London Roads

[ilp]

What is everyone's thoughts about a redesign of Wellington Street/Road from the 401 gateway (Exeter) to the downtown (SoHo)?

I'm working on my undergraduate project and would like some input.

[harryc]

When we visited London a few years ago I drove, for a day London traffic isn't (wasn't) all that bad - except - the friggin traffic circle, with circles around it, outside of Heathrow.

[MolsonExport]

yep we here hate that there Heathrow.

[ldoto]

Mon, June 1, 2009


Detours and delays caused by road projects in London:

ROAD CLOSINGS

Bradley Avenue from Jackson Road to city limits

King Street from Adelaide Street to Hewitt Street

King Street from Hewitt Street to Rectory Street

Mamelon Street from Hamilton Road to Nelson Street

Mornington Avenue from Quebec Street to Oxford Street

Ridout Street South from Windsor Avenue to Belhaven Road

EXPECT DELAYS

Albany Street from Ashland Avenue to McCormick Boulevard

Ashland Avenue from Dundas Street to north of Albany Street

Bradley Avenue from Pond Mills Road to Arran Place

Bridlington Road from Adswood Place to Bexhill Drive

Carlton Avenue from William Street to west end end

Clarke Road from Avalon Street to Oxford Street east

Deveron Crescent from Oregon Road to Almond Road south

Dieppe Street from Gladstone Avenue to King Edward Avenue

Everglade Crescent from Cypress Avenue to Woodhaven Road

Finsbury Crescent from Friars Way to Friars Way

Gleeson Street from Ashland Avenue to east limit

Hansuld Street from First Street to Second Street

Highbury Avenue north from Calvin Street to CN Rail tracks

Highbury Avenue south from Scotland Drive to Westminster Drive

Jalna Boulevard northeast leg from Ernest Avenue to Bradley Avenue

Keyhill Place from Keyhill Road to end

Keyhill Road from Homestead Crescent to Homestead Crescent

King Edward Avenue from Veronica Avenue to Dieppe Street

Lysanda Avenue from Deveron Crescent to Worthington Avenue

Mahogany Road from Woodborough Street to Cypress Avenue

Malborough Avenue from Veronica Avenue to Thompson Road

McCormick Boulevard from Dundas Street to Princess Avenue

Osborne Street from Ashland Avenue to east limit

Oxford Street west from Lane Street to Richmond Street

Oxford Street west from Platt's Lane to Lane Street

Oxford Street west, Kilworth bridge over the Thames River

Pall Mall Street from Colborne Street to William Street

Princess Avenue from Elizabeth Street to English Street

Princess Avenue from McCormick Boulevard to east limit

Princess Avenue from Quebec Street to Burbrook Place

Southdale Road east from Pond Mills Road to Millbank Drive

Southdale Road east from Wharncliffe Road to Ernest Avenue

Sparton Street from Ashland Avenue to east limit

Veronica Street from west limit to King Edward Avenue

Wellington Road from Grand Avenue to Bond Street

Westlake Street from Chesterfield Street to King Edward Avenue

William Street from Oxford Street to St. James Street

[ldoto]

City Councillors will vote next week on a recommendation to allow overnight parking in London during summer months.

The concept, which has been around in one form or another for more than 10 years, was approved yesterday by members of the Environment and Transportation Committee.

It was tabled by Councillor Cheryl Miller and despite previous setbacks, she thinks this time -- the proposal may receive approval from full Council.

If the proposal is approved by full Council on Monday, overnight parking would be allowed city wide throughout the summer until Labour Day.

Owner of Aroma Restaurant on Richmond, Phillipe, says allowing customers to leave their cars overnight would be an enormous benefit for his business.

"One of the problems we find is that when people aren't able to leave their cars overnight, many times they'll make mistakes by driving their car home while impaired".

And owner of Fitz Ray's, Mark McGonigle, says it's unfair to ticket those who are making the safer choice.

"I understand if people are leaving the cars for more than a day. But if it's just for the night then I don't know why they'd be penalized just for trying to get home safe and not jeopardize the lives of others.

London Police Chief Murray Faulkner is willing to give it a try for a few months but is concerned about theft from vehicles.

The proposal goes before council later this month.

[Blitz]

^ I don't understand why London has this bylaw in the first place, I've never heard of another city that has it. What if people don't have driveways, where are they supposed to park?

[Millstone]

Originally Posted by Blitz

^ I don't understand why London has this bylaw in the first place, I've never heard of another city that has it. What if people don't have driveways, where are they supposed to park?

If people don't have driveways they would already know the precarious situation they face of finding a place for their vehicle at night. Or they would not own a vehicle. Driving is not a right.

Oh, and Hamilton has the same bylaw so streets can get cleaned at night.

Originally Posted by Stevo26

It bothers me knowing city council is content with doing absolutely nothing to address the increasing problem of congestion. Guess a performing arts centre, suing the engineers who botched Springbank Dam, and the Sifton Bog deer cull debate are more important.

Yes, a vibrant downtown *is* more important than serving the automobile.

[manny_santos]

For environmental reasons I support allowing the cars to be parked on the road. In my case we have two cars but we have a narrow driveway and two-car garage. Almost nightly we have to shuffle cars around (depending who has been out and when) which we wouldn't have to do if we could leave one on the road overnight. And of course by shuffling them around, both have to be started and run for a short period of time, which is a needless use of fossil fuels.

I was in Mexico City recently and cars legally line both sides of streets including at night, and locals I talked to were shocked about London not allowing it, at least in the summer.

And from a drinking and driving perspective, I support Cheryl Miller, but I'm thinking more of house parties. I'll never forget one I went to last summer where one of the guests who parked outside drove home impaired, and drove someone else home too. Thankfully nothing happened but I think it's possible this person would have stayed overnight if they could have left their car on the road.

[Blitz]

Originally Posted by manny santos

I was in Mexico City recently and cars legally line both sides of streets including at night, and locals I talked to were shocked about London not allowing it, at least in the summer.

I was shocked when I learned about it a few years ago too. There are thousands of homes in Windsor that don't have driveways and there's nowhere else to park but on the street. To accommodate street cleaning, residents are required to alternate what side of the road they park on every month based on the signs.

Originally Posted by Millstone

If people don't have driveways they would already know the precarious situation they face of finding a place for their vehicle at night. Or they would not own a vehicle. Driving is not a right.

People have a right to own a car. Leaving cars on the street at night causes no harm and the cleaning argument makes little sense considering how infrequently residential streets are cleaned.

[SlickFranky]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

For environmental reasons I support allowing the cars to be parked on the road. In my case we have two cars but we have a narrow driveway and two-car garage. Almost nightly we have to shuffle cars around (depending who has been out and when) which we wouldn't have to do if we could leave one on the road overnight. And of course by shuffling them around, both have to be started and run for a short period of time, which is a needless use of fossil fuels.

No offense, but that's a pretty ridiculous argument. If you have 2 cars, and a 2 car garage...what difference does it make how narrow your driveway is? Is one garage bay not connected to the driveway or something? Even if that was the case, it's hard to make an 'environmental' argument for free public parking for your excess private vehicles. The real 'environmental' solution is to lose a car.

That said, I absolutely support overnight street-side parking, as it is entirely harmless.

[MolsonExport]

It would have been better for Tim Best to keep his vehicle parked overnight, for example.

[go_leafs_go02]

I am a strong opposer to on-street parking at night.

Just head to hamilton in the winter and see how the roadways fare.

I'm fine with it in summer months, but for snow removal, and vehicles on the roadway are a huge hazard. London does it right. besides, it's only 2.5 hours per day..2 to 5:30 AM I believe.

I'd be fine with them permitting on-street overnight parking only from April to October, and on New Years Eve to accommodate people who had too much to drink at a party. I have friends from hamilton (and I'm a Londoner) who are so impressed and wowed that we have driveable streets in the winter.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by SlickFranky

No offense, but that's a pretty ridiculous argument. If you have 2 cars, and a 2 car garage...what difference does it make how narrow your driveway is? Is one garage bay not connected to the driveway or something? Even if that was the case, it's hard to make an 'environmental' argument for free public parking for your excess private vehicles. The real 'environmental' solution is to lose a car.

That said, I absolutely support overnight street-side parking, as it is entirely harmless.

Whoops, typo on my part - I meant to say we DON'T have a two-car garage.

Losing one car would not be practical in a city with such lousy public transit. I have always said if I moved to Toronto, I would not bring a car with me.

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by Blitz

People have a right to own a car. Leaving cars on the street at night causes no harm and the cleaning argument makes little sense considering how infrequently residential streets are cleaned.

Streets like mine - a non-collector - are cleaned once per year, usually in May.

[Snark]

Originally Posted by Blitz

People have a right to own a car. Leaving cars on the street at night causes no harm and the cleaning argument makes little sense considering how infrequently residential streets are cleaned.

Yes, people have a right to own a car, sofa, television, dog, hovercraft, or microscope. However, the City or any of your other neighbours do not have any obligation to allow you to store any of your stuff on their property. You own/lease/rent land? Then keep your stuff on your property (including the dog). Not enough space on your property? Don't buy so much stuff (including a dog, or a car).

A public highway is not a facility for private use. If anyone, including the City happens to grant it to you, it is a bonus - not a right.

[ldoto]

Nearly $100M in stimulus projects includes city-hall upgrade

Fri, June 5, 2009

The largest public-works spending boom in London's history will deliver relief to long-suffering drivers, open new lands to industry, sink millions into sewers and even fix up city hall.

Nearly $100 million in projects — 42 in all — were announced today, the result of government efforts to lift an economy burdened by the recession.

London taxpayers will be on the hook for about $30 million of the total cost, with Ottawa and Queen's Park paying the rest.

About 2,000 construction jobs are expected to be created.

The work includes $11.85 million for a railway overpass at Hale and Trafalgar streets, a rail crossing that's long been a source of frustration for London drivers.



Two of the largest projects, including the most costly one, will go to service new lands in city-owned industrial parks — one at the airport, the other near Highbury Avenue and the Highway 401.

Both industrial parks are key to a city plan to try to reposition London as an international cargo and business gateway in the next economy.

One project sure to raise eyebrows — the No. 5 by dollar amount — is a nearly $5-million upgrade to city hall itself. While the 1960s-era building is much older than city halls in some comparable cities, critics — and taxpayers — may wonder how fixing it up lifts the economy, especially with so many other worthy projects out there.

[SlickFranky]

Originally Posted by ldoto

The work includes $11.85 million for a railway overpass at Hale and Trafalgar streets, a rail crossing that's long been a source of frustration for London drivers.

Just out of curiosity, do the freight rail companies ever put any money into these rail over/underpasses, or are they entirely publicly funded?

With all the problems level crossings cause in London, we should be charging some kind of toll for every time a train drives on our streets. Maybe this would encourage CN and CP to build new routes around London, rather than cruising right through.

[ldoto]

Rip it up

TRAFFIC WOES: London is poised to launch the biggest roadwork season in its history

Wonderland Rd. and Gainsborough Rd. facing north. Wonderland will be widened.

The mother of all construction seasons in London has begun with a record $150 million to be spent on road-related work alone.

Orange traffic cones, not purple crocuses, will signal the approaching spring, one certain to fray the patience of drivers even though few would question the long-term benefit of improving roads and the sewers and water mains beneath them.

This year city hall staff have produced what they hope will help motorists find alternatives and avoid traffic jams, an interactive website that allows drivers to click on any road project and see exactly where it is -- www.london.ca/construction. "The public should be urged to go to the website," city roads director Dave Leckie said Wednesday.

Here's the breakdown of the planned spending, some of which comes from government economic stimulus funding:


$100 million-plus to repave and widen streets and rehabilitate bridges.

$30 million to replace and reline sewers.

$19 to replace and line water mains.


There will be 100 projects in all and one of the biggest has already begun -- the building of a railway overpass at Hale and Trafalgar streets that will have the city's first roundabout, an effort whose costs this year alone are expected to reach $13 million.

There have been other years with nearly as much road-related work, but 2010 tops them all, Leckie said.

While some motorists may get frustrated by delays, they should find far fewer potholes, Leckie said. "I'm looking forward to (that)."

As for road delays, city staff say they're doing what they can to make it better than it would be otherwise. Among the efforts:


Leckie put off the planned repaving of Wavell St. to next year because it'll be in heavier use with the closing of the Hale-Trafalgar crossing.

Road, sewer and water work will be co-ordinated so that roads are only disrupted once.

When water mains are worked on in isolation, crews will typically install liners within existing pipes without digging a trench, the mechanical equivalent of minimally invasive surgery because it's cheaper and won't close long stretches of streets for a long time.


This year city crews will make use of a new liner made by 3M they hope will provide a structural lining just along weak spots.

"I'm really excited about it," said John Braam, who manages the city's water operations, All the extra work will pay off in more ways than just better roads and sewers, staff say.

Some of the extra work was made affordable by federal and provincial stimulus money, which covers two-thirds of the costs of some projects that otherwise would have been done in future years.

By doing the work now, and at a lower cost, city hall will have more money to spend five to 10 years from now on major public works that could help London to rebuild an economy stressed by recession and the battering of its manufacturing sector.

--- --- ---

THE TOP PROJECTS

1. Hale/Trafalgar

What: Rail overpass that will be city's first roundabout

Cost: $13 million

Timing: Feb.-Nov.

2. Wonderland Rd. N.

What: Widen to four lanes north of Gainsborough

Cost: $10 million

Timing: April-Nov.

3. Dundas St. E.

What: Replace watermain east of Clarke; road construction east of Crumlin

Cost: $3.5 million

Timing: May-Sept.

4. Trevithen St.

What: Replace road and pipes

Cost: $4.5 million

Timing: March-Oct.

5. White Oaks Rd.

What: Replace sewer south of Exeter Rd.

Cost: $3 million

Timing: May-Oct.

6. Innovation Industrial Park

What: Next phase of development

Cost: $12 million

Timing: Feb.-Nov.

7. Skyway Industrial Subdivison

What: Next phase of development

Cost: $5 million

Timing: May-Sept.

--- --- ---

Other


What: Reline 5 km of water pipe


Cost: $2.5 million

Timing: May-Sept.


What: Reline 40-50 km of sewer pipe


Cost: $6.6 million

Timing: March-Nov.


What: Replace asphalt for 15 sections of major roads and many smaller roads


Cost: $15 million

Timing: April-Nov.

[manny_santos]

About time that part of Wonderland is widened. That was on the books way back when that section was called Cameron Sideroad.

[MolsonExport]

Christ, I look forward to the day (if it ever comes) when there are more than two (2!!) clear east-west and north-south routes in the city. all we have currently are Fanshawe pk road and oxford (E-W), and Wonderland and Highbury (north-south).