London Roads

[MolsonExport]

LFP links are almost unreadable with the goddamn ad ons that constantly lead to page refreshing of everything except the damn article which often doesn't appear at all or disappears.

[MolsonExport]

priority: 4 lanes on Sarnia between Western Road and Wonderland. Repeat until done.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Priority over widening the west side of Wonderland/Sarnia no question about it. Unfortunately homeowners are complained and clucked about it. Won't see that widening until the early 2020s no, previous scheduled this decade...

But it makes sense holding off widening Sarnia west of Wonderland. Why have the lanes go from 2 to 4 to 3 to 4, get it all nice a uniform not constant increase/decreases.

[haljackey]

I think the project was originally supposed to be done in 2012, then pushed back to 2014, and now its off the 10-year project list (2010-2020). So a minimum of 7 years before any major work is done on that section of Sarnia.

At one point I saw a double-lane roundabout proposed for the Rippleton/Leyton intersection in the proposed plans. I think that's what scared the residents .

Other pluses I saw was a bus/BRT-only left turn lane from Sarnia WB to Wonderland SB that could also be turned into a double-left turn lane, a dedicated bike path and better embankments/sound walls on the south side of Sarnia.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

Priority over widening the west side of Wonderland/Sarnia no question about it. Unfortunately homeowners are complained and clucked about it. Won't see that widening until the early 2020s no, previous scheduled this decade...

But it makes sense holding off widening Sarnia west of Wonderland. Why have the lanes go from 2 to 4 to 3 to 4, get it all nice a uniform not constant increase/decreases.

It boggles my mind why they want to expand Sarnia West of Wonderland ONE YEAR after having torn up the entire street (and closed for much of the way) from just west of wonderland to just past the bridge. Waste, waste, waste. of money. of time. of resources.

Not to mention, the real traffic problem is on the stretch of Sarnia to the east of Wonderland...on that goddamned single Westbound lane between 4-6 with an endless line of cars backed up to the goddamned parking lots at UWO.

[haljackey]

Not to mention the lack of bus bays. When a bus stops on that 1 lane WB part of Sarnia you're screwed.

Either way, while I think widening to 4 lanes from the new bridge to Wonderland isn't the highest priority for the road, it will certainly pressure the city to work on the section to the east sooner than later.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

It boggles my mind why they want to expand Sarnia West of Wonderland ONE YEAR after having torn up the entire street (and closed for much of the way) from just west of wonderland to just past the bridge. Waste, waste, waste. of money. of time. of resources.

Not to mention, the real traffic problem is on the stretch of Sarnia to the east of Wonderland...on that goddamned single Westbound lane between 4-6 with an endless line of cars backed up to the goddamned parking lots at UWO.

Well luckily it's been delayed a year, but still ass backwards priorities on Sarnia. My girlfriend use to live on Castlegrove, I absolutely refused to ever be in that area rush hour time. Even when I did felt like biggest trollface making a left on the one left westbound to Rippleton Rd. traffic being held up for a good minute or so.

UWOs traffic problems could be fixed if they linked up Brescia Lane instead of discontinuous thing it is now. The Springett parking lot wouldn't have to go on Western Road, and it links better with campus than the narrow Phillip Aziz Dr. but I guess the nunnery won't allow that...
--
On the good note at least Southdale should be widened Wharncliffe/Southdale, with bus bays & bike lanes! Absolutely nuts that it took so long for this to happen, rush hour there is total gridlock, but better late than never.

[haljackey]

New blurb from the LFP surrounding the 401 interchanges:

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/02/04/committee-briefs


Hwy. 401 upgrades a go

The civic works committee discussed the final touches being put on a pact with the province in which $115 million will be spent to build or upgrade four Hwy. 401 interchanges in London by 2016. City hall is putting in about $26 million — a great deal, Coun. Paul Van Meerbergen said — while Queen’s Park covers the rest. “To leverage such a major project with relatively few municipal dollars is really a benefit to our area,” said Van Meerbergen, the committee chair. The Wonderland Rd. interchange should be built next year; upgrades at 401/Highbury Ave. likely by 2015; big changes at Veterans Memorial Parkway are also slated for completion in 2015 while a brand-new interchange at Col. Talbot Rd. is tentatively set to be built by 2016. This is all part of a provincial commitment to spend $2 billion repairing and expanding Southern Ontario’s highways and bridges. “It’s a major capital investment from the province,” said Edward Soldo, London’s director of roads and transportation.


Found this on twitter lol

In addition to this, the Commissioners Road widening west of Viscount might be pushed back to 2020 due to budget cutbacks. (Currently scheduled for 2015, which was pushed back from 2010 and 2012.)

[MrSlippery519]

Good news all around, 401/Wonderland and 401/Col Talbot are both in desperate need.

Aside from that I would really like to see Southdale 2 lanes from Wharncliffe to Wonderland sooner than later. Especially since it does not seem like Bradley will get extended anytime before 2050 at this rate haha.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Southdale is getting widened this year, barring any extreme budget cuts. Much over due and needed.

That really is a piss off if Commissioners widening is getting deferred yet again. That widening has been on the books since the 1970s, was suppose to be done 2012, delayed 2015 and perhaps 2020s now!? IMO rather have Commissioners widened, it has almost no buses, fewer lights can zoom across the city quite easy on it. Southdale while needed has a ton of lights, slow buses, people coming in and out of businesses along its strip.

Good about the interchanges, great investment for the city. It's confirmed Wonderland/401 would be a underpass which is quite neat. The best thing is it holds of VMP/401 till last, so hopefully its made free flowing or "delayed" instead of whatever Parclo variant the city wants it to be!

[MrSlippery519]

That stretch of Southdale is long overdue, at the same time Commissioners is the same and equally needed. I do not understand how they can push that back.

Also agree on the VMP, the current concept is a waste of time and money. Do it right or leave it as is.

[MolsonExport]

$115 million. Only. What a steal. Great news for sure, but shit that is a chunk of change for something that merely speeds up the flow of automobiles and trucks. And all of it out in the periphery. Sometimes I think we spend more money on machines than we do on citizens.

Somebody please explain the pressing need for more bucks spent on veterans memorial. does 5 minutes saved by trucks really worth the costs? No insulting replies; I am relatively well educated; I just want to hear the rationale.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Hopefully Commissioners isn't delayed any further. At least Southdale is getting done, better than sweet piss all the city has done for roads in the area expect idiotic "traffic calming measures". And still no timetable for Bradley being extended westward, if that ever happens...

The $115 million is the provinces portion for the 401 interchanges, the city's portion is $26 million so relatively speaking it is a steal. If only London could get some type of funding arrangement like that for the planned in-city VMP interchanges we'd be in business!

The VMP/401 interchange makes no sense and is a total contradiction in terms. From what I've seen its planned to be non-free flowing Parclo-A3 since they deem the Southeast quadrant to be environmentally significant and won't build there. Yet this the area that Fontana n Co. have be touting as a untapped area to be developed, where new industry will magically spring up. Yet there still is tons of undeveloped area North of the 401 via VMP...

[MolsonExport]

^exactly. especially with much vacant existing mfr/warehousing facilities. "Build it and they will come" is dubious at best and likely very wasteful. Perhaps Fontana et al drool over the prospect of discrete brown envelopes to grease things along.

[Simpseatles]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

The VMP/401 interchange makes no sense and is a total contradiction in terms. From what I've seen its planned to be non-free flowing Parclo-A3 since they deem the Southeast quadrant to be environmentally significant and won't build there. Yet this the area that Fontana n Co. have be touting as a untapped area to be developed, where new industry will magically spring up. Yet there still is tons of undeveloped area North of the 401 via VMP...

I agree with you completely. The VMP/401 interchange is pointless. There is so much opportunity for industrial development on the north side of the 401.



Please excuse the crudeness of the map, but I think it's enough to get the point across. Red areas are industrial lands within the Urban Growth Boundry already developed, or being developed. Green areas are lands within the current U.G.B. that are undeveloped. The yellow area is land that could easily be added to the U.G.B. with 401 frontage. It frustrates me that the city wants to extend VMP to Wilton Grove Road so badly, when there is clearly Prime Industrial Land that is still unused north of the 401. And even if they want industry south of the 401 so badly, they could always extend Jackson road south without an expensive interchange.

[MrSlippery519]

Absolutely, that stretch between VMP and Highbury is empty and is prime land in my opinion. Fronts to the 401 and easy access from Bradley/401/Highbury/etc.

[manny_santos]

I don't get the point of these changes to the VMP interchange either. Coming from the east, trucks can easily get to the area south of the 401 by way of Highway 74 and Wilton Grove Road.

[MolsonExport]

More Fontana Snake Oil Salesmanship.

[GreatTallNorth2]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I don't get the point of these changes to the VMP interchange either. Coming from the east, trucks can easily get to the area south of the 401 by way of Highway 74 and Wilton Grove Road.

London's attitude towards transportation is so yesterday. A total waste of money investing in infrastructure outside the city. That entire amount should be invested in building an amazing transit system. Building more lanes of road will cause people to drive more and create more sprawl. London is the poster child for sprawl and this will cement this. It's too bad that Londoners don't really have a clue nor do they give a damn. Is it any wonder London is falling behind in pretty much everything?

[Pimpmasterdac]

Originally Posted by Simpseatles

I agree with you completely. The VMP/401 interchange is pointless. There is so much opportunity for industrial development on the north side of the 401.



Please excuse the crudeness of the map, but I think it's enough to get the point across. Red areas are industrial lands within the Urban Growth Boundry already developed, or being developed. Green areas are lands within the current U.G.B. that are undeveloped. The yellow area is land that could easily be added to the U.G.B. with 401 frontage. It frustrates me that the city wants to extend VMP to Wilton Grove Road so badly, when there is clearly Prime Industrial Land that is still unused north of the 401. And even if they want industry south of the 401 so badly, they could always extend Jackson road south without an expensive interchange.

Wholeheartedly agree Simpseatles. Good visualization with the map, the area from 401/Highbury/Bradley/Old Victoria is roughly 4km^2 and is just sitting there idly waiting to be developed within current access of the highways. I know there's a heritage property close to Highbury/Bradley that's currently deemed heritage but is gonna be demolished soon. Aside from that It's already in prime area that is waiting to be developed, is accessible, service/more serviceable and can be done so by changing growth designations. As well the 401/Wonderland interchange will open up that area to potential development.

The whole extension plan for VMP south of the 401 makes no sense, yet somehow this under/un-serviced area south of the 401 by VMP is the IT place, that urgently needs opening up. It's already accessable via Highway 74 from the east and if it really a big deal a partial ramp could be made @ Old Victoria for westbound only. The only silver lining is that 401/VMP interchange is the last one scheduled to be completed ~2016. A new provincial government or new municipal leadership could cut/alter that plan.

Rather London should focus more on VMP interchanges currently in the city. There are areas along VMP, further in the city that could be developed and would be more attractive if they were next to a proper freeway that is connected to the 401. As well it would allow residents to get quickly to the north or south ends.