HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada > Ontario > London > Transportation & Infrastructure


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #921  
Old Posted Oct 2, 2014, 9:05 PM
Pimpmasterdac's Avatar
Pimpmasterdac Pimpmasterdac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London
Posts: 693
A few important EAs for road improvements will be coming before civic works committee.

First the intersection of Highbury & Hamilton will studied to "improvements" though nothing specified yet. I would imagine double left turn lanes to be one proposed improvement, and potentially studying a roundabout, although that may be too much to handle. Scheduled construction year of 2019.

Highbury & Hamilton link: http://sire.london.ca/view.aspx?cabi...&fileid=158143

Second the CNR subway on Wharncliffe, between Horton & Beecher will be studied to widen the subway to 4 lanes, plus turning lanes. a temporary diversion of CNR tracks would need to be created. As well Wharncliffe S as whole will be studied from Horton to Commissioners for "corridor optimization", which would include turn lanes, bus bays, and making the corridor more accessible for pedestrians and cyclists. Scheduled construction year of 2019 as well. This would coincide with the proposed CPR subway construction along the Western/Wharncliffe corridor that would make it at least 4 lanes through most of the city, uninterrupted!

Wharncliffe South Corridor link: http://sire.london.ca/view.aspx?cabi...&fileid=158145

Finally the committee is recommending to put a signalized intersection at Riverside & Beaverbrook, as well as a right turn lane from Riverside WB to beaverbrook NB for 2015. Roundabout was considered but was deemed unsuitable. It also shows that there are plans to extend Beaverbrook north of Oxford, swing it west to meet with Proudfoot lane again. As well it's disappointing as it acknowledges that London has no plans in the next 20 years to widen Riverside to 4 lanes, despite plans existing from the 1970s to do so.

Riverside & Beaverbrook link: http://sire.london.ca/view.aspx?cabi...&fileid=158149
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #922  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2014, 4:45 AM
tyeman200's Avatar
tyeman200 tyeman200 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 363
I like the idea of the double turning lanes. I don't like the roundabout idea though; I think you're right about it being too much to handle. Could you imagine that, people coming down highbury at 80-100 KPH and hitting a roundabout? Plus all the traffic that crosses that intersection, I could see lots of accidents waiting to happen there.

It's too bad they can't widen Highbury to 3 lanes. Maybe they would consider something like an overpass there, instead of an intersection.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #923  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2014, 1:49 PM
MrSlippery519 MrSlippery519 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,076
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyeman200 View Post
I like the idea of the double turning lanes. I don't like the roundabout idea though; I think you're right about it being too much to handle. Could you imagine that, people coming down highbury at 80-100 KPH and hitting a roundabout? Plus all the traffic that crosses that intersection, I could see lots of accidents waiting to happen there.

It's too bad they can't widen Highbury to 3 lanes. Maybe they would consider something like an overpass there, instead of an intersection.
Double turn lanes at minimum should be implemented at that intersection.

The real issue is that north of this intersection is just terrible, it would be a massive project but the city should really consider trying to buy up the houses on either the east or west side of the street, making highbury 3 lanes each way along with a centre turn lane. It could then be 3 lanes from the 401 basically to Trafalgar ish. You could also increase the speed to at least 60 north of Hamilton...of course none of this would ever happen just a pipe dream.

I drive it daily and nothing worse than waiting at the light to then have someone turning left down one of the side streets because they didn't want to wait at the light.

Alternatively maybe do double turn lanes and do not allow anyone to make a left turn once north of Hamilton as that would dramatically help rush hour flow?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #924  
Old Posted Oct 3, 2014, 6:09 PM
Pimpmasterdac's Avatar
Pimpmasterdac Pimpmasterdac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London
Posts: 693
Without getting into a 402/freeway rant, the city should have seriously considered making Highbury a freeway further north, instead of widening VMP a decade ago. Highbury already is a freeway essentially to the Thames, and instead of plowing $100+ million into VMP on new bridges, rail overpasses and grading, and widening, they could have used it on on Highbury, made it 6 lanes to at least Oxford, then have it before a depressed freeeway. VMP isn't planned to be a freeway until 2062! but I digress..

Highbury does have the currently capability to be 6 lanes from 401 to the Thames River, the overpasses were designed with the intention that 402 would need to be widened at some point. The next 401/Highbury interchange will be capable of having 6 lanes on it. The Thames bridge is a big obstacle, its only 4 lanes and with London wanting to commit money on essential municipal functions like PAC, they're likely not going to spring on widening the bridge.

For improvements double left turn lanes I would assume are top on the list. Potentially making the intersection a 3 or 4 light cycle (EB, WB, NB, SB) so that there's less likelihood of accidents. Restricting left turns past Hamiltion on Highbury NB is a good idea. Hopefully none of the local yokels don't complain though, piss and moan about having to make proper turns.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #925  
Old Posted Oct 4, 2014, 7:32 PM
ericlewis91 ericlewis91 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 111
I would be happy extending veterans to Fanshawe park road (via clark road) to 4 lanes. Then it would be faster to get to the 401 for us North Londoners.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #926  
Old Posted Oct 5, 2014, 1:14 AM
MolsonExport's Avatar
MolsonExport MolsonExport is online now
The Vomit Bag.
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Otisburgh
Posts: 44,716
^second that. With an upgrade to Sunningdale (the road is very rough in the eastern parts)
__________________
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."-President Lyndon B. Johnson Donald Trump is a poor man's idea of a rich man, a weak man's idea of a strong man, and a stupid man's idea of a smart man. Am I an Asseau?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #927  
Old Posted Oct 6, 2014, 12:23 PM
MrSlippery519 MrSlippery519 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,076
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac View Post
Without getting into a 402/freeway rant, the city should have seriously considered making Highbury a freeway further north, instead of widening VMP a decade ago. Highbury already is a freeway essentially to the Thames, and instead of plowing $100+ million into VMP on new bridges, rail overpasses and grading, and widening, they could have used it on on Highbury, made it 6 lanes to at least Oxford, then have it before a depressed freeeway. VMP isn't planned to be a freeway until 2062! but I digress..
I hope I see that before I die haha, honestly to me Highbury being a 6 lane freeway would be amazing.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #928  
Old Posted Oct 6, 2014, 7:06 PM
HillStreetBlues HillStreetBlues is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: KW/Hamilton, Ontario
Posts: 995
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac View Post
Without getting into a 402/freeway rant, the city should have seriously considered making Highbury a freeway further north, instead of widening VMP a decade ago. Highbury already is a freeway essentially to the Thames, and instead of plowing $100+ million into VMP on new bridges, rail overpasses and grading, and widening, they could have used it on on Highbury, made it 6 lanes to at least Oxford, then have it before a depressed freeeway. VMP isn't planned to be a freeway until 2062! but I digress..
This is the first I’ve read “2062.” Cripes. I agree completely with you that Highbury should have been given that full expressway treatment (or as close to it as possible), rather than widening Airport. As you say, it was already halfway there. Now we have a freeway Highbury halfway up, and then way to the east (too far to be of much utility until a few more years of sprawl), half of a freeway all the way up.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #929  
Old Posted Oct 7, 2014, 3:02 AM
tyeman200's Avatar
tyeman200 tyeman200 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 363
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSlippery519 View Post
The real issue is that north of this intersection is just terrible, it would be a massive project but the city should really consider trying to buy up the houses on either the east or west side of the street, making highbury 3 lanes each way along with a centre turn lane. It could then be 3 lanes from the 401 basically to Trafalgar ish. You could also increase the speed to at least 60 north of Hamilton...of course none of this would ever happen just a pipe dream.
The reality of this, Is that I can see them having to eventually do this in the future.

I like that idea, making that intersection similar to the one on Wellington/Commissioners. Ohhh, I can hear the locals bitching about it now...

2062? This may sound like a stupid question, but does anyone know why it's going to take 50+ years for them to turn that road into a freeway? That's just insane to me!
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #930  
Old Posted Oct 7, 2014, 3:16 AM
tyeman200's Avatar
tyeman200 tyeman200 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 363
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac View Post
Finally the committee is recommending to put a signalized intersection at Riverside & Beaverbrook, as well as a right turn lane from Riverside WB to beaverbrook NB for 2015. Roundabout was considered but was deemed unsuitable. It also shows that there are plans to extend Beaverbrook north of Oxford, swing it west to meet with Proudfoot lane again. As well it's disappointing as it acknowledges that London has no plans in the next 20 years to widen Riverside to 4 lanes, despite plans existing from the 1970s to do so.

Riverside & Beaverbrook link: http://sire.london.ca/view.aspx?cabi...&fileid=158149
Sorry for the double post, but I did just hear this on the news tonight:

http://london.ctvnews.ca/beaverbrook...ches-1.2038355

Now they might not even put anything at the intersection, since they say that adding traffic lights here will congest traffic even more.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #931  
Old Posted Oct 7, 2014, 12:17 PM
HillStreetBlues HillStreetBlues is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: KW/Hamilton, Ontario
Posts: 995
Quote:
Originally Posted by tyeman200 View Post
I like that idea, making that intersection similar to the one on Wellington/Commissioners. Ohhh, I can hear the locals bitching about it now...
To be fair, I myself would not be happy if something like Wellington and Commissioners were proposed near where I was living...
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #932  
Old Posted Oct 8, 2014, 1:06 AM
Pimpmasterdac's Avatar
Pimpmasterdac Pimpmasterdac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London
Posts: 693
6 lane roads in London are pretty rare, but more will be coming. Right now Wellington from Baseline to Wellington is the only one in London. Wellington is set to be widened further south to 6 lanes. It's fairly easy since the west side of the road is unoccupied. Next year to Southdale, 2016 to Bradley & 2018 to 401. Even the 6 lane set up might be shot lived if BRT comes.

Oxford from Richmond to Wonderland is potentially set to be 6 lanes, but again it would be for BRT, not just for traffic.

Wonderland from 402 to Southdale is set to be 6 lanes and the city is currently going an EA. Wonderland does has the ROW to be 6 laned, to south of the Thames.

While Highbury does have a good argument to be 6 lanes, there's no plans in the next 20 years, other than Oxford to Dundas to support BRT. It's very costly either way, lots of rail overpasses to widen and full homes to expropriate. Nothing the city will move heaven and earth to do..
----

And sorry I was wrong about the time to make VMP a freeway, I looked back at the VMP Thread it's actually 2073. It was 62 years back in 2011 until it would be finally a freeway, which is what I got confused with.

Basically the timeline is soo long because of the cost (~$250 million in 2011 dollars) so the city because they don't have the money to do it in one shot by itself. The city is "committed" to making VMP a freeway though, and would build an interchange every decade or so, until it's finally a a full freeway. Still a lot of work to VMP is remaining, needs to be widened to 4 lanes to Huron, then a new roadway going north-west to link with Clarke Rd. as well an overpass is needed @ VMP & GEXR, and several non-interchanges and closed road diversions will need to be made. Makes widening Highbury not seem that bad in comparison

So unless Queen's Park decides to be generous on highway projects, or hits an oil patch Alberta style, 2073 remains the plan...

Quote:
Originally Posted by tyeman200 View Post
The reality of this, Is that I can see them having to eventually do this in the future.

I like that idea, making that intersection similar to the one on Wellington/Commissioners. Ohhh, I can hear the locals bitching about it now...

2062? This may sound like a stupid question, but does anyone know why it's going to take 50+ years for them to turn that road into a freeway? That's just insane to me!
Quote:
Originally Posted by HillStreetBlues View Post
This is the first I’ve read “2062.” Cripes. I agree completely with you that Highbury should have been given that full expressway treatment (or as close to it as possible), rather than widening Airport. As you say, it was already halfway there. Now we have a freeway Highbury halfway up, and then way to the east (too far to be of much utility until a few more years of sprawl), half of a freeway all the way up.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #933  
Old Posted Oct 30, 2014, 2:48 AM
haljackey's Avatar
haljackey haljackey is offline
User Registered
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 3,197
Wonderland-Sunningdale roundabout opens Friday: http://www.lfpress.com/2014/10/29/going-in-circles
__________________
My Twitter

My Simcity Stuff
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #934  
Old Posted Oct 30, 2014, 1:05 PM
MrSlippery519 MrSlippery519 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 1,076
I totally forgot this was being done as I am never in the North end. Looks great, and hope to see more like this in the future. The Hale/Trafalgar roundabout would have benefited from a similar design but of course costs were a factor.

I do feel this should go out to every person in London...The new roundabout in Windsor is particularly bad, no one knows how to drive around it someone literally stops in the middle lane every time I have drove through it.

Always:

Yield to traffic on the left, pedestrians, cyclists and emergency vehicles.
Be aware of traffic ahead as you approach intersection, to avoid striking other vehicles from behind.
Enter intersection slowly, only when there’s a gap in traffic
Drive slowly toward the right (counter-clockwise), regardless of exit point. Traffic in a roundabout is one-way.
Use signal lights to let others know where you’re heading.
Exit carefully after signalling, yielding to pedestrians and cyclists

Never:

Turn left into a roundabout
Stop in the middle of one
Pass another vehicle in a roundabout

Multilane roundabouts

Stay in right lane if your exit is first road on the right.
Select middle lane if your exit is second or third street on the right.
If you feel stuck in the middle lane, drive until safe to signal, shoulder-check and exit to right.
Cyclists may use either the main road (same instructions as above) or pathway beside roundabout
Pedestrians cross at marked crossings, not through middle of intersection
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #935  
Old Posted Oct 30, 2014, 9:04 PM
tyeman200's Avatar
tyeman200 tyeman200 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 363
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac View Post
And sorry I was wrong about the time to make VMP a freeway, I looked back at the VMP Thread it's actually 2073. It was 62 years back in 2011 until it would be finally a freeway, which is what I got confused with.

Basically the timeline is soo long because of the cost (~$250 million in 2011 dollars) so the city because they don't have the money to do it in one shot by itself. The city is "committed" to making VMP a freeway though, and would build an interchange every decade or so, until it's finally a a full freeway. Still a lot of work to VMP is remaining, needs to be widened to 4 lanes to Huron, then a new roadway going north-west to link with Clarke Rd. as well an overpass is needed @ VMP & GEXR, and several non-interchanges and closed road diversions will need to be made. Makes widening Highbury not seem that bad in comparison

So unless Queen's Park decides to be generous on highway projects, or hits an oil patch Alberta style, 2073 remains the plan...
Hopefully, by 2073, the project will be worth it, and not an entirely huge waste of money. Plus, who knows what can happen 60 + years from now. We could have hover cars and some new type of road that doesn't need paving
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #936  
Old Posted Dec 10, 2014, 2:24 AM
Pimpmasterdac's Avatar
Pimpmasterdac Pimpmasterdac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London
Posts: 693
2015 Capital Budget on roads was published. Here are some highlights of it:

-Start Adelaide/CP grade separation study in 2015.

-Commissioners widened to 5 lanes from Viscount to Wonderland in 2015 (finally!!)

-Sarnia Rd widened from 3 to 5 lines from Wonderland to Castlegrove in 2016.

-Western/Sarnia intersection to be "improved", due to high levels of traffic and pedestrian/bike traffic in 2016 also. No specifics but be interesting to see what is recommended.

-Western Rd widened from 2 to 5 lanes from Platt's Lane to Oxford in 2018, as well as improvements to Oxford/Wharncliffe intersections.

-Richmond/Fanshawe Park Rd. intersection will have improvements (assumed double left turns, potential 6 lanes) in 2018.

-Wellington Rd widening from 4 to 6 lanes from Baseline to Exeter has be postponed indefinitely. Instead, contingent on BRT/LRT study, Wellington will be widened to 6 lanes from Horton to Bradley in 2018 to support the chosen RT. Pretty significant project, both in the expropriations required, Thames River bridge modifications, and cost significant cost of ~$90 Million!!

-Richmond from south of the Thames to Fanshawe Park Rd. will be widened to 6 lanes to support the chosen RT in 2018. Will Require widened Thames River crossing.

-Bradley will be extended from Wonderland to Wharncliffe in 2017, but won't be extended from Wharncliffe to White Oak until 2022. Some more great planning decisions...

-Wonderland to be widened from 4 to 6 lanes from Commissioners to Sarnia Rd in phases from 2020 to 2025. Will require major infrastructure investments, widening of Guy Lombardo bridge, CN subway and CP overpass, as well as land needed for the widening.

-Clarke Rd to be widened from 2 to 4 lanes from VMP extension to Fanshawe Park Rd. in 2021.

Capital Budget Link:
http://www.london.ca/city-hall/budge...oters%20ws.pdf
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #937  
Old Posted Dec 10, 2014, 4:09 PM
HillStreetBlues HillStreetBlues is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: KW/Hamilton, Ontario
Posts: 995
It would be a much better use of scarce resources to invest in complete streets that allow people to get out of their cars, than in yet more vehicle lanes that are costly to build and maintain, and will soon be used up by the new demand they induce.

There’s very little in there focused on bicycling (one mention is bicycle lanes on Ridout between Baseline and Southdale- all of two kilometres) and even less on mobility by foot. Something like the widenings of Commissioners, Richmond and Wonderland should identify a plan that adheres to complete street principles, with infrastructure for bicyclists and improved sidewalks. But, nah, just more traffic lanes.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #938  
Old Posted Dec 11, 2014, 2:07 PM
MolsonExport's Avatar
MolsonExport MolsonExport is online now
The Vomit Bag.
 
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Otisburgh
Posts: 44,716
Quote:
Originally Posted by HillStreetBlues View Post
It would be a much better use of scarce resources to invest in complete streets that allow people to get out of their cars, than in yet more vehicle lanes that are costly to build and maintain, and will soon be used up by the new demand they induce.

There’s very little in there focused on bicycling (one mention is bicycle lanes on Ridout between Baseline and Southdale- all of two kilometres) and even less on mobility by foot. Something like the widenings of Commissioners, Richmond and Wonderland should identify a plan that adheres to complete street principles, with infrastructure for bicyclists and improved sidewalks. But, nah, just more traffic lanes.
Indeed. Some good developments in the list, but it still seems that whole approach is so piecemeal. Try riding a bicycle to UWO on Sarnia. It is horrible, especially where the lanes drop to 3.

Yet we are getting 6 (or is it 8) lanes of traffic for Wonderland Road South of Exeter, where nobody lives.
__________________
"If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you."-President Lyndon B. Johnson Donald Trump is a poor man's idea of a rich man, a weak man's idea of a strong man, and a stupid man's idea of a smart man. Am I an Asseau?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #939  
Old Posted Dec 11, 2014, 3:17 PM
haljackey's Avatar
haljackey haljackey is offline
User Registered
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 3,197
Bike lanes have been incorporated into almost every widening / reconstruction road project for the past few years now. Headway is being made, although slowly.
__________________
My Twitter

My Simcity Stuff
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #940  
Old Posted Dec 13, 2014, 5:00 PM
Pimpmasterdac's Avatar
Pimpmasterdac Pimpmasterdac is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: London
Posts: 693
It's a big step for London in moving beyond just road widening. As mentioned all new road projects usually include bike lanes as well, though it's not explicitly stated in capital budget. As well to be moving forward with RT, both in that construction is set in 4 years time and that it's in short term capital budget plans. While it's heavily contingent on senior funding, it's good step forward.
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > Canada > Ontario > London > Transportation & Infrastructure
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 11:17 PM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.