Wonderland Road Widening 4 to 6 lanes

[jammer139]

City planning for the widening of Wonderland Road from 4 to 6 lanes between Southdale and Sarnia Rd.

http://www.lfpress.com/2017/07/30/lo...n-city-history

Long overdue as the traffic is jammed bumper to bumper north and south bound during rush hours every day. It's the only true north south route in the west end of the city. Neither Hyde Park or Sanatorium Rd or Boler or Colonel Talbot provide a single north-south route.

Westdel Bourne could be extended north of the river and provide a much needed north south route if there was any visionary planning in City Hall. Sadly there are likely people who are against that forward planning as they don't want the city to grow.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Its a much needed project, should've been done years ago, only starting to formally plan for it now! From what Ive seen it'll be a 4 part project widening Wonderland between Sarnia & Southdale. Here's the city's EA link http://www.london.ca/residents/Envir...rovements.aspx

It will be interesting to see how traffic improves in future years. Whenever Wharncliffe/Western is eventually widened to 4 lanes that'll greatly improve flow in the central/west end.

There was plans to protect a west end corridor between Westdel Borne & Woodhull for a future freeway, but I have no confidence that'll ever be anything come of it.

[kaiserLDN]

I like it a lot. This is really needed for London. I don't think a rapid transit line would work for this area of the city with everyone driving everywhere so much. I think by 2030 when all these projects are done and if they really happen this city will feel like a real city being able to hand a lot more people. I also defiantly think Westdel Borne needs to be extended across the river to a future north side expressway.

[haljackey]

It's interesting how the Guy Lombardo Bridge could support 6 lanes. A separate bike/pedestrian span could be made for much cheaper.

Same goes for the rail overpass and underpass. At CN, the road could have the right lane split off and occupy the space around the supports, with new tunnels dug for bike lanes and sidewalks. The overpass for CP near Sarnia is more troubling but its possible 6 lanes could be squeezed there too with a separate span for bike lanes and sidewalks.

So as long as the existing infrastructure can be strenghtened to support 6 lanes worth of weight, this could be done on the cheap.

[haljackey]

Can Wonderland be wonderful?
http://www.lfpress.com/2017/08/04/co...d-be-wonderful

If built right, it can be. Creating a separated bike and pedestrian path around Wonderland Gardens and the Thames River could prove inviting.

Other than a pinch point by the CN underpass, the road has the ability to be greatly expanded.

[MolsonExport]

Wonderland is London's North-South Highway (not Wharncliffe, despite the official nature of the road designation). And an extremely poor one at that.

Bike lanes? Those fucking turkeys doing roadwork on Wonderland road saw fit to put all their shit on the bike lanes over the rail tracks. Caused me considerable grief. London's bike lane network is hit or miss (mostly miss). Case in point: Western Road. Bike lanes for 200 metres, then none, then some for another 200 metres, then none. Merge with aggressive vehicular traffic (the ubiquitous pickup truck drivers that deserve a special place at the deepest pits of hell) at your peril.

[ssiguy]

Should have been done ages ago.

For those of you who are a tad younger than I, just imagie the hell it was before the late 70s and the bridge was even built. I remember having to go all the way to Byron and then back as there was no nothing between Wharncliffe and Byron.

[MolsonExport]

Did wonderbread road end at the Thames before the bridge?

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Did wonderbread road end at the Thames before the bridge?

Exactly - it wasn't united with Hutton Sideroad until the bridge was built in the late 70s. Hutton itself still had a level rail crossing south of Sarnia Road up until 1987 - imagine that trying to get to UWO from that part of the city back then.

I remember when Wonderland only went as far south as Highway 135 (Exeter Road), and a road then known as Bostwick Road crossed over the 402 with no interchange. Wonderland was extended south in about 1997 and took over the south part of Bostwick over the 402; that's also when the interchange was added.

[MolsonExport]

well (I didn't know you were that old) the country-bumpkin collection of roads now known as wonderland badly needs to grow up, as long as the city policy favours periphery vs. intensification development (contrary to what they say, but it is patently obvious to anyone that London still is hollowing out).

[ssiguy]

Ya, Wonderland Rd was effectively split in the middle.

Back then Wharncliffe was more of a major road than today because you either had to go there to cross the Thames or all the way to Byron. It became a really urgent issue when Westmount Mall opened and expanded and was the largest and busiest mall in the city and the entire Westmount area started to be developed in the 70s.

[tyeman200]

Well needed project! I hope that it can all go smoothly and as quick as possible, without any NIMBYs or problems arising.

[HillStreetBlues]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Westdel Bourne could be extended north of the river and provide a much needed north south route if there was any visionary planning in City Hall. Sadly there are likely people who are against that forward planning as they don't want the city to grow.

I think those people would probably characterize themselves as not wanting the city to continue to sprawl.

Still, that would be a logical place to put an expressway. If done right, it would take the load off roads like Wonderland which are serving as crosstown routes without ever having been intended to.

I would really worry that a six-lane Wonderland Road would wind up being a poorly-executed stroad that cuts through important parkland and serve as a big barrier to residents on either side. Maybe it will be a beautiful boulevard that carries vehicle traffic efficiently while being a pleasure to walk along and cross? Maybe?

Here's a question for anyone with some interest in traffic engineering: from the look of it, the stretches of highest traffic are on the Guy Lombardo Bridge (at 43,000) and between Beaverbrook and Sarnia (at 41,000). Apart from those, the traffic volumes are generally closer to 30,000 a day. Do these volumes justify a six-lane road?

If not now, what patterns of development would support it in the future? More sprawl along Wonderland to the south?

[kaiserLDN]

Not everyone wants to live downtown if you dont widen roads and created homes in the suburbs then people will just build homes in St. Thomas, Strathroy, Lucan, Thorndale Dorchester and the list goes on. Wonderland needs to be widened from southdale to Sarnia roads. Anyone that thinks not does not drive on this stretch. Also the majority of this road I wouldn't call suburban. Widening this road could created faster south and north commuter times but also create density near the plazas where supposedly rapid transit line will create transit villages. Nimbys have to realize this city is growing out in all ways and upwards. we need expressways, Widened roads and rapid transit so the city has mixed transit options to get around and through the city. Doing this will hopefully make London handle more people and bring us closer to a million. This cities metro will grow regardless. Ignoring this will create problems like when didn't get the expressway decades ago. Now people drive on all the local streets cutting through neighborhoods which should be quiet and free of traffic. I'm not worried about this wonderland road widening one bit. Its going to happen and has to.

[Dupcheck]

People live on the outskirts of London because they can travel faster from one end to the other vs. if they had to go through it.
By not having expressways, ring roads, and highways in London, we are encouraging urban sprawl even more.

[MolsonExport]

traffic volumes only tell part of the story. Due to chronic congestion (particularly above CP and below CN tracks, around Costco, Guy-Lombardo Bridge, and Westmount mall through to Southdale), I avoid Wonderland road during the day unless I need to go to someplace along Wonderland road. More often I take Hyde Park road, and skirt above the city (used to do this on Fanshawe Pk rd, now Sunningdale...and sometimes I go as far north as Medway). Extremely inefficient driving, but it beats bumper to bumper traffic moving at a snails-pace.

[tyeman200]

IMO, I feel like we wouldn't have traffic problems if people just knew how to drive in this city. It's ridiculous, it goes from speedy assholes to slow as fuck, there is no in between. I really get frustrated driving around London, more then I would in Toronto.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Exactly - it wasn't united with Hutton Sideroad until the bridge was built in the late 70s. Hutton itself still had a level rail crossing south of Sarnia Road up until 1987 - imagine that trying to get to UWO from that part of the city back then.

I remember the traffic backed up to Oxford in the winter as people tried to get across the tracks and up that hill to Sarnia Gravel lol.

[ssiguy]

Originally Posted by Dupcheck

People live on the outskirts of London because they can travel faster from one end to the other vs. if they had to go through it.
By not having expressways, ring roads, and highways in London, we are encouraging urban sprawl even more.

While it is true that London has horrific traffic due to no urban freeways that has also had many benefits. Unlike most cities, London's urban landscape has not been scarred by urban freeways that destroy homes and rip apart neighbourhoods. London also has quite high transit ridership. London also has a VERY solid built streetscape. Outside of some of the eastern industrial areas, you would be very hard pressed to see even 2 continuous empty blocks.

[MolsonExport]

The "bike lanes" on Wonderbread Road are in absolutely terrible shape. Full of debris, including several mattresses, potholes, broken glass, crumbling pavement and gaping missing sections of pavement. This state of affairs has persisted for more than one year.

The city clearly does not give a shit about cyclists.