Transit Design Guide

Elevated Guideways
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Existing Guidance
3.0 Objectives
4.0 Design Guidance

City of Toronto
Transit Design Guide

Acknowledgements:
Access Planning
Perkins&Will Figure 1: Linear Park beneath elevated guideway, Carnegie (Mamamag.com)
 1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definition
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Elevated guideways are sections of track infrastructure between • Emergency walkway: A narrow walkway alongside the
stations that are raised above grade or street level. A series guideway for emergency egress or access.
of factors influence the layout and resulting guideway type,
• Guards, Barriers or Railings: For added safety
including:
requirements, guards, barriers, or railing elements / features
• Context and urban fabric in which it is located (right-of-way installed along the edge of the guideway and required to
width, elevation, built-up, parks or open space, natural areas meet established safety standards.
(e.g., valleys, floodplain), urban or suburban).
• Underpass: The open-air space directly beneath the
• Alignment of guideway to its surrounding context, such guideway structure.
as adjacent networks of streets and blocks (parallel,
• Piers and columns: Vertical structure that supports the load
intersecting, etc.).
of the horizontal span of the guideway.
• Adjacency of the guideway to other corridors such as
• Bents: Bents come in a variety of configurations including
highways, rail tracks, or natural features such as ravines or
“T” and “Y” shaped bents. For example, straddle bents are
linear parks.
composed of a large beam that is held up by columns on
• Visibility of the guideway from the surrounding public realm. either side, used instead of a regular central pier when a
roadway runs under the guideway.
Components of an elevated guideway include:
• Foundation: The structure that supports the guideway into
• Guideway: The track and concrete structure on which a the earth.
transit vehicle travels.

Catenary Vehicle
or third Barrier or
rail Railing
Emergency
Walkway

Guideway

Integrated
Servicing
Underpass

Pier
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Figure 2: Diagram depicting the various components

2022

of a typical elevated guideway

Bents Straddle Bents Columns Piers

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1.2 Areas of Influence

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

In the context of elevated guideways, the areas of influence can Zone 2: Includes the guideway structure, guards, as well as
be defined as follows: any public realm interventions under the guideway. The long-
term maintenance and jurisdiction governing the space under
Zone 1: Includes the neighbouring public and private properties guideways will have an impact on the design of these spaces
that will be physically and visually impacted by the guideway, and its influence on zone 1. Zone 2 is typically the scope of
such as, adjacent streets, buildings, parks, and natural areas work delivered as part of the capital transit project.
(e.g., ravines and floodplains). While limited work may occur
in zone 1 during the capital transit project, this zone is still Zone 3: Includes the track, overhead catenary system, track
impacted by the intervention in zones 2 and 3. Therefore, it lighting and other track elements related to the selected transit
is essential that mitigation of potential impacts in zone 1 are technology. This zone is generally outside the scope of these
carefully considered during the early phases of the project, guidelines; nonetheless, this Guide includes guidance regarding
while the alignment is being determined. Opportunities for the alignment of the line, as it impacts the other zones.
the delivery of public realm improvements and amenities in
ZONE 1
coordination with the guideway should be sought in the early
phases. ZONE 3

ZONE 1

Figure 3: (Right) Cross-section depicting how the areas of

influence apply to elevated guideways

Figure 4: (Below) Annotated photograph depicting how the

ZONE 2
areas of influence apply to elevated guideways

ZONE 3
(including track
elements)

ZONE 2

ZONE 1

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 1.3 Applications of Elevated Guideways
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Several applications of Elevated Guideway have been identified, based on factors such as the locational alignment or the nature of
the surrounding context. Each of these have different considerations and impacts on adjacent infrastructure, development, and/or
public realm.

Figure 5: CTrain and the downtown Calgary skyline (Photo Credit: Shutterstock) Figure 6: Hawaii Authority for Rapid Transportation (HART) light metro system, Honolulu
(Photo Credit: Catherine Cruz, HPR)

Off-Street Middle of the Street

This application refers to transit lines where the guideway is This application refers to transit lines where the guideway is
located away from a roadway, such as in between the rear or located in the centre of the right-of-way, with vehicular traffic
sides of properties. In practice, this typology typically occurs lanes under and/or along both sides. This typology is only
when there is an existing easement in place, thus located appropriate for streets with an existing wide right-of-way.
adjacent to or on top of other infrastructure.

In some instances, guideways may be located approximately

above the third floor of surrounding buildings. This application
is only appropriate for areas of transition, such as when the
transit line is required to cross over significant infrastructure or
parks and open space areas.

Figure 7: Hague Randstad Rail, Netherlands (Photo Credit: ArchDaily)

Parallel to the Street

This application refers to transit lines where the guideway is
located above and alongside the roadway, following the road
CITY OF TORONTO

infrastructure in a parallel configuration. This application

typically requires a street with a wide right-of-way, or where
sufficient land can be acquired parallel to the right-of-way.
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 Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE
Figure 9: Illustration demonstrating elevated rail going through ravine and natural area,
Ontario Line (Photo Credit: Metrolinx)

Figure 8: Djerring Trail, Victoria, Australia (Photo Credit: Bazza, Australia247)

Parks, Open Space, and Utility Corridors Natural Areas

This application refers to transit lines where the guideway runs This application refers to transit lines where the guideway
through parks and open space, utility corridors, and/or trails. passes through a ravine, floodplain, natural heritage areas or
In some cases, guideways within utility corridors interface other protected natural areas.
with recreational facilities, programming, off-leash areas and
community gardens. Protection and enhancement of these This application should generally be avoided to prevent any
public uses should be prioritized during planning and design to negative ecological impacts and should only be considered for
minimize impacts on community assets. punctual crossings when other options have proven unfeasible.

This application should generally be avoided. However, if

required, align guideway to minimize the impact on parkland,
trails and mature tree canopy. Avoid street widenings.

The goal should be to maximize park and open space usage,

existing programming and user interaction through appropriate
treatment of the underside of the guideways (engaging or
passive). Final treatment on columns can include creepers,
vines, green walls, etc., while mitigating overall environmental
and ecological impacts. Surface drainage and other debris that
may fall off the elevated guideway should be managed through
the design.

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Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Figure 11: Cross section of rail line on embankment, Ontario Line (Metrolinx)

Figure 10: Mass Transit Railway (MTR) elevated system above other rail infrastructure,
Hong Kong (Reddit)

Above other Infrastructure

This application refers to transit lines where the guideway is
located above other transport infrastructure, such as other rail
Figure 12: Conceptual rendering of rail line on embankment, with retaining wall adjacent to
corridors, bridges, or roadways. open space, Ontario Line (Metrolinx)

This application is only appropriate for areas with an existing Embankment

corridor that aligns with the proposed guideway. This typology This application refers to transit lines where the guideway is
can be considered only if there is sufficient and appropriate located above an embankment (an artificially raised section of
space and impacts of height and access can be accommodated the terrain).

This application is only appropriate for areas where there is

already an existing embankment (e.g., for an existing road or
transit corridor). This prevents creating new edge conditions
or barriers that disrupts the natural areas or impede on
pedestrian connections. Where required, this application should
be used minimally and always in combination with a true
elevated condition (refer to other applications above) to allow
for permeability of the public realm, circulation at the ground
level or with underpasses and pedestrian tunnels to maintain
accessibility and safety.
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 1.4 Typical Project Delivery

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Design
Development /
Strategic Master Planning Environmental Pre-procurement
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

Figure 13: The typical delivery process for transit infrastructure

The selection of an elevated system as the preferred transit In the Toronto context, elevated systems are typically packaged
solution occurs early on during Master Planning and with other elements as part of a Public Private Partnership
Preliminary Design. While precedents around the world (P3) procurement process. Under these circumstances, it is
demonstrate that beautiful and well-integrated elevated systems expected that:
are possible, it brings additional design challenges that must
• Guideways will be designed in conjunction with other
be considered: elements of the system that would otherwise
elements of the transit system, rather than in isolation. The
be below-grade are now in plain sight and need to be carefully
transit agency delivering the project should produce project-
designed and integrated within the public realm. Additionally,
specific guidance documents that address overall cohesivity
public, Indigenous and accessibility related consultation should
of the design and ensure continuity in identity throughout
be considered during the Design Development phase.
the transit line. These documents should be part of the
procurement documents.
For these reasons, it is necessary that the evaluation criteria
developed for any Business Case or Environmental Impact • City of Toronto staff should participate in the preparation of
Assessment takes into consideration all the benefits, the procurement documents and provide input as per the
opportunities and challenges of an elevated system, including guidelines included in this document.
typology, alignment and location. This should include the cost
of delivering high quality elevated elements, the investment • Local transit agencies (e.g. TTC) will have input on special
in the public realm design to integrate the structure, the cost track operations, including switches, crossovers, and pocket
of restoring any impacted built or natural areas as well as tracks. They will accommodate regularly scheduled turnback
the additional operational costs involved in maintaining the service for sections experiencing differential demand, run-
structure and associated spaces. A life cycle assessment of the as-directed service for event surges, critical or strategic
carbon footprint should be part of the Business Case prior to segments for perturbation operations, short turn locations
selecting an elevated system as the preferred option. to maintain vehicle line operations, and others.

• Public consultation throughout the process should inform

Obligations surrounding ownership and maintenance project teams on local goals, provide diverse views and
responsibilities for spaces beneath guideways should be feedback, and comment on evolving plans or designs, which
clarified in the project delivery process. Operations and should be considered in decision-making.
maintenance for the underpass area should be established
during the planning stages to ensure continuity of the public • Local community artists and groups should be engaged
realm and responsibility for maintenance and servicing access. where appropriate and interested, working with relevant

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Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

City divisions. This is especially important in equity-

seeking communities where such involvement can create
opportunities for individual and community benefits.

• Other relevant stakeholders include emergency services

as special emergency access and evacuation conditions
will apply given the elevated nature of the infrastructure.
Adjacent and/or affected property owners should also be
engaged throughout the process with many opportunities to
be informed and provide feedback.
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2.0 EXISTING GUIDANCE

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

The following is a non-exhaustive, illustrative list of existing Much of the existing guidance for elevated guideways relates
guidance and requirements that should be read together with to the objectives of Urban Integration, specifically informing
this Guide. place-making and integration of these structures into the
public realm. This Guide adds to the guidance with a focus on
• Official Plan (3.1.X): Public realm policies for higher-order
User Experience, Sustainability and Resilience, Intermodal
transit require transit stations and ancillary infrastructure
Operations and Accountability with regard to elevated
to provide high-quality architecture, landscape architecture,
guideways.
and urban design. Ancillary elements located, organized and
designed to be contextually responsive and limit impacts to
public realm and adjacent property.

• Official Plan 4.3.3: Development within Parks and Open

Space Areas is intended to have only minimal adverse
impacts on natural features and functions, and those
areas are to be restored and enhanced including existing
vegetation and other natural heritage feature.

• City of Toronto Accessibility Design Guidelines, 1.1.3.

Pedestrian Overpasses and Underpasses: Underpasses
should provide accessible and clear paths of travel that are
continuous and unobstructed, adhering with maximum
slopes.

• City of Toronto Tree Protection By-Laws: Provides direction

for tree protection and replacement ratios for private and
City-owned trees planned for removal.

• TTC Design Manual, DM-0303-01 Elevated Structures:

Aesthetic considerations inform the guideway form
and impact the structural design process. There are
opportunities to provide additional guidance on prescribed
form and/or direction to minimize the scale of the guideway.

• TTC Design Manual, DM-0203-01 Property: Provides

guidelines on right-of-way acquisition, with goal of
minimizing property acquisition; lower limits only apply
where special limiting features exist.

• MTO Aesthetic Guidelines for Bridges: Functional

clarity and high design excellence is emphasized as key
considerations for structures such as elevated guideways.
These guidelines also specify pleasing proportions between
elevated structures and surrounding context, with a visual
impression of lightness.

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 3.0 OBJECTIVES
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

Elevated guideways are a prominent feature of the urban

landscape. While their primary purpose is to support the
provision of higher-order transit service, they must achieve
a number of design objectives to secure benefits to the Intermodal Operations
community beyond transit and mitigate the potentially
increased resilience to climate change.
significant impacts if not well designed.
From a transportation operations perspective, the design
of elevated guideways must maximize the benefit to transit
The following is a summary of the objectives for elevated
service, minimize weather impacts to ensure uninterrupted,
guideways:

Accountability
Urban Integration
reliable service, and avoid conflicts with other modes of travel.
Elevated guideways should integrate seamlessly with the
Elevated guideway design should consider the entire lifecycle,
existing and planned urban context and take advantage of the
use of materials and construction methods that account for
physical infrastructure to create a sense of place within the
whole life cost, and foresee the need to accommodate new
public realm; their placement should enhance connectivity
transit lines, improved service, changes in capacity and new
rather than create barriers and optimize integration with
technology. Importantly, the siting, massing and design of
adjacent new development rather than sterilize development
elevated guideways should allow for optimization of future
sites.
overbuild and/or active Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
frontages.

User Experience
Elevated guideways should allow for a safe, legible, and
accessible user experience, benefiting both users of the transit
line while not compromising the quality of space for the local

Sustainability & Resilience

community.
Elevated guideways should be sustainably designed with
low-carbon materials, optimal use of green infrastructure, and
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4.0 DESIGN GUIDANCE
Urban Integration

4.1 Urban Integration

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

1. Plan, locate, design, and build elevated guideways to 4. Establish a fixed datum for the guideway through urban
minimize overlook of adjacent property, shadowing, noise, conditions as a way of unifying the design solutions.
vibration and visual and physical obstructions at-grade.
5. Plan and design foundations to anticipate future
2. Design elevated guideways as a key focal point and development.
landmark for the surrounding context where appropriate.
6. Design vertical guideway elements, such as columns and
3. Set the height of the elevated guideway to: piers:

a. Respond to the scale of the street, especially in areas a. To be as slender as possible, to reduce both visual and
where the guideway is located adjacent to built-up physical obstruction at grade;
areas.
b. With enhanced treatments (e.g. greening, public
b. Ensure clear views at grade up to 2 storeys (minimum art, signage, etc.) to improve the experience at the
7.5 metres from the existing ground level), while pedestrian level;
maintaining visibility across the street and adjacent
c. To be located with consideration of street elements
public realm so that the street is perceived as one
such as the curb, sidewalk, median, or intersections, to
whole space.
maximize sightlines and pedestrian permeability; and
c. Maximize use of the underpass area and ensure access
d. To be coordinated with the location of existing and
to sunlight on the public realm below, especially when
planned street trees and other vertical elements such as
it includes uses such as natural areas, landscaped or
lighting poles.
recreational spaces.

Encourage Discourage Oversized guideway in

relation to the street
Well proportioned
guideway scaled to
the street

Figure 14: Richmond-Brighouse Station, Canada Line (Photo Credit: Perkins&Will) Figure 15: Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Thailand (Photo Credit: Urban Capture)

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 Urban Integration
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

7. Minimize the width of the guideway to limit shadowing 14. Design setbacks as an integrated component of the public
under the guideway. Alternately, consider splitting the realm through use of buffers that include street trees and
guideway into two, to reduce the extent of areas in full multi-use trails and/or recreational areas.
shadow.
15. Provide adequate vertical and horizontal setbacks from
8. Design guideway guards and railings to consider visual elevated guideways as appropriate, to:
impact (views and shadows) from street level and impact
a. Respond to both the existing and planned context;
on noise attenuation. Guideway structures and associated
guards and railings should be designed in an integrated b. Ensure daylighting of the public realm;
fashion.
c. Provide comfortable areas of circulation for pedestrians
and cyclists, both surrounding and under the elevated
structure; and

d. Allow for the inspection and maintenance of the

structure, while recognizing the objective to plan for
efficient and compact urban development.

16. Provide additional horizontal and vertical setbacks for:

a. Sensitive uses (e.g., hospitals, residential, schools,

etc.) with low tolerance to noise and vibration;

b. Heritage resources and heritage views; and

c. Parks and Open Space and Natural Areas.

Figure 17: BART Train guards and railing as integrated part of the guideway's design
expression, West Oakland (Photo Credit: Michael Short, The Chronicle)
17. Align the guideway away from the sidewalk to the minimum
clearance to eliminate the potential falling hazards of
9. Create connections between new public spaces and
particles such as debris, icicles or snow from the fascia to
existing community amenities along the guideway. Connect
the public on the sidewalk/multi-use pathway (MUP).
to existing active transportation where possible along the
elevated guideway to facilitate multi-modal connections, 18. Minimize use of barriers at-grade, including screening and
ease of access and to address last mile connectivity. fencing. When barriers at-grade are required, such as when
located along a rail corridor, promote the use of integrated
10. Integrate pedestrian and cyclist transportation modes into
design. Consolidate barriers to avoid inaccessible and
the design, such as safe and designated cycling facilities,
unmaintained strips of land between fencing. Determine
to promote inter-modal transport.
ownership and maintenance of any barriers during the
11. Create a multi-use pathway or trail alongside the transit line design phase.
to provide open spaces along the planned transit route.
19. Design barriers that are visible from the public realm to be
12. Avoid obstructing direct accesses to bus services. visually engaging, through the use of high-quality, durable
materials, and the integration of greening and public art.
13. Preserve, protect and enhance parks and natural features
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and functions alongside and under guideways.

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 Urban Integration

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

20. Design barriers to provide opportunities for integrated 25. Protect and anticipate the delivery of future parkland (e.g.
public art. base/ultimate condition) where planned around or under
the guideway. If a detailed above base park design is not
21. Use transparent and/or anti-graffiti noise barrier areas to
being delivered through the transit project, any parkland
decrease visual pollution for sound barriers.
conveyance must include current City standards for base
22. Integrate anti-graffiti measures to noise barriers, visual park conditions as a minimum requirement.
barriers and transparent screening.
26. Integrate or connect elevated guideways to planned
23. Apply graffiti management strategies to enhance perception development.
of safety.
27. Locate elevated guideways, stations and other associated
24. Conduct block studies including the areas along the transit infrastructure at the side or rear of sites to allow for
guideway to identify optimal station locations for potential the creation of feasible and desirable development parcels,
TOD. reserving public street frontages for active uses.

Encourage TOD

Elevated Guideways:
Parallel to the Street Back of
house uses
street
multi use
path

Encourage TOD

Elevated Guideways:
Off-Street Back of
house uses
street
service lane

Discourage TOD

Elevated Guideways:
Parallel to the Street Back of
house uses
street

Figure 18: Examples of how TOD can be integrated with different elevated guideway typologies. Teal represents TOD,
whereas the grey represents back of house uses

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 Urban Integration
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

28. Consolidate and design ancillary structures located

under guideways with a compact footprint, preferably in
proximity to a pier.

29. Design space beneath or adjoining the elevated

guideway to support, connect or enhance and respond
to public realm context to make the area more attractive,
interesting, comfortable and multi-functional through the
use of elements such as hardscaped paths, plazas and
connections; landscaped areas and planting; multi-use
paths; and play or recreational uses.

30. Design the frequency and location of piers to minimize

interference with natural heritage systems when a
Figure 20: Example of Transit Oriented Development (TOD), Marine Gateway, Vancouver
guideway structure is designed to run across a natural (Perkins&Will)

feature protected area, such as a ravine.

31. Minimize the loss of mature trees with the design of new
infrastructure.

32. Provide three replacement trees as compensation for every

tree removed in the construction of the project.

Figure 21: Unique materiality along infrastructure to support adjacent cyclist and pedestrian
trail, Melton Highway, Melbourne (Photo Credit: M James Holdings)

Figure 19: Underpass skate trail and flexible public space beneath the Gardiner Expressway,
Toronto (Photo Credit: The Bentway)
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Figure 22: Unique materiality and landscaping to support adjacent cyclist and pedestrian
trail, Melton Highway, Melbourne (Photo Credit: M James Holdings)

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 Case Study
Melbourne Skyrail's level crossings removal
project – Victoria, Australia

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

As part of the level crossings removal project where
85 congested crossings are to be removed, new public
spaces, or "activation nodes" were created to provide
more immediate placemaking. Each one integrates
the physical and local culture. For example, one of
the new elevated portions incorporated a new Linear
Park underneath the elevation of the train tracks from
Figure 25: Guideway is visually permeable. Open spaces allow for opportunities such as public art,
Caulfield to Dandenong and drew on local recreational spaces for congregation and recreation, and weather protection (Photo Credits: ASPECT Studios)
themes. Over 22 hectares of new public space with
various types of sport and exercise equipment to
support all users beneath the elevated structure. The
height of the guideway is well designed to ensure that
at-grade spaces are comfortable. Wayfinding, lighting,
furniture and well-proportioned guideway piers allow
the space to be visible, safe, and well programmed.

Figure 26: Guideway structure does not obstruct views surrounding the public space, with
minimal shade (Photo Credit: ASPECT Studios)

Figure 23: Bike infrastructure such as racks and bollards provide intermodal
connections (Photo Credit: Carnegie Place)

Figure 27: Consistency in guideway components such as clear and integrated wayfinding (Photo
Credit: ASPECT Studios)

Figure 24: Clearly delineated pedestrian furniture zones at Carnegie Station Linear
Park (Photo Credit: SVC) Figure 28: Structure maintains access to sunlight, with bright colours for wayfinding (Photo
Credit: ASPECT Studios)

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 User Experience

4.2 User Experience

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

1. Provide a high-quality and accessible public realm that 8. Encourage intuitive wayfinding through the architectural
fosters intuitive wayfinding and congregation to encourage treatment of the guideway and surrounding area.
community interaction.
9. Specify materials and/or construction methods that provide
2. Create visual and built connections to adjacent amenities to mitigation of noise and vibration impacts; cost should be
maximize accessibility to the larger surrounding context considered during the business case.

3. Design and align elevated structures to be visually 10. Avoid dark corners or spaces that may be susceptible to
permeable, complement adjacent structures, and respond loitering or undesirable activities.
to context.
11. Minimize height and opacity of parapet and/or guards,
4. Provide multi-use pathways between the guideway to limit the perception of height of the guideway and
and development(s), creating an active space for the shadowing, thus creating a safe, comfortable, and
development to front onto, where there is a landscaped pedestrian-scaled experience, without sacrificing the
setback condition. required safety standards for the guideway design.

5. Design elevated guideways to be a simple, light and elegant

structures that minimizes the visual impact on surrounding
development and public streets.

6. Design the guideway to consider all elements together,

including columns, guideway beams, deck and guards, so
the guideway is perceived as one unified structure.

7. Design guideway structural elements to:

a. Avoid excessive monumentality, such as over-designed

concrete or over structured elements;

b. Establish continuous linear forms through the use

of horizontal structural elements that avoid abrupt
Figure 29: Well-proportioned structural elements that still maximize public space and
transitions between sections; openness, Newtown Interchange, Sydney (Photo Credit: Ross Thornton)

c. Minimize girder depth and number of spans;

d. Minimize shadows and number of piers by using long

span box girder with tapered profile;

e. Create rhythm by aligning joints between beams,

formwork and other reveals in consistent spacing; and

f. Create one integrated structure by using recessed

profiles that conceal construction joints and pipes.
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Figure 30: Light and elegant guideway structure, RandstadRail, The Hague, Netherlands
(Photo Credit: ZJA)

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Case Study
Miami Underline – Miami, Florida
User Experience
The Miami Underline is a 120-acre project beneath the

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

existing Metrorail guideway, providing new connections 12. Design guards to be a feature within the guideway rather
to the local transit, walking, and cycling networks and than using off-the-shelf products.
demonstrates the Miami-Dade County's commitment 13. Avoid intricate design details that may accumulate dust and
to improving and enhancing connectivity. Additional particulate matter, limiting more intricate expressions to
enhancements such as wayfinding, lighting, and direct areas of high visibility.
access to transportation are made with underpass
programming such as gardens, playgrounds, recreational 14. Employ high-quality, architectural concrete and limit the
courts, dog parks, and more. Stronger connections have use of cast-in-place elements.
been made to local businesses and encouraged more
15. Apply consistency in materials across elevated guideway
transit activity for residents and tourists alike.
components, while exploring the potential to differentiate
special areas with material variation.

16. Integrate channels for services (e.g., electrical conduits,

rainwater leaders, audio-visual wiring) into structural
elements.

17. Design structures to incorporate rainwater drainage,

integrating drip edges and recesses along horizontal
elements to avoid staining of vertical surfaces.

Figure 31: Public art and multi use pathway beneath the elevated structure (Photo 18. Explore opportunities for greening spaces beyond the street
Credits: The Underline, Robin Hill)
level, including green track and green walls, by:

a. Selecting low maintenance, native planting species that

are low light and drought tolerant for planting around
the guideway.

b. Avoiding spaces that may attract bird nesting.

19. Apply Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design

(CPTED) principles in the design of landscaped and other
public spaces.
Figure 32: Landscaping and wayfinding (Photo Credits: The Underline, Robin Hill)
20. Use a lighting approach that is functional and scaled to
pedestrians, especially in underpass areas, at access points
and paths of travel, to increase feelings of safety and
comfort.

21. Integrate lighting with architectural design elements to

ensure the entire guideway network is visually cohesive and
easily identifiable.

22. Ensure that additional lighting is considered for

Figure 33: Various multi-modal connections underneath the elevated guideway,

connecting to local networks (Photo Credits: The Underline, Robin Hill)

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 User Experience
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

programmed areas, such as recreational spaces.

23. Minimize the impact of ornamental lighting such as

downlights installed at the edge of elevated guideways
within light sensitive areas.

24. Avoid light fixtures that may impact or reduce the vertical
clearance along pedestrian and cycling paths of travel.

25. Integrate public art, especially in proximity to stations or

threshold zones to create a vibrant gateway.

26. Ensure that public art is complementary or responsive to

the local context and character.

27. Encourage art installations that take advantage of the scale

of the structure and will create an immersive experience.

Figure 34: Integrated retail frontages, Nakameguo, Tokyo (Photo Credit: Web Japan)
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 Sustainability &
Resilience
4.3 Sustainability and Resilience

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

1. Propose sustainable design solutions for landscape 7. Include planting under the guideway while allowing for
treatment below and alongside guideways. maintenance and operations.

2. Consider options for reducing carbon footprint, including 8. Implement best practices in performance-based
but not limited to, the reduction of cementitious materials specifications to maintain and improve air quality.
or the use of carbon-absorptive concrete, low carbon
concrete, or self-cleaning concrete.

3. Incorporate structural redundancies that will protect

against anticipated natural disasters.

4. Integrate architectural and structural elements to reduce

use of excess materials.

5. Design the open space surrounding the guideway to

mitigate heat island effect by selecting high albedo surface
materials, incorporate trees and manage stormwater
runoff by providing ground permeability and Low Impact
Development (LID) strategies.

6. Encourage reduction in de-icing requirements, such

as through the use of a green track system or weather
protection.

Figure 35: Vertical gardens installed on piers, Mexico City (Photo Credit: Via Verde)

Figure 36: Vertical gardens were constructed on approximately 1,000 piers all along the guideway and other transit infrastructure, Mexico City (Photo Credit: Via Verde)

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 Intermodal Accountability
Operations
4.4 Intermodal Operations
Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

1. Redesign streets accessing and running adjacent to the 3. Implement planned changes to the design, layout and/or
elevated guideway to ensure they are transit-supportive configuration of streets running adjacent to the elevated
complete streets that facilitate good pedestrian, cyclist and guideway together with the guideway project to coordinate
surface transit access, and facilitate mode shifts to transit their design and minimize community disruption.
and active transportation.
4. Future-proof for connections to planned active
2. Consider increase in risk from a non-fully-enclosed/ transportation routes.
protected operating environment as these may require
5. Clarify ownership and maintenance obligations for space
additional maintenance.
under guideways through project delivery process.
3. Design elevated guideways to support operations
6. The design and alignment of the guideway should protect
requirements as set out by the transit agency, such as train
for future stations by considering:
capacities, headway, speed, end-to-end travel times, and
traction power systems. a. Adjacent and surrounding development parcels and
designated growth areas / nodes, coordinated with
4. Identify space and location requirements for operations and
potential future land uses and multi-modal networks;
maintenance. An Operation and Maintenance agreement
should be executed prior to implementation of the final b. Location and orientation of the track to accommodate
plan. new platforms and stations, including the provision of
flat track, tangent track, separation between tracks and
5. Provide adequate setbacks or lateral clearances around
location of crossovers;
structures to guarantee adequate maintenance access.
c. Reasonable rough-in of structural infrastructure to
6. Consider impacts of seasonality on transit maintenance
accommodate future additions;
and operations, such as: tree leaves on tracks; and winter
impacts (snow and ice) to design a safe and comfortable d. Coordination with other infrastructure such as hydro
experience. towers or maintenance facilities to optimize potential
for future uses; and
7. Clearly define maintenance boundaries of transit facilities
at-grade to all responsible parties involved. e. The preservation of space within the easement for
future transit uses, including the underpass area for
ancillary uses or an enhanced public realm.
4.5 Accountability

1. Ensure that elevated guideways are aligned with potential

for TOD and provide opportunities for future site
development.

2. Anticipate and protect for planned capital projects in the

planning and design of elevated guideways.
CITY OF TORONTO
2022

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4.6 Applications Specific Guidance

Elevated Guideways | TRANSIT DESIGN GUIDE

The guidelines below are specific to the individual applications Parks, Open Space, Utility Corridors and Natural Areas
and to be applied in addition to the general guidelines above.
7. Gain a comprehensive understanding of the proposed
Off-Street impacts through the appropriate environmental studies.

1. Provide sufficient setbacks around the off-street guideway 8. Limit the extent of intervention, to protect mature trees,
to mitigate impacts on existing or sensitive land uses natural areas and their ecological functions through an
and infrastructure to provide access to the guideway for interactive responsive design process.
maintenance. 9. Limit the degree of temporary and permanent impacts,
2. Explore opportunities to integrate active transportation including the visual and physical scales of the structures,
networks alongside the transit corridor in off-street noise or light pollution.
guideways, especially where multi-use pathways exist 10. Propose ecologically based restorative design solutions for
3. For taller guideways, or “in the sky” applications: landscape treatment below guideway.

a. Limit impacts on sky-view, skyline, and significant or 11. Consider the local ecology, with reference to Toronto and
heritage views from the public realm. Region Conservation Authority standards.

b. Consider access to the elevated structure for 12. Ensure continued functionality and access to park spaces
maintenance and emergency evacuation. below the guideway and limit disruptions to existing park
networks.
Middle of the Street
13. Avoid disruptions to existing parks operations (permitted
4. Design the underpass landscape area to be visually and non-permitted facilities) and park network
appealing and require little maintenance due to its high connections.
visibility in the middle of the street and constraints to
14. Maintain, restore and enhance areas impacted by
access.
surrounding transit infrastructure according to City
standards.
Parallel to the Street

5. Deliver high-quality public space along the guideway that Embankment

acts as buffer between the roadway and adjacent, sensitive
15. Provide effective and well-designed barriers that
development such as residential uses.
significantly reduce noise and vibration impacts.
6. Ensure a high standard of architectural expression and
16. Minimize the footprint and extent of the guideway
materials for the guideway structure, given its direct
infrastructure, to reduce disruption to adjacent open
proximity to pedestrian spaces, such as sidewalks along
spaces or sensitive land uses.
the street.

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