resilience: Rapid transit facilities and infrastructure should transit services through coordination and sharing of
be located, planned and designed to: be resilient to climate facilities, infrastructure, and resources.
change, including the hazards of flooding and heat, and;
contribute to a transportation network that provides multiple • Safety: Minimize potential conflicts between pedestrians,
reliable, affordable, and safe mobility options that reduce the cyclists, and transit vehicles, while providing convenient and
amount of time it takes to get around. efficient access to station entrances, and platforms.

• Energy: Optimize the efficiency of heating and cooling, • Operations: Ensure integrated multi-modal reliable transit
lighting and other systems for transit facilities and that meets operating requirements.
infrastructure, including through passive means through
architectural design of facilities.

• Air: Design facilities and infrastructure to improve air quality,

reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and protect public health.

• Water: Design transit sites and facilities to capture and

manage stormwater, and minimize water consumption.

• Ecology: Conserve, sustain and be sensitive to the quality,

character and functions of natural heritage systems.

• Durability: Specify durable, renewable and resilient

materials, with consideration for life-cycle costs of materials.

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Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

4.5 Accountability
Design of transit facilities should deliver good value for public
investment of funds. To be fiscally responsible and maximize
long-term public value, design should address the following:

• Life Cycle: Address the whole life cycle cost of

infrastructure and materials.

• Future Proof: Design to be flexible, responsive to

innovations, or anticipate foreseeable changes in
technology, mobility, ridership, customer needs/demands,
and regulations (safety/climate change/public health), etc.

• Integrated Development: Design transit facilities and

infrastructure to enable future transit-oriented development,
that is integrated, physically connected, or adjoining the
station site, where appropriate.

• Maintenance: Ensure consideration of maintenance,

including through agreements between parties, and
appropriate consultation process with responsible parties.
Figure 9: Emergency Exit Building along the Toronto-York Spadina Subway
Extension (Photo Credit: Ben Rahn/A-Frame Studio)
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5.0 ZONES OF INFLUENCE

Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

TRANSIT SITES

City's jurisdiction and/or, private

ZONE 1 property and limited other interests

Shared jurisdiction and

ZONE 2 interests

Operator's jurisdiction,
ZONE 3 limited City interests

Figure 10: Diagram illustrating what each of the Zones of Influence include

The Transit Design Guide considers three key zones of transit infrastructure fall largely within zone 3 and are generally
influence around transit infrastructure, being: outside the scope of this guide. Examples: Platforms and track
systems.
Zone 1, where the jurisdiction falls under the City or private
property. This zone encompasses the areas outside of transit Urban Context / Community
infrastructure and facilities that support access to transit
and create its urban context. This may include streets and
sidewalks leading up to the transit station, surrounding park
ZONE 1 ZONE 2
space, private property, or the public right of way in which
linear infrastructure is situated. Examples: road rights of way Context, Buildings and
used for accessing a transit station, adjacent municipal park TOD and Circulation
Connections
land.

Zone 2, where the City shares jurisdiction and interests with

transit operators. This zone encompasses areas where the
ZONE 3
transit station transitions or serves as an extension of the
broader public realm. This may include design elements Platforms
that have significant impacts on the public realm such as Figure 11: Diagram illustrating how the Zones of Influence apply to transit infrastructure

elevated guideway structures or transitional spaces around

the transit system area such as entry buildings and forecourts
While the zones are intended to provide a delineation of guide
or connecting passageways. Examples: Transition spaces to
applicability that respects jurisdictions, it is also recognized that
station headhouse buildings, public plazas or station forecourts
all the zones have fundamental impacts on each other and that
used for site circulation accessing a station, community
none can be viewed in isolation. While the Guide does not seek
connections within the station such as areas outside of the
to provide guidance in zone 3, it does consider the impacts,
fare-paid zone.
such as footprint and orientation, that those may have on zones
1 and 2.
Zone 3, where transit operators maintain jurisdiction and City
interests are limited. The Transit Design Guide is primarily
interested in questions of urban design, urban planning,
architecture and landscape architecture. Questions around
engineering, construction, and operational requirements for the

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 6.0 TRANSIT DELIVERY PROCESS
Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Design and implementation of a transit project take places through many different stages over multiple years. The diagram below
outlines some of the key stages of project delivery considered in the Guide along with some of the key tasks undertaken at each
stage. Each element specific guidance document includes distinct considerations for design at different stages of the process. In
general, the Guide focuses on the early and later stages of the process; however, it can be referenced to help guide incremental
decisions throughout the process.

During the Strategic Planning and Initial Business Case stage of the planning process key design, alignment, siting, and context
decisions are made that can be difficult to change as the project progresses. Consultation with various City divisions and agencies
is critical to ensure that the foundational interests of the Guide are realized. As the project continues through design refinement and
master planning, the Guide may be referenced to help maintain the key benefits of the project. During the Design Development and
Pre-Procurement stage, reference to the Guide is important to support the creation of design specifications. As the process moves
into full procurement, the Guide may be referenced to help inform understanding of specification compliance during the design
review process.

Design
Development /
Master Planning Environmental Pre-procurement
Strategic Planning / and Preliminary Assessment / City Capital Works Contract Maintenance and
Business Case Design TPAP Coordination Procurement Administration Operations

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Problem Statement Confirm scope Confirmation of Coordination of design Selection of design, Ensure quality delivery Maintain long-term life
Network Role preferred alternative details build, finance, and/or during construction of the investment
Coordinate with long- operate and maintain
Alternatives Analysis term planning Mitigation strategies Reference Concept contractor(s) Detailed Design Ensure efficient
Benefit/Cost Ratio Designs functioning of the
Parametric Cost Estimate Design review meetings Compliance Reviews system
Creation of
Specifications Contract Change Orders Adaptability to new
and Variations technologies and
Figure 12: The typical delivery process for transit infrastructure Coordination with City future projects
Capital Works Program Commissioning and
Acceptance
Public Realm Amounts

The process stages described above correspond roughly to the typical transit project development process. Particular attention
should be paid to ensure that design review aligns with the business case milestones of the process. The Guide is agnostic to the
procurement process used to deliver the transit project.
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 Introduction and Background | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Figure 13: Highway 407 Bus Terminal, Toronto (Photo Credits: Shai Gil)

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