Oxford Street Improvements

[CanadianTalk]

The EA table from the city's website says that an EA is about to launch for the widening of Oxford Street West between Sanatorium Road and Westdel Bourne.

Will post more material here as it becomes available, but the main reason I made this thread now is because a couple of days ago, the city posted the complete EA package for the Oxford Street and Gideon Drive intersection improvements, which recommends a roundabout. It's in the public review period until July 23rd: https://getinvolved.london.ca/oxfordgideon

It's also worth noting that Middlesex County recently completed their own EA that recommends the widening of CR14 Glendon Drive (which connects to Oxford Street West at city limits). Though I can't remember exactly if their widening will go all the way to city limits.

On the topic of Glendon, a roundabout will also be constructed in Kilworth at Glendon and Vanneck next year. Here are the PIC slides for that from May.

[MrSlippery519]

I really hope the plan is to do Sanatorium Road to the new Gideon Drive roundabout in 1 shot, if they widen up to Westdel Bourne only its going to be a confusing mess at that intersection which is already a mess

[CanadianTalk]

The plan is to actually have two westbound lanes approaching the roundabout.

I'm not sure what the project limits of the Oxford widening (Sanatorium to Westdel) would be, but it would definitely be strange, if heading west, to have the right lane end immediately after Westdel, and then start back up again just down the road approaching Gideon. Hopefully there would be some coordination between the two projects.

I forgot to mention that construction on the roundabout is planned for 2024.

Here is a diagram of the proposed roundabout. I'm glad to see multi-use paths (that's what I assume those white lines are) on both sides of Oxford.

[tyeman200]

It's funny, I always thought the city ended right at Sanatorium Road, boy was I wrong.

But this will be great for traffic flow there. Also hope they do the East part after, it is getting a bit bumpy now and degraded.

[CanadianTalk]

Staff report on the recommendation of a consultant for the Oxford St W improvements EA study: https://pub-london.escribemeetings.c...cumentId=94513

Once council approves this, the EA study will officially begin.

[CanadianTalk]

As council is now in "lame-duck" status (a certain % of councillors are not running in the 2022 election), they are unable to pass 'big-ticket' projects. So this EA study launch for the Oxford widening will be deferred to the new council in November, where they can then vote on this, and start the EA process.

[CanadianTalk]

Project page for Oxford St W environmental assessment: https://getinvolved.london.ca/oxfordwest

This study will consider options to:

• widen Oxford Street West from two to four lanes from Westdel Bourne to Sanatorium Road
• improve intersection operations including consideration of roundabouts
• improve pedestrian and cycling facilities through the corridor
• potentially widen the Thames River Bridge

The first Public Information Centre is being planned to take place late in the winter of 2023.

The current planned timing of construction is as follows:

• Westdel Bourne to Commissioners Road in 2025
• Commissioners Road to Sanatorium Road in 2031

[Pimpmasterdac]

Good to see that the city is finally getting around to improving Oxford West. The ordering of the phases is a bit odd though, you would think that they would widen Oxford from Sanatorium to Commissioners first rather than later to have an continuous 4 Lane stretch of Oxford, instead of 2 truncated sections. I assume this has to do with the Thames bridge, as it can already hold four lanes of traffic but they want to widen it to continue to accommodate bike Lanes as well.

As well it's good to see that roundabouts are being considered for the intersections. London needs a lot more of them they're great anytime I've used them traffic flows much smoother.

[CanadianTalk]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

As well it's good to see that roundabouts are being considered for the intersections. London needs a lot more of them they're great anytime I've used them traffic flows much smoother.

I agree and I'm also glad to see the city start to consider more roundabouts in other locations as well. I find that the two along Sunningdale (at Wonderland and Hyde Park) work very well. Certainly the ones in Waterloo region work well too IMO and they have way more roundabouts than London.

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

The ordering of the phases is a bit odd though, you would think that they would widen Oxford from Sanatorium to Commissioners first rather than later to have an continuous 4 Lane stretch of Oxford, instead of 2 truncated sections.

Possibly because the Westdel to Commissioners stretch has seen lots of development in recent years (West5, Riverbend, etc) compared to the Sanatorium to Commissioners part. That's just a guess on my part, so idk lol.

Also, the roundabout at Oxford and Gideon is scheduled to be constructed in 2024, so maybe the city wanted those sync'ed up as best as possible.

[MolsonExport]

Roundabouts are nightmares for pedestrians. No surprise, since in some locations, there is no signage indicating whether cars should yield (they usually don't) to pedestrians, while in a smaller number of locations there are signs that direct pedestrians to yield to cars, or vice versa.

I was hit once lightly crossing at a roundabout, and my daughter and I were nearly wiped out crossing a roundabout while walking to school. In a 40km school zone.

cars, cars, cars, trucks, trucks, trucks. Mind-numbing banal suburban sprawl with big box barf that could be anywhere.

[CanadianTalk]

I'm sorry to hear that you were hit at one. I think that since it occured in a 40km/hr school zone is even more awful. I hope you were ok.

Thankfully, it seems that the city is now following new standards when constructing these crossovers at roundabouts, especially at the arterials. I remember a couple weeks ago during the public session for the proposed roundabout at Southdale / Col Talbot, there will be overhead "Stop for Pedestrian" signs with flashing lights as shown in this picture, which would ideally reduce any confusion. Whether drivers comply is another thing..... and if compliance is an issue, hopefully there would be a blitz.



From what I have learned from these various public sessions the city has put out over the years that according to statistics, roundabouts are actually more safe than standard signalized intersections.

You sometimes hear about those awful collisions where there are serious pedestrian injuries or even deaths, and they usually happen at signalized intersections since cars can travel at fast speeds, often in excess of the speed limit. At roundabouts however, cars are forced to slow down due to the curvature, so if a collision *were* to occur, the results would likely be less severe.

[jammer139]

Statistically roundabouts are safer for both pedestrians and vehicles. Still there is no cure for stupid as we have all seen. The bigger issue is going from 2 lanes to 4 lanes back to 2 lanes then 4 lanes again along Oxford for 6 years. The mental midgets at city hall have outdone themselves once again.

[ssiguy]

I think widening Oxford from Sanatorium to Westdell Bourne is a great project IF they decide to be forward thinking and include a separated BRT lanes in the process.

Seeing BRT will eventually have to go down Oxford and it is a very fast growing part of the city. it would be an ideal time to do it. Even Nimby's wouldn't bitch because if there is going to be construction anyway, they won't care. Also, such a reasonable proposal probably would cost the city next to nothing to. The city will be looking for Ottawa & QP to chip in via its regular infrastructure fund but would be eligible for additional funding under the transit expansion program.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Roundabouts are nightmares for pedestrians. No surprise, since in some locations, there is no signage indicating whether cars should yield (they usually don't) to pedestrians, while in a smaller number of locations there are signs that direct pedestrians to yield to cars, or vice versa.

I was hit once lightly crossing at a roundabout, and my daughter and I were nearly wiped out crossing a roundabout while walking to school. In a 40km school zone.

cars, cars, cars, trucks, trucks, trucks. Mind-numbing banal suburban sprawl with big box barf that could be anywhere.

We have a few roundabouts in the Vancouver area. Here, the pedestrian crossings are very well marked with signs, and one I've seen near UBC also has flashing lights. It's very obvious that pedestrians get the right of way in those circumstances.

[MrSlippery519]

I would imagine Oxford/Commissioners intersection is going to be converted to a roundabout. Seems like it would be a great location since that intersection is not ideal anymore like it was 10+ years ago especially for pedestrians walking into Byron from there

[CanadianTalk]

Here is the material that will be presented at the first official public session for the Oxford W improvements project. I found it on an upcoming agenda for city hall's transportation committee.

https://pub-london.escribemeetings.c...cumentId=97851

Note that it is not really technical (ie: exact configuration of the road or what kinds of intersection improvements there will be), just some key points that will set the direction when they start to do the design

Here is a summary:

• First, it's recommended that Oxford does, in fact, need to be widened to four lanes
• The widening of the Thames River bridge does not need to happen. There is enough room to fit 4 lanes and active transportation facilities (sidewalks, bike path or multi-use path). Kudos to the City of London for finally planning ahead a couple decades ago when they built the bridge
• The 2nd public session will reveal which of the three cross-sections discussed below will be used, as well as the recommended intersection improvements (roundabout, traffic signal).
• The three cross-sections below differ in the active transportation elements (ie: sidewalks, bike path, and/or multi-use paths)

[CanadianTalk]

The first Public Information Centre (to present the above info) is being held on Wed April 5 at 6pm on Zoom.

https://getinvolved.london.ca/oxfordwest

[CanadianTalk]

Here is the video from last night's public meeting

I attended the virtual meeting and during the Q&A portion, someone asked where roundabouts will be considered along Oxford. One of the presenters said that although the intersection types won't be finalized until the next public meeting in the summer, at this time however, they are strongly considering roundabouts along Oxford at Westdel Bourne and Commissioners/Kains.


• Video Link

[haljackey]

CBC article:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...neck-1.6807098

"Councillor says areas outside the city that use the bridge may need to contribute"

Annex them?

[jammer139]

Article on the Oxford Street West bridge lane expansion project. The drumbeats have started in the background about servicing the transportation infrastructure needs due to those who live outside the city and them not paying city property taxes. This conversation will get louder in the future with all the bedroom towns surrounding the city and their rapid growth. Already we see this in Arva with sewage treatment costs and the Kilworth, Komoka, Mt Bridges corridor is just starting. Middlesex County and the City need to start talking seriously about these issues.



https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/londo...neck-1.6807098