Shift: London's Rapid Transit Initiative

[ssiguy]

While it is true London's transportation planning is short sighted nd the traffic horrid, I am glad London didn't follow the KW route of an inner city freeway. This is one of the primary reasons why London has a solid built urban form where you can walk from one neighbourhood to the next with few gaps. You can walk from Fanshawe Park Road to downtown to Ridout to White Oaks and never see more than one empty lot. Same goes for basically anything from Highbury to Byron. Few cities can claim such a thing and it makes the city feel whole and pedestrian friendly.

You also haave to remember that KW is not the combination of 2 cities but 5......Kitch/Wat/Preseton/Hespler/and Galt. There was a lot of open land between them and endless lots in which to build freeways and much wider roads as most connecting them were wide arterials and not urban streets like London.

Yes, London's tepid steps can be infuriating but it's hesitancy has left the city with a solid and attractive built form.