VMP - Should be a full Freeway ASAP
HI all - new post form someone who has long wanted to see London grow and reach its potential. I (and apparently a few others) feel this is so important to the city's future that it deserves its own thread.
I am aghast at the notion we should wait decades for the first interchanges and until the 2070's until this is done. Some bureaucrat assessing that we don't need it until London's population is around 675,000? I give you Lubbock, Texas, a college town with great medical facilities - just over 200,000 (with no appreciable metro area beyond): Map of Lubbock with Freeways I-27 runs N-S, a full freeway ring road (with service road on both sides all the way around - and dedicated U-Turn lands at every exit), and now the new Marsha Sharpe freeway, running SW-NE past the University, football and basketball stadiums and the W-E through the N part of downtown (that section should be completed this year). We blew it in the 70's when the province was going to pay, but London needs to catch up! As soon as possible! And start setting aside land for a northern E-W route, and a western N-S route that should follow. The age of the car and truck is FAR from over (sorry Joni). |
I think part of the problem was also that the 401 was built too far south. Back when it was built in the London area (1957) it was entirely in Westminster Township, significantly south of the city limits which at the time were near Base Line Road.
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Good idea for a thread.
London has all but lost it's ability to build freeways. Our last shot is the VMP. Regarding a full ring road, city politicians said in a meeting earlier this week that the last chance to plan the route was back in the 1980's. If we're very lucky, we might get another north-south corridor in the west, but it will be built first as a 2-lane expressway just like when Airport Road/Highway 100 was first built. Regarding the 401, the original 400-series highways were designed to completely bypass urban centers. Back then they didn't expect massive suburban sprawl that's why the 401 is now an urban freeway in Toronto. In London it still manages to carry out it's original design purpose to a good extent, and the 402 does this even better. |
It's not surprising seeing a city in Texas with a good infrastructure that has relatively similar population to London.
As much I and others would like London to have a Ring Road or more comprehensive freeway system, nothing will happen without senior level government help. In the US, the federal government is very generous and gives massive transfers for highway funding, $10s of billions a year. In Canada the feds have moreless done nothing, except for spur of the moment make work programs, like the Conservatives recent stimulus spending, or The Trans-Canada Highway. In Ontario, it seems most freeway funding is for the benefit of the GTA area. All proposed project have to do with making it easier for commuters to get around, whether its 404 extension, Mid-Peninsula Corridor, Bradford Bypass, its all GTA specific. Even when the province seems to give more transit funding you get everyone screaming for Public transit, which isn't as useful as for attracting business as better private transit would. Fontana seems committed to making the VMP a freeway though. Being a former federal Minister and my perception as a more active mayor than AMDB hopefully it puts some pressure on our provincial ministers. We have 2 cabinet members in London, and with an election this year hopefully could turn up the rhetoric on the need for a freeway VMP for London sooner than 2073! Otherwise whats the point of supporting these ministers if they will allow London to sink further into mediocrity. |
I am neither for nor against converting the VMP to a freeway.
But could someone please clarify specifically what the benefits are of a VMP freeway vs. VMP in its current state? Also...if senior levels of government were to offer funding for transportation infrastructure, why would it be preferable to spend the money on road expansion vs. public transit? |
RE: Lubbock
Keep in mind the Interstate system itself was also a post-war "make work" project (not a defense project as we've been led to believe). The US is no better than we are when it comes to building highways: sure they have lots of freeways, but look at the level of sprawl that has brought. Not to mention their road infrastructure in many places is crumbling compared to ours. |
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Right now, the southern portion of London's ring road is already completed. The eastern portion only needs to be turned into a limited-access expressway, and it too will be finished. The Westdel Bourne is straight, flat and free of development, making it the perfect candidate for a western corridor. The tricky part is the North; by the time we get a coherent plan going, the area between Medway and Sunningdale Roads will already be mostly built up (I'm assuming the city is able to annex and expand). Any expressway corridor would have to go between Eight Mile Road and Medway. To avoid future connection problems the city should buy up the needed land between Clark, Kilally and Sunningdale and reserve it as an expressway corridor. Not so hard. All it takes are some planners, politicians and bureaucrats with basic planning and coordination skills. |
QUOTE=Wharn;5169808]Bull-bloody-shit......Not so hard. All it takes are some planners, politicians and bureaucrats with basic planning and coordination skills.[/QUOTE]
If you knew 1/10th of what you speak, you'd be dangerous. |
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For the record, Haljackey, I was attacking the claims of the municipal politicians; not your assessment of their claims. I apologize for any perceived animosity. Quote:
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I wouldn't blame London's slow(ish) growth on lack of freeways, it probably has a lot more to do with Southwestern Ontario's long term economic decline.
What real purpose would a freeway serve way, way over on the east side of town anyway? You already have the Highbury spur. But VMP is really the long way around for most London residents. It would probably be just as fast (er, slow) to wait at all the traffic signals on Wonderland, Wharnecliffe or Wellington if you're heading North/South. |
Rather see investment on the west-side. It takes 20 - 25 minutes to get from Hyde Park/Oakridge down to the 401.
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By the way, while we're on the topic, behold another glorious use of federal money: http://www.cbc.ca/politics/story/201...lass-parl.html Sure, you could spend the money on something useful. Like putting in an interchange at Trafalgar and another at Dundas, arguably two of the worst intersections on the VMP, by October 2012. But no, the feds are blowing it on a hideous glass dome that isn't even going to be permanent. Why? |
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Ever been to Lubbock? LAND is not an issue!! Ergo, sprawl is not an issue. BTW I personally prefer reasonable sprawl to aggressive in-fill. As kid we used to be able to easily walk/bike to spacious in-city woods and green space. All that is now in-fill. |
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Squeaky wheel = grease! I do not understand Snark's comment either. PS - AFAIK, there is no Fed money in the proposed Quebex City Arena - yet. |
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I asked Fontana about the 2073 expected finish date on his virtual town hall.
Basically he thought that it was a ridiculously long away and that the upgrade would need to be done much sooner. Essentially the report brought to council committee was a to show that plans were in place to bring VMP to freeway standards; that the city can implement plans to make it a freeway much sooner. Now if only they can find the $250 million to bring that about we're set :D |
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But really, expecting the city to foot the entire bill when upper levels of government fund projects like the Windsor-Essex parkway is a little unfair. |
And again I ask: why is upgrading the VMP so critical? Is it more critical than, say, LRT or improved public transit?
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^my thoughts as well. So that the trucks get to the 401 5-10 minutes faster? Is that make-or-break? It is in the West and North of the city that the infrastructure is most woeful.
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