Southdale Road Improvements

[Djeffery]

Wow, L82 missed out on this by $8000. I only mention it because they recently signed a naming rights deal with the Byron Optimists to rename the nearby Sportsplex after themselves. That's gotta sting a bit for them. I am glad I am moving out of the area before this gets going, it's going to be a complete cluster f to get out of Byron to the highway this year.

[jammer139]

Lots of utility trucks now onsite doing the relocates and installing new poles for the roundabout.

[haljackey]

Project site- https://getinvolved.london.ca/southdaleroundabout

One of the FAQs here is:
Will Southdale be widened to four lanes to join the Bostwick construction?

Answer:
"A future construction project is planned on Southdale Road West, between Colonel Talbot Road and Bostwick Road. This project is anticipated to include a four lane cross section (two lanes in each direction) to provide lane continuity along the Southdale Road West corridor. Construction is currently scheduled for 2031, but the timing will be reviewed as part of the City of London's Mobility Master Plan study that is underway right now."

2031? Waaaaa

[CanadianTalk]

A preconstruction webinar (with Q&A session) was held last night for the Southdale and Col Talbot roundabout.

Construction is expected to start next week, and is estimated to be finished in the fall. Colonel Talbot Road north of Southdale will be closed for almost the entire construction duration.

Southdale and Col Talbot (south of Southdale) will be open for much of the construction project. However at some point in the fall, there will be a short-term closure of the intersection (to finish the centre of the roundabout, and the four approaches/medians).


• Video Link

[jammer139]

CTV article on roundabout.


https://london.ctvnews.ca/roundabout...don-1.6372329?

[jammer139]

Overnight closure tonight for next phase of project.


https://blackburnnews.com/london/lon...ose-overnight/

[tyeman200]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Project site- https://getinvolved.london.ca/southdaleroundabout

One of the FAQs here is:
Will Southdale be widened to four lanes to join the Bostwick construction?

Answer:
"A future construction project is planned on Southdale Road West, between Colonel Talbot Road and Bostwick Road. This project is anticipated to include a four lane cross section (two lanes in each direction) to provide lane continuity along the Southdale Road West corridor. Construction is currently scheduled for 2031, but the timing will be reviewed as part of the City of London's Mobility Master Plan study that is underway right now."

2031? Waaaaa

That's London. A Smart city would have gotten that widened by now and the roundabout would be the final step.. London just loves working backwards and wasting our money.

[Djeffery]

I would suggest the roundabout is more important than widening Southdale between Bostwick and Col Talbot as Col Talbot gets way more backed up than Southdale WB does. And once the roundabout is done, Southdale will also move more freely going westbound. I've sat in traffic on Col Talbot down past Pack Rd regularly, where occasionally, I've sat on Southdale past Pomeroy. The worst part of Southdale was where it went down a lane at Pine Valley, and now that it's widened past Bostwick, traffic can get into the Westmount neighbourhood a lot easier.

[CanadianTalk]

Yeah, I agree with @djeffrey regarding the project timing. I don't drive in this area often, but sometimes I have to, and the one thing I always remember is that Col Talbot can get quite backed up, and I usually have to turn left from Col Talbot to Southdale, and that always seems to take forever. The roundabout will definitely improve traffic flow at that intersection, and in the area overall.

Even though Southdale will still be 2 lanes between Pomeroy and Bostwick in the interim, traffic should theoretically flow much better since there really won't be any interruption along the 2-lane stretch of Southdale, except for the light at Tillman, which is not usually a big deal since it's green for the most of the time.

Also, Col Talbot is getting a complete rebuild south of Southdale next year, so another benefit of doing the roundabout first, is that the new intersection will tie in seamlessly to the upgraded Col Talbot next year.

[MrSlippery519]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

Yeah, I agree with @djeffrey regarding the project timing. I don't drive in this area often, but sometimes I have to, and the one thing I always remember is that Col Talbot can get quite backed up, and I usually have to turn left from Col Talbot to Southdale, and that always seems to take forever. The roundabout will definitely improve traffic flow at that intersection, and in the area overall.

Even though Southdale will still be 2 lanes between Pomeroy and Bostwick in the interim, traffic should theoretically flow much better since there really won't be any interruption along the 2-lane stretch of Southdale, except for the light at Tillman, which is not usually a big deal since it's green for the most of the time.

Also, Col Talbot is getting a complete rebuild south of Southdale next year, so another benefit of doing the roundabout first, is that the new intersection will tie in seamlessly to the upgraded Col Talbot next year.

I do agree with this mostly as well, the argument I would make for doing all of Southdale east now is that the cost of the project would be much less if they just did the work now while they are already there. No way will it last to 2031.

That said the Col Tablot side is quite bad certain times of the day and the roundabout is the most important aspect to help flow. Also add in Bradley/Pack extension and connection may move some traffic off Southdale.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by MrSlippery519

I do agree with this mostly as well, the argument I would make for doing all of Southdale east now is that the cost of the project would be much less if they just did the work now while they are already there. No way will it last to 2031.

That said the Col Tablot side is quite bad certain times of the day and the roundabout is the most important aspect to help flow. Also add in Bradley/Pack extension and connection may move some traffic off Southdale.

There are X amount of road projects they can do in a year, for Y amount of dollars. It's not like they aren't spending that money on some other project, that is probably more urgently needed, this year. So if they put that project off in order to complete Southdale this year, that other project would just cost more down the road, so no savings, and you end up with a more needed project not getting done.

[jammer139]

Sadly the Colonel Talbot rebuild is only to replace the gravel shoulders and add sidewalks and curbs. No widening to increase volumes that have been getting much higher and will only grow in the coming years. They will once again need to tear it all up again and replace the storm water drains and widen with new curbs. Because the city likes to do half-assed jobs and rebuild them again a few years later to waste even more tax dollars.

[CanadianTalk]

Southdale Rd W to be closed overnight starting Sunday, August 13 between Pine Valley Blvd and Tillmann Rd for surface paving. Restrictions are anticipated to be in place until August 16.

https://london.ca/newsroom/public-se...d-west-between

[tyeman200]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

I would suggest the roundabout is more important than widening Southdale between Bostwick and Col Talbot as Col Talbot gets way more backed up than Southdale WB does. And once the roundabout is done, Southdale will also move more freely going westbound. I've sat in traffic on Col Talbot down past Pack Rd regularly, where occasionally, I've sat on Southdale past Pomeroy. The worst part of Southdale was where it went down a lane at Pine Valley, and now that it's widened past Bostwick, traffic can get into the Westmount neighbourhood a lot easier.

I'm just curious, when do you get stuck on Colonel Talbot? I feel I have never seen this stretch backed up unless on Southdale Road. I feel Colonel Talbot only gets backed up near Lambeth, and that intersection at Main Street is also a mess. My workplace is on Main Street and it can be really difficult to get out during rush hour, traffic is backed up all the time.

[CanadianTalk]

The Southdale and Colonel Talbot intersection will be closed from Sept 30th to Oct 5th to complete work in the south half of the intersection. When the intersection reopens, it will be configured as a temporary one-lane roundabout.

Construction is expected to wrap up in late fall of 2023, with some minor finishing work in spring of 2024.

https://london.ca/newsroom/public-se...d-west-colonel

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by tyeman200

I'm just curious, when do you get stuck on Colonel Talbot? I feel I have never seen this stretch backed up unless on Southdale Road. I feel Colonel Talbot only gets backed up near Lambeth, and that intersection at Main Street is also a mess. My workplace is on Main Street and it can be really difficult to get out during rush hour, traffic is backed up all the time.

Sorry, not sure how I didn't see this 6 weeks ago. When I used to live over there, I found Col Talbot backed up usually well past Raleigh and sometimes almost to Pack in the 430-530pm timeframe. A lot of the issue was left turns onto Southdale backing up well south of where the left turn lane actually started, which made it more difficult for those of us that went north through the intersection. Added to that would be people coming out of the plaza wanting to go to the left turn lane as well, and they would nose out into the roadway and block the through lane as they fought their way into the turn lane. This was especially problematic at the driveway beside Dolcetto. Less frequent but still annoying were the people who wouldn't go over on to the shoulder to get around the left turn traffic that was still in the through lane. They would prefer to stay stationary waiting for the left turn traffic to move ahead lest they get a speck of dirt on their right wheel lol.

[CanadianTalk]

Southdale and Colonel Talbot will be reopening tomorrow as a roundabout!

Construction is expected to finish in mid-November. Colonel Talbot will remain closed north of Southdale until then.

https://london.ca/newsroom/public-se...t-road-reopens

[CanadianTalk]

The city has shared that Southdale and Colonel Talbot will fully reopen as a two-lane roundabout on Monday, November 20, more than three weeks ahead of schedule.

https://london.ca/newsroom/public-se...colonel-talbot

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

Southdale and Colonel Talbot will be reopening tomorrow as a roundabout!

Construction is expected to finish in mid-November. Colonel Talbot will remain closed north of Southdale until then.

https://london.ca/newsroom/public-se...t-road-reopens

I grew up near here. I didn't even recognize the location without the caption.

In my mind that is still a rural intersection with strawberry fields on the left and a dog kennel up the road to the right on the way to Wally World.

[jammer139]

LFP article on opening of roundabout



https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/...s-fourth-opens