London Roads

[haljackey]

York and Ridout yesterday



Sorry photo isn't level, quick walk by pic

[Djeffery]

The York and Ridout closure, which was supposed to be open last Monday, has been extended to mid September.

Also, Colonel Talbot south of Byron Baseline was supposed to be open then end of this coming week and that closure has also extended to Sept 21 now.

[UpstairsCranberry]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Ridout bridge replacement: politicians say no thanks to $2.3 million cost savings

http://lfpress.com/news/local-news/politicians-say-no-thanks-to-2-3-million-cost-savings

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As long as they don't skimp on the actual infrastructure itself, I think I'm ok with this. It would be 'nice' to have a cool design, but it's not really needed from a functional standpoint.

Victoria Bridge

The current girder bridge with the pier in the middle always collects debris during flooding and the more affordable options seem to increase the number of the piers from 1 to 2. There are two arch schemes. One is closer to the other schemes and seems to be the preferred alternative.
From the AECOM Environmental Study Report:
Concrete Girder - Requiring two piers = 9.6 million.
Steel Box Girder - Requiring two piers = 10.4 million
Concrete Box Girder - Requiring two pier = 10.6 million
Tied Arch - All loading is placed on the abutments = 13.2 million
Through Arch - The two arch foundations would be placed at the river bank = 11.3 million
From the Environmental Impact Study, it's scary how many trees will be removed to the west of the bridge. Almost all of them up to the tennis courts. Doesn't matter what option they pick. Yikes.

[Djeffery]

York now open from Ridout and to the west. Ridout now open through the York intersection. Still can't go east on York from Ridout. Hopefully another week and York will be completely open.

Egerton now open between Dundas and Florence, although there is a gap in pavement at Florence, with some mean potholes. Also, a road closed sign is still on Egerton preventing people from making a right to go north on Egerton from Florence. Egerton remains closed south of the intersection between Florence and Frances (you can cut through the parking lot around the arena if need be, not that I would ever do that lol).

[UpstairsCranberry]

Originally Posted by Djeffery

York now open from Ridout and to the west. Ridout now open through the York intersection. Still can't go east on York from Ridout. Hopefully another week and York will be completely open.

No, unfortunately, phase 1 will not be ending next week. They are just starting Stage 3, which will also include less intrusive construction on Talbot south of York, and even the intersection of Bathurst and Talbot.

Then next year will be Phase 2, going from Talbot to Clarence, and will include Talbot between King and York.

This was pretty neat:
Core Construction | York Street Brick Sewer Removal

[tyeman200]

Originally Posted by UpstairsCranberry

This was pretty neat:
Core Construction | York Street Brick Sewer Removal

That is pretty neat! Never realized they had sewers that old still in use.

[Djeffery]

Colonel Talbot snake hill finally opened today after being pushed back from it's previously pushed back date.

[jammer139]

Distracted driving penalties going up finally.

https://driving.ca/buick/auto-news/news/...-ramping-up-distracted-driving-penalties

Hopefully drivers get the message and put the cell phones down.

[MrSlippery519]

I am glad to see them doing this, do you know if it has been mandated yet that all new vehicles have android auto/apply car play available?

[Djeffery]

Hamilton Road between Egerton and Rectory is back open, and as well they have extended the left turn lane from eastbound to northbound Egerton so that more than 3 cars can be queued up without blocking a through lane.

Also, the last little piece of Egerton just south of Florence has been paved and is open again.

Now if we could just get York st open downtown, my mornings would be much nicer lol

[Djeffery]

Talked to a friend yesterday who lives on Wilton Grove Rd. I mentioned the pain in the ass construction west of Highbury. He said that was only the start. I thought the sewer work would be done by Christmas, but apparently they are continuing on to the east of Highbury, where they hope to be finished at Commerce Rd by April or May and will have a traffic light installed at this corner. This is where the entrance to the new Maple Leaf Foods plant will be, which is also where that water retention pond was built last year. They also intend to entirely rebuild Wilton Grove all the way over to Highway 74 in 3 phases over the next few years as well. I hope they have the foresight to widen the road as well, but he says as far as he has seen, it might be made 3 lanes to Cheese Factory Rd (centre left turn lane for both directions apparently), but not 2 lanes each way.

[Djeffery]

York St is now open all across downtown. Finally lol.

I think that just leaves Wilton Grove Rd being closed west of Highbury (which is way behind schedule it looks like) as the last road closure in the city for the season.

[jammer139]

You can count on the fact they have ZERO foresight to widen the road when they rebuild it. That would be too smart and efficient use of tax dollars.

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Talked to a friend yesterday who lives on Wilton Grove Rd. I mentioned the pain in the ass construction west of Highbury. He said that was only the start. I thought the sewer work would be done by Christmas, but apparently they are continuing on to the east of Highbury, where they hope to be finished at Commerce Rd by April or May and will have a traffic light installed at this corner. This is where the entrance to the new Maple Leaf Foods plant will be, which is also where that water retention pond was built last year. They also intend to entirely rebuild Wilton Grove all the way over to Highway 74 in 3 phases over the next few years as well. I hope they have the foresight to widen the road as well, but he says as far as he has seen, it might be made 3 lanes to Cheese Factory Rd (centre left turn lane for both directions apparently), but not 2 lanes each way.

[Pimpmasterdac]

CTV London did first part story looking at the London freeway debate, and the parallels with the current BRT debate. Similar to today senior levels of government are coming to the table with money and London is foolishly passing it up. Sad looking at how London keeps making the same transit mistakes...

CTV London Freeway/BRT Part 1

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

CTV London did first part story looking at the London freeway debate, and the parallels with the current BRT debate. Similar to today senior levels of government are coming to the table with money and London is foolishly passing it up. Sad looking at how London keeps making the same transit mistakes...

CTV London Freeway/BRT Part 1

In some ways London and Toronto are similar; both experienced heavy levels of opposition to expressways, and both are extremely indecisive around transit expansion. The difference is that Torontonians don’t oppose public transit, they just can’t agree on what should get built where.

[Djeffery]

York St construction resumes next Monday, with closure from Talbot to Richmond through to mid summer, and then Richmond to Clarence into late fall.

[Djeffery]

Also, starting this Friday evening and lasting until the end of April, the Clarke Rd Thames River bridge north of Huron will be closed.

[jammer139]

Are they rehabbing the current 2 lane bridge or removing it to rebuild a new 4 lane plus bridge for the future VMP extension?

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Also, starting this Friday evening and lasting until the end of April, the Clarke Rd Thames River bridge north of Huron will be closed.

[K85]

probably a rehab as it's only taking a month

Originally Posted by jammer139

Are they rehabbing the current 2 lane bridge or removing it to rebuild a new 4 lane plus bridge for the future VMP extension?

[Djeffery]

Yeah, it's just described as bridge restoration on the city site. And I suspect that in 2 or 3 years or whenever they actually decide to widen Clarke, they will just build another 2 lane span beside this one rather than completely closing this section for the better part of a year to demolish and rebuild.