Shift: London's Rapid Transit Initiative - Page 51

GreatTallNorth2 · #**1001** Posted **Aug 10, 2021, 3:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

North leg is not happening. That one got voted down a lot more than the west leg that just narrowly lost.

A rapid transit line to the north is the one line that makes the most amount of sense. Downtown to St. Joes to University/University Hospital to Masonville. It just shows you NIMBYs run this town.

Djeffery · #**1002** Posted **Aug 10, 2021, 3:31 PM**

I never understood why Wharncliffe wasn't considered more seriously (and I probably commented as such a few years ago on this thread), since they were ultimately bringing the BRT out onto Western Rd at the university anyway. Go west on Queens, across the river, and north from there. Avoided the whole Richmond and University mess of issues. Huge opportunity missed, considering the work that was done on Wharncliffe and Western anyway. And using Wharncliffe to the north of Riverside, they could have looked at the work that will be coming on Wharncliffe to the south of there and possibly looked at a future southwest BRT route, and at least protected some space in the Wharncliffe redesign.

MolsonExport · #**1003** Posted **Aug 10, 2021, 6:39 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

The poor Dundas merchants can't seem to catch a break. First 2 years of full construction, then a pandemic, and now this crazy BRT bike lane workaround.

What a complete mess. Confusing for everyone, even for the cyclists I bet who were supposed to benefit.

Hopefully the error of their ways is learned soon and Dundas is simply one way eastbound. What's the problem with that anyway?

I walked down Dundas today with family visiting from Ottawa. What a disaster. At least 2/3 of the shopfronts are vacant/disused. It looks as though covid drove a final nail through the hearts of many businesses that were just barely hanging on. Of course the junkies and homeless are abounding.

haljackey · #**1004** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 8:05 PM**

I mentioned it in the London Public Transit thread but it might get missed there-

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I haven't really read up on what they plan to do for the Wellington CN underpass for the south leg and the Highbury CP overpass for the east leg. Will these be expanded? Will the buses run in mixed traffic? Will one lane be converted to BRT only? I don't have answers for these choke points.

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Anyone know what they're doing for these rail crossings?

inimrepus · #**1005** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 9:01 PM**

I don't remember them saying anything about that (I easily may have missed it). I do remember that the plans called for a more transit signal priority so it is possible they will keep the underpasses at 2 lanes in each direction but give the busses signal priority there so they can get into the underpass before other traffic, but that would have limited benefits IMO

For Highbury the plans do call for widening the bridge

Pimpmasterdac · #**1006** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 9:43 PM**

Would be interesting to see what happens with CN Wellington underpass, there's no easy way to expand it, even though it's much needed. Wellington is already narrow and congested there, god knows all the underground infrastructure that would affect, and above ground would have to eliminate the Bathurst St enterance/exist.

CanadianTalk · #**1007** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 10:06 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

I haven't really read up on what they plan to do for the Wellington CN underpass for the south leg and the Highbury CP overpass for the east leg. Will these be expanded? Will the buses run in mixed traffic? Will one lane be converted to BRT only? I don't have answers for these choke points.

Anyone know what they're doing for these rail crossings?

I don't know about the Wellington underpass, however, the city's project site for the East London Link does mention that "Highbury Bridge" will be widened for this project, which I assume refers to the CP overpass.

East London Link Project Site: https://london.ca/projects/east-london-link

Edited: Sorry! I just saw that inimrepus shared pretty much everything I mentioned. I don't even know how I missed their post. I'm tired, it's been a long day for me lol.

Djeffery · #**1008** Posted **Oct 6, 2021, 11:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

Would be interesting to see what happens with CN Wellington underpass, there's no easy way to expand it, even though it's much needed. Wellington is already narrow and congested there, god knows all the underground infrastructure that would affect, and above ground would have to eliminate the Bathurst St enterance/exist.

Bathurst isn't really an obstacle to this, they could widen the overpass part to run Bathurst continuously along there, as it does over Richmond, and not have any access to or from Wellington. Such a continuous road would be quite useful there as well.

haljackey · #**1009** Posted **Oct 11, 2021, 5:54 PM**

Looks like that NotJustBikes guy is planning to do a video on London's BRT

https://www.reddit.com/r/londonontario/c...e_actual_plan_for_the_brt_in_london_now/

ssiguy · #**1010** Posted **Oct 12, 2021, 6:27 PM**

He has some informative and interesting videos but he is extremely biased against the city and makes unfair analogies.

Seriously, comparing a city of 400,000 founded 200 years ago against one of 2.5 million founded centuries before that is completely unfair. Uses examples of inner city Amsterdam and it's urban nirvana and then shows pics of suburban Oxford & Wonderland as a comparison. He sure omits Amsterdam's suburban ethnic concrete bunker ghettos which London doesn't have.

haljackey · #**1011** Posted **Oct 12, 2021, 8:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by ssiguy

He has some informative and interesting videos but he is extremely biased against the city and makes unfair analogies.

Seriously, comparing a city of 400,000 founded 200 years ago against one of 2.5 million founded centuries before that is completely unfair. Uses examples of inner city Amsterdam and it's urban nirvana and then shows pics of suburban Oxford & Wonderland as a comparison. He sure omits Amsterdam's suburban ethnic concrete bunker ghettos which London doesn't have.

While you're right, I still enjoy his videos. I find them both entertaining and enlightening.

While he does 🞵🞵🞵🞵 on London, its because this is where he grew up and thus can better relate to how things are here. I don't mind it- shows us what not to do and how we can do better.

Looks like he is going to do a positive video on London this time, showing how London's decision to cancel Wonderland widening and starting a BRT network are good choices. I for one am looking forward to his perspective, especially regarding the two legs of BRT that weren't (yet) approved.

ssiguy · #**1012** Posted **Oct 12, 2021, 8:26 PM**

I hope he does the city justice and not just on it's future BRT plans.

London had the forethought of not building an urban expressway which is why the city has such a constant urban form and connected communities. It has a wonderful Thames River Parkway and a plethora of great parks and probably Canada's best downtown park which is not just a refuge but a great meeting place for events.

It also has beautiful and leafy inner city neighbourhoods and some great architecture. It's downtown {despite the gaps} is quite heavily populated. Like all cities it has it's homeless and drug problems but in terms of addicts, London is but a shadow of Amsterdam.

jammer139 · #**1013** Posted **Nov 23, 2021, 6:30 PM**

Next phase of downtown loop for Queens Ave and Ridout St. tenders.

https://pub-london.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=87650

jaradthescot · #**1014** Posted **Nov 24, 2021, 4:34 PM**

The "East London Link" portion is scheduled to begin in 2022 but I can't find any recent details. I assume it was delayed. Does anyone know about its current status?

haljackey · #**1015** Posted **Nov 24, 2021, 5:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaradthescot

The "East London Link" portion is scheduled to begin in 2022 but I can't find any recent details. I assume it was delayed. Does anyone know about its current status?

There's this info- starts in 2022 and expected to take 3 years

https://london.ca/projects/east-london-link

ssiguy · #**1016** Posted **Nov 24, 2021, 6:50 PM**

So if they are using exclusively King for the East Link then will King become a 2 way street for all traffic or remain a one-way?

haljackey · #**1017** Posted **Nov 24, 2021, 8:41 PM**

Two way street for buses, but remains one way for cars.

King Street east of Wellington will be 3 lanes. Buses will run two ways in the two outer lanes. The innermost lane will be EB only for cars.

Pimpmasterdac · #**1018** Posted **Nov 24, 2021, 11:37 PM**

This plan makes no sense, King st will be completely fucked from this being down to 1 lane for general traffic and now not have any turn lanes, plus likely more restrictions because of BRT lanes. Didn't understand why having east-bound buses go on King, west-bound on Queens Ave was shot down, or having everything run on Dundas until Wellington.

inimrepus · #**1019** Posted **Nov 25, 2021, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

having everything run on Dundas until Wellington.

I think the issue with Dundas is that it would have worked for a few blocks, but there is a big section where it would be impossible to have dedicated bus lanes.

I don't think having King St be down to 1 lane will be a huge deal. East of Wellington there aren't many businesses and turning shouldn't be much of an issue since you won't be going across other lanes of traffic.

haljackey · #**1020** Posted **Nov 25, 2021, 8:19 PM**

Exactly. Queens was reduced to 1 lane from Quebec to Adelaide and it operates just fine. Sure the 1 lane on King is longer- starting at Wellington- but since you don't have any oncoming traffic, left and right turns shouldn't back up traffic too much. I'd assume you'd still get some turning lanes at the Adelaide intersection too- which is the only major junction past Wellington on King until it ends at Dundas.