Highbury Avenue Improvements

[CanadianTalk]

This specific project does not pertain to London, but the City of St Thomas has initiated an environmental assessment to widen Highbury Avenue from 2 to 4 lanes within their city limits, so from Ron McNeil Line to South Edgeware Road. Highbury is also proposed to be extended to connect to the the St Thomas Expressway and Centennial Road (Highway 3) via roundabouts.

See the diagram below which shows the proposed connectivity.

Construction is tentatively scheduled for 2024.



EA Page: https://www.stthomas.ca/cms/one.aspx...ageid=19419762

PIC 1 Slides (that have the above info): https://www.stthomas.ca/cms/one.aspx...ageid=19419762

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Could we see future improvements along Highbury to the north from Elgin County and the City of London?

[CanadianTalk]

I actually had to go to St Thomas this afternoon for a party for a family member (I haven't been to St. T in a couple years). I was driving back home to London, heading NB on Highbury, and myself and the car in front of me were both going about 100 km/hr in an 80. A driver who was driving way faster than me, came up behind me, passed me and the car in front of me on a solid yellow line as there was a curve ahead. Meanwhile, an oncoming SB car was coming along after the curve, and the car in front of me actually had to swerve over to the shoulder so the car doing the passing could swerve back in to the NB lane to avoid a head-on collision.

Additionally, I saw lots of passing going on (both on the way to and from St. T), despite the flow of traffic going about 100 km/hr and despite the blind visibility on some spots.

As I said earlier, I hardly ever travel on this stretch of Highbury, so I can't imagine how often these close-calls occur especially during peak traffic times. On a side note, there was a lot more traffic than I'd expect for a Sunday evening.

[Dengler Avenue]

It helped that MTO removed the freeway designation for the reserved corridor of St Thomas Expressway extension to Aylmer. Otherwise, I couldn’t imagine them agreeing to that roundabout.

[jammer139]

As I have mentioned before Highbury Ave is one of the most dangerous and poorly designed highways in this region. The long history of deaths and injury caused by this highway is just one more reason it needs to be widened and re-engineered. Now is the time to leverage the VW EV plant announcement for the City of London and St. Thomas and the Province to start the EA processes and get the engineers working on widening the highway from Wilton Grove south to St. Thomas. They can figure out the best way to build 2 more lanes with a median divider wide enough for future growth in the decades to come and overpasses in those future decades. In the immediate term it might be an opportunity to look at Michigan U-Turn lanes at some of the cross roads and lights at others. It's a win-win for our region and major safety improvement. London area politicians need to step up.

Originally Posted by CanadianTalk

I actually had to go to St Thomas this afternoon for a party for a family member (I haven't been to St. T in a couple years). I was driving back home to London, heading NB on Highbury, and myself and the car in front of me were both going about 100 km/hr in an 80. A driver who was driving way faster than me, came up behind me, passed me and the car in front of me on a solid yellow line due to a curve ahead. Meanwhile, an oncoming SB car was coming along after the curve, and the car in front of me actually had to swerve over to the shoulder so the car doing the passing could swerve back in to the NB lane to avoid a head-on collision.

Additionally, I saw lots of passing going on (both on the way to and from St. T), despite the flow of traffic going about 100 km/hr and despite the blind visibility on some spots.

As I said earlier, I hardly ever travel on this stretch of Highbury, so I can't imagine how often these close-calls occur especially during peak traffic times. On a side note, there was a lot more traffic than I'd expect on a Sunday evening.

[Djeffery]

That "future road" showing to the east of the bypass isn't going to be a highway 3 extension to Aylmer. That land is part of the recent land buy that the city did and that road will just be industrial park access. There is less than zero need to build a whole new road to Aylmer from that point. It may end up connecting with Yarmouth Centre Rd or curving down to Talbot Line at some point but it won't go all the way to Aylmer

[manny_santos]

Originally Posted by jammer139

As I have mentioned before Highbury Ave is one of the most dangerous and poorly designed highways in this region. The long history of deaths and injury caused by this highway is just one more reason it needs to be widened and re-engineered. Now is the time to leverage the VW EV plant announcement for the City of London and St. Thomas and the Province to start the EA processes and get the engineers working on widening the highway from Wilton Grove south to St. Thomas. They can figure out the best way to build 2 more lanes with a median divider wide enough for future growth in the decades to come and overpasses in those future decades. In the immediate term it might be an opportunity to look at Michigan U-Turn lanes at some of the cross roads and lights at others. It's a win-win for our region and major safety improvement. London area politicians need to step up.

Something similar to Veterans Memorial Parkway would be a good fit.

I really think it’s something the province should be doing, since it goes through three different jurisdictions (London, Elgin County, St. Thomas).

[Dengler Avenue]

Originally Posted by manny_santos

Something similar to Veterans Memorial Parkway would be a good fit.

I really think it’s something the province should be doing, since it goes through three different jurisdictions (London, Elgin County, St. Thomas).

Time to bring back Highway 126?

[jammer139]

Link to EA presentation for St. Thomas portion of widening and realignment options.


https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/...ionPackage.pdf


Recently Doug Ford confirmed the province would be involved with road infrastructure improvements in the region but no specific announcements have been made mentioning Highbury, Wellington or Wonderland.

[Strathboy]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

It helped that MTO removed the freeway designation for the reserved corridor of St Thomas Expressway extension to Aylmer. Otherwise, I couldn’t imagine them agreeing to that roundabout.

agreed. it will be a huge pain

[haljackey]

I built this in SimCity 4 last night and ya... this is what 401/Highbury could be like if they rebuilt it properly.

Picture the EB road as Highbury SB. You get a split before the traffic light so you can access the 401 in either direction without stopping.

[Djeffery]

It doesn't even need to be so separate as that. It can all be part of the same structure so long as they account for left turning trucks the way they do now. They could do this in both directions as well.

[jammer139]

Sad news again.


https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/...n-south-london

[jammer139]

The ESR report for the St. Thomas portion of the Highbury Ave rebuild was published on Nov 7th 2023.


https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/...-%20Report.pdf

[Innsertnamehere]

Originally Posted by jammer139

The ESR report for the St. Thomas portion of the Highbury Ave rebuild was published on Nov 7th 2023.


https://cdnsm5-hosted.civiclive.com/...-%20Report.pdf

Frustratingly won't be a dual carriageway.

Ontario is obsessed with rural 5-lane roads with centre turn lanes -they are extremely dangerous. Even a small grass median (like Veterans Memorial Parkway south of Catherine St) can make a huge difference in terms of safety.

I hope the rest of Highbury is built with one, even if the part in St Thomas isn't.

[Djeffery]

Veterans doesn't have driveways like Highbury does though. They could do like Dundas St in the east end of Woodstock, with the grass median and crossovers, but I'm not sure if that is any better than a centre turning lane.

https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.13599...8192?entry=ttu

[Innsertnamehere]

I was thinking more along the lines of what is common in the US - local accesses with semi-regular U turn spots every 100-200 metres.

Something like this:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Ne3p9EQVfRCpQrhg9?g_st=ic

This type of setup, while it needs more land, is honestly probably cheaper than a 5-lane road as there is a lot less asphalt and it’s also much safer with reduced head on collisions.

[jammer139]

Tender document for the rehabilitation of Highbury from Commissioners to Bradley including the overpass bridges.


~$1.5M for detailed design contract


Of note is the line about replacing the Bradley overpass bridge some 15 years in the future which is likely 2040. Meaning the widening of Bradley Ave is likely in the same timeline.



https://pub-london.escribemeetings.c...umentId=106397

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by jammer139

Of note is the line about replacing the Bradley overpass bridge some 15 years in the future which is likely 2040. Meaning the widening of Bradley Ave is likely in the same timeline.

Ya Bradley is chronically congested at rush hours from Highbury to Pond Mills, and is still too busy from Pond Mills to where it widens near Wellington.

For now they could widen it up to the Highbury overpass so the ramp that enters Bradley WB from Highbury SB would become a new lane or a dedicated exit lane to Pond Mills. There's a dirt shoulder here and those with pickups/SUVs often make it their own lane when there's backup between these two roads if they're just going using Bradley to get from Higbury to Pond Mills.

Highbury itself needs more 100km/h signs I think. Going SB especially... traffic from Hamilton doesn't even get close to reaching 100 until past Commissioners even though the 100 zone starts north of the Thames River just past Power Street (which I think should have access closed). I don't have a lead foot but I am frustrated when taking this section of the road, and those that want to book it are weaving and tailgating very dangerously.

I am still saddened the 401 rebuild doesn't feature a dedicated connection for 401 EB to Highbury NB. The traffic light breaks up two 100km/h roads and that is dumb.

[CanadianTalk]

Just watched a segment on the 6pm news tonight regarding the Highbury widening and extension project in St Thomas.

The project is currently out to tender and construction will start in the spring and is expected to finish by the end of the year. Utility relocation is occurring now.

Highbury will be widened from two to four lanes between Ron McNeil Line and South Edgeware Road. Highbury will also be extended from S Edgeware to Highway 3.

Roundabouts will be constructed along Highbury at Ron McNeil, S Edgeware, and Highway 3.

Here is a rendering of the road.
https://www.stthomas.ca/UserFiles/Se...mall%20(1).pdf

We start at at Ron McNeil and head south to Highway 3.

[haljackey]

Very cool. Here's the CTV news story (video)

https://london.ctvnews.ca/video/c287...inId=1.1137796