Highway and Road Improvements Outside of London

[GreatTallNorth2]

That's some pretty serious road work, can we have the province take over all of London's road planning please?

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by jammer139

MTO recently had their Highway 3 extension and widening PIC #2 meeting Nov 22nd and some updated alternatives were included in the information.


http://www.highway3elgin.ca/resources/pres_1308_Hwy3Elgin_PIC2_fnl_20231120.pdf

I'm still in awe full interchanges are planned for this. What really puzzles me is the roundabout at Highway 4. I would assume once this phase is done another phase would get built to extend the Highway 3 freeway to the 401, and it's goona be annoying to rebuild this into an interchange.

But then again it took them like 50 years to go from the old Highway 3 to this plan, so an extension to the 401 may take another 50

[haljackey]

Highway 3 twinning/extension build may start next year according to this document.
https://www.highway3elgin.ca/resources/pres_1308_Hwy3Elgin_PIC2_fnl_20231120.pdf

It still isn't under the MTO's highway expansion/rehab map however. This was just updated for 2024 as well (includes the proposed 413)
https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-highway-programs

Public input is good till March 5
https://www.highway3elgin.ca/resources/notice_of_completion.pdf

[CanadianTalk]

Update on the Glendon and Vanneck roundabout in Kilworth:

June 4, 2024 - After receiving the required approvals from Hydro One on the relocation of the hydro poles, the County of Middlesex will be putting the roundabout at the "5-Corners" intersection out to tender shortly, with work expected to start later this summer. A one-day road closure is expected later in June [June 24th] to allow for the hydro work to be completed.

[CanadianTalk]

Construction will begin on the Glendon and Vanneck roundabout in Kilworth on Monday, September 9 and is expected to continue to mid-November.

https://www.middlesexcentre.ca/articles/...xhAuQYziFfU3g_aem_Fk6p-BqmFHm-KDqSgaPO_Q

[jammer139]

The MTO has issued notices for the expropriation of portions of properties for the new Highway 3 and Wonderland Rd interchange and widening project. We might see the first phases of construction for this project starting in 2025.

[jammer139]

Highway 3 expansion news.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/london/st...s-lowball-expropriation-offers-1.7480563

[jammer139]

Some tree clearing on the west side of Wonderland Rd S where it meets Ron McNeil Rd and Highway 3. This intersection is going to be rebuilt as part of the Highway 3 widening project.

[jammer139]

Some tree and shrub clearing now on the north side of Highway 3 in St Thomas. This is where the 2 new lanes will be built as part of the widening project. They will need to move alot of earth on this side because it is highly banked. No signs yet of any work on the new bridge crossing they will need to build over Kettle Creek. Imagine that will be the most complex part of the widening project

[CanadianTalk]

Here is an update on the St Thomas Highways 3 and 4 projects from today's St Thomas City Council agenda:

https://pub-stthomas.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ashx?DocumentId=2202

Detailed design is progressing rapidly and the MTO has advised that construction on the Talbotville Bypass project is expected to begin in the summer of 2025. This project will require large quantities of fill for the construction of the Highway 3 and Ron McNeil Line Interchange that will be excavated from the west side of the Highway 3 Expressway in St. Thomas between Centennial Avenue and First Avenue and transported to the Talbotville Bypass project area. Tree clearing in advance of this work has begun already, with excavation expected to begin as early as July.

Approximate Timeline and Staging Sequencing:

[jammer139]

MTO has posted their expropriation notices for lands to be used for the new highway 3 widening project.

They must have run out of time to finish negotiation of a purchase and are moving ahead with expropriation.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/london/article/it...rustrated-over-hwy-3-land-expropriation/

[jammer139]

St Thomas Elgin Transportation Master Plan revived to look at future needs. Highbury Ave widening mentioned.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/revv...sing-question-how-will-we-all-get-around

[jammer139]

Paving gravel road debate around improving safety or increased costs.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/gravel-road-dump-truck-crash-questions-over-safety-fixes

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Paving gravel road debate around improving safety or increased costs.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/gravel-road-dump-truck-crash-questions-over-safety-fixes

That's funny. As the article says, gravel is traffic calming. Pave it and everyone goes faster. There still will be a ditch and softer shoulders, even if the road is paved, and then you have an asphalt transition that could catch the truck tires and pull them into the ditch as well, especially when 2 trucks meet going the opposite direction and maybe edge over to the right a bit given these roads are inherently narrower than a typical highway. I get the dust issue, but they did buy a house on a gravel road next to gravel pits, what did they think was going to happen?

[jammer139]

West end of Ford Rd will be closed. The widening of Highway 3 and extension project which hopefully starts soon will not have a connection to Ford Rd on the west end.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/rural-road-set-to-close-to-prevent-deadly-crashes-mayor

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jammer139

West end of Ford Rd will be closed. The widening of Highway 3 and extension project which hopefully starts soon will not have a connection to Ford Rd on the west end.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/rural-road-set-to-close-to-prevent-deadly-crashes-mayor

I didn't think this was news, unless I'm thinking of another road in that area being closed off? I think Ford Rd becoming a little stub at the southeast quadrant of the new interchange (or near it) was already part of the plans we have seen.

[bolognium]

I'm curious if they will implement a way for cyclists using Wonderland to access Ford Rd. When I bike from London to St.Thomas/Port Stanley I almost exclusively use this section of Wonderland.

South on Wonderland, little jaunt on Ron McNeil, connect to Ford Rd, and head through Lynhurst and into downtown St.Thomas. I'm not excited by all of the work being done on Talbot Line (since I'm assuming this will bring more vehicle traffic and faster speeds), and crossing there as a cyclist is already a little sketchy.

Edit: Looks like the Wonderland interchange will just force cyclists east onto Wellington instead. That sucks.

Wonderland is the only marginally safe road for cycling between London and St.Thomas and this project seems to be really screwing that up. Seems like cyclists will be forced to ride east to Wellington to cross Talbot Line. Don't like this at all.

[jammer139]

Effort to fix dangerous intersection. Egremont and Hickory Dr near Strathroy.

Could be a candidate for a roundabout instead of lights.

https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/lf-intersection?itm_source=index

[jammer139]

Lots of heavy equipment now working the north side slope of Highway 3 at the eastern end in St Thomas. Digging out the slope for the creation of the two new lanes as part of the widening project.

[jammer139]

Fresh top coat of pavement now installed on county Rd 119 between Thamesford and Ingersoll.