London Roads - Page 29

Wharn · #**561** Posted: **May 31, 2012, 2:04 PM**

So I got a response from Google regarding my report on the erroneous road naming around London. Here's what they had to say:

Quote:

Thank you for reporting this problem. Unfortunately, for various reasons, the problem you reported isn't easy for us to fix at this time.

We did want to let you know that we've escalated your report to the appropriate engineering team. Even though we don't have an immediate fix to your problem, please be assured that we're working hard for a resolution.
Thanks for helping us to improve Google Maps!

To borrow the phrase of the ancient philosopher Clarksonius, HOW HARD CAN IT BE? All they need to do is shift around a few names and reclassify an arterial! Does this actually require an engineering degree? I think Google's success has just made them arrogant and complacent, much like Apple and Toyota. Anyways, moving on...

Quote:

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Richmond, north of Oxford, can be expanded. If mass transit were implemented on Richmond south of Oxford, it would have to be converted to one-way southbound traffic with northbound traffic having to use another street. Wellington would seem like a natural fit, but there is the issue of the area around the CP tracks.

It can't really be expanded, at least not without removing all the trees along the street or having the road within 10 feet of everyone's doorstep. I agree with calls to remove parking along Richmond Street; furthermore, I'd like to see stiff fines for delivery vehicles that block the road during rush hour.

manny_santos · #**562** Posted: **May 31, 2012, 6:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wharn

To borrow the phrase of the ancient philosopher Clarksonius, HOW HARD CAN IT BE? All they need to do is shift around a few names and reclassify an arterial! Does this actually require an engineering degree? I think Google's success has just made them arrogant and complacent, much like Apple and Toyota. Anyways, moving on...

If you think it's bad in London, you should see what it's like in one part of Simcoe. Go to the intersection of Highways 3 and 24...it's a MESS. It has been that way since November 2011.

And you're right, I think Google has become extremely complacent. In one of my notes to them about the behaviour of some of the Google Reviewers, I basically told them that they can't care very much about their product if they keep erasing legitimate edits.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wharn

It can't really be expanded, at least not without removing all the trees along the street or having the road within 10 feet of everyone's doorstep. I agree with calls to remove parking along Richmond Street; furthermore, I'd like to see stiff fines for delivery vehicles that block the road during rush hour.

Ah yes, the delivery vehicles...they are particularly bad close to Dundas Street. All too often I've been on a bus that has gotten stuck behind one of these trucks at 4:30pm.

Removing all the trees along the street and having the road within 10 feet of everyone's doorstep may be the sacrifice we have to make in order to improve transportation in the city. I'd rather see that than demolition of houses. In other parts of the world it's very common for the right-of-way between houses and a street to be less than 10 feet.

Pimpmasterdac · #**563** Posted: **May 31, 2012, 7:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by manny_santos

There have been calls to widen Wellington to 6 lanes from the 401 to Horton since the 1970s. The biggest problem with Wellington is north of Baseline Road...that could be more controversial than the Horton West extension. The rest of Wellington can be easily widened.

Oxford can easily be widened west of Platt's Lane, but east of there, like Wellington, expropriation and demolition would likely need to take place.

I've known & seen the plan/schematics to widen Wellington to 6 lanes from 401 to Horton, just very surprised that the city would revive the plan. IMO its a great plan, since it would significantly help traffic and be a huge infrastructure upgrade.

I live near that area and it would be a major undertaking, specifically the area from Baseline Road north. Houses/Businesses on one or both sides of Wellington would need to expropriated. A lot of them are run down or very poorly maintained so no significant loss IMO, but controversial undoubtedly. Just the sheer scope of that plan surprises me, plus either an expansion of the Thames Wellington Rd. bridge or a new one would need to be built since it can't handle 6 lanes as currently.

Same with Oxford St. again this plan calls for major expropriations from Richmond to Platts Lane, and again would need either an expansion of the Oxford St Thames Bridge or an entirely new one (even though it was reconstructed a few years ago) as well as a new CN overpass west of Wonderland.

Both of these plans are very gutsy, for a city that usual has no gall or balls, to make tough/controversial decisions. That alone makes me even question whether they will even come to reality but even staking that out at this point is substantial.

go_leafs_go02 · #**564** Posted: **May 31, 2012, 9:02 PM**

I find it interesting they support widening Oxford to 6 lanes to Hyde Park. They just widened that section (Wonderland to Hyde Park) to 4 lanes literally 3-4 years ago (maybe a bit longer, but not by much more)

MolsonExport · #**565** Posted: **Jun 1, 2012, 8:36 PM**

^asinine to widen Oxfart to 6 lanes until Hyde Parkinglot until they expand Hyde Parkinglot Road.

manny_santos · #**566** Posted: **Jun 1, 2012, 11:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

^asinine to widen Oxfart to 6 lanes until Hyde Parkinglot until they expand Hyde Parkinglot Road.

^ Agreed 100%.

haljackey · #**567** Posted: **Jul 1, 2012, 6:09 PM**

Watched this today... pretty interesting stuff

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13967381

I think it could work for London if we replaced as many intersections as possible with roundabouts. It would also add to our city's image... this place is called London after all, a town named after a city with the most roundabouts in the world.

GreatTallNorth2 · #**568** Posted: **Jul 1, 2012, 8:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

Watched this today... pretty interesting stuff

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-13967381

I think it could work for London if we replaced as many intersections as possible with roundabouts. It would also add to our city's image... this place is called London after all, a town named after a city with the most roundabouts in the world.

I've been driving in the UK for 9 months now and can honestly say that the roundabout system here is so much better than the stop and go traffic light system in North America. Also, I don't have any statistics to back it up, but I believe there are far fewer accidents in this country. I never see any accidents. The only complaint I have is that roads here are quite narrow and often cars park on streets as many people don't have driveways.

I am not sure how you can convert a built up city with gas stations/Tim Hortons at every corner into a city that uses roundabouts because traffic has to flow well around the roundabout to make it work. It is easy to take new roads and put in roundabouts, but practically impossible in built up areas.

Also, are you sure London has the most roundabouts in the world? I was there yesterday and because it is so urban, it seems to have few roundabouts - at least in the central city area.

manny_santos · #**569** Posted: **Jul 2, 2012, 9:59 PM**

I personally dislike roundabouts on major roads. Why? If traffic signals are synchronized, then one can get from point A to point B on a single road faster with a string of green lights instead of being forced to slow down for every roundabout. In London (Ontario) for example, I've driven Oxford Street at off-peak hours and I can make every green light from Richmond Street to Sanitorium Road. My bigger concern with roundabouts is emergency vehicles being slowed down.

I have driven roundabouts in Hamilton and in Waterloo Region, and I personally didn't like them. I also find roundabouts to be a scary experience for pedestrians; I've experienced that first-hand in Mexico City.

haljackey · #**570** Posted: **Jul 6, 2012, 7:32 PM**

Take a drive down Highbury Avenue: London's only 'freeway'

• Video Link

More info in the video description.

K85 · #**571** Posted: **Jul 7, 2012, 2:46 AM**

Gah I love those videos... I have an app on the phone to do it I just need to figure out the right fps...

manny_santos · #**572** Posted: **Jul 7, 2012, 3:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

Take a drive down Highbury Avenue: London's only 'freeway'

Google MapMaker says: N Highbury Ave, aka Ontario 126, is not a freeway! Mwahahahaha

haljackey · #**573** Posted: **Jul 7, 2012, 2:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by K85

Gah I love those videos... I have an app on the phone to do it I just need to figure out the right fps...

I film the old fashioned way... with a camera.

I'm thinking of investing in a dashcam. Not only are they good for driving videos, they're also good for insurance purposes... unless it's your fault.

-Although you could try to get rid of the footage if you're the one at fault lol

Wharn · #**574** Posted: **Jul 8, 2012, 3:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

I film the old fashioned way... with a camera.

I'm thinking of investing in a dashcam. Not only are they good for driving videos, they're also good for insurance purposes... unless it's your fault.

-Although you could try to get rid of the footage if you're the one at fault lol

I actually recently had an accident where I was not at fault, but due to the lack of witnesses and the completely different story coming from the other guy, I'm likely going to be slapped with an insurance increase of some sort. I've been meaning to get a dashcam for a couple years, but just kept procrastinating and putting it off, now I'm motivated and I'm going to buy the damn thing.

haljackey · #**575** Posted: **Jul 8, 2012, 4:44 PM**

If you want just a standard dash cam, they're pretty cheap. Also, there's an ap for that

I was looking around for a HD one but they sell for a lot of money. Found one on Ebay for $60 that normally sells for $400+ retail. It's 'new-ish' but I think I'm going to take my chances with it: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/ws/eBayISAPI....E:L:OU:CA:1123

If you invest in 'GoPro' sports/helmet cameras or something similar, they will work as well.

Kokkei Mizu · #**576** Posted: **Jul 10, 2012, 9:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by haljackey

If you invest in 'GoPro' sports/helmet cameras or something similar, they will work as well.

That's what I use for my time lapse videos. You can purchase a suction cup and place it on your hood or on the outside of your windshield. It records great video/photos.

haljackey · #**577** Posted: **Oct 22, 2012, 7:18 PM**

London Road Projects recommended to be completed by 2030:

Source: http://www.london.ca/Transportation_...ve_Summary.pdf

Sadface about VMP

Pimpmasterdac · #**578** Posted: **Oct 22, 2012, 8:32 PM**

Who knows, maybe with Fontana in hot water it'll pour cold water on VMP south extension?..

The only real surprise IMO is the city is planning on widening Riverside to 4 lanes, although not to Wonderland where it would be optimal. It was planned way in the early 80s and still nothing's been done. It would help take traffic off Oxford which gets real bad in-between Wharncliffe & Wonderland. As well expanding Oxford to 6 lanes will require some serious expropriation and bridge widening.

Better than nothing!

MolsonExport · #**579** Posted: **Oct 23, 2012, 12:57 PM**

I hope the sarnia expansion comes first. For the love of christ that road (between Wonderbread and Western) is pathetic, as is the intersection at Sarnia/western. I suppose linking Windermere-Gainsborough is off the plans (at least put in a bike lane that connects these roads for the many of us that bike to UWO).

Pimpmasterdac · #**580** Posted: **Oct 23, 2012, 8:31 PM**

Sarnia Rd has been planned to death, London already has the plans set but are bickering with NIMBY neighbors about left turn lanes of all things. Currently planned to be expanded by 2017...

Western/Sarnia intersection needs a total overhaul ASAP. Won't be getting any better especially with new Ivey being built, Western Rd will be insane even moreso.

IMO things they need to do. 1) grade separate the pedestrians, either above path or tunnel like their use to be from Saugeen Hall to campus. With the constant flow of students crossing turns are nearly impossible. 2) Ability to get onto Sarnia easier, whether double left/right turn lanes, widen Phillip Aziz, Connect Brescia Lane. Windemere-Gainsborough won't be connected unfortunately, same NIMBY cause but with money and influence.