[Pimpmasterdac]

Route A was the preferred route by the province since it was the shortest distance of them all, thus cost the least as well Highbury extension was already built. However it pissed off the most amount of people since it would have required homes to be razed along Second St. and nearby areas. Personally the province should have ordered this to be the 402 Route, would have served areas IN London, and made Highbury extension useful.

Route B was acceptable to both the province & London, despite the fact it would have been in the extreme east of the city. City of London even voted for this to be the 402 Route, but construction wasn't started and the process stalled. Essentially what Wharn said is correct, north-end residence weren't happy since a highway would be running close by, as well high tension hydro lines would have run along the highway. Influential families like the Labatts lobbied for the route to be moved more north. Route A would have been better since Second St had/has hydro lines running along the corridor.

Route C was accepted by the city to placate these north-end residents. However the province was pissed since London was still leaving it open for debate, as well the route was getting much longer than anticipated by the province. The province told them either to pick Route A or B, otherwise it would be done to the Southwest of the city. A new council was elected the people on transportation committee were anti-402, thus they rejected any Route accept C or D, so the province told them off and that's why the 402 is where it is. Personally a route C north-end that connected to route A east-end would have been the best to chill the Labatts and be useful to commuters, but never was thought.

We got Airport Road/VMP as a consolation which was suppose to be paid by the province, but still 40 years later is just an overrated arterial road that doesn't serve the needs of most Londoners. At least Fontana seems to be moving in getting it to a freeway, but it was a huge area London missed out on. If they had done any of these proposed 402 Routes in city all we would have needed is a west-end expressway and the ring road would be complete!!!