VMP - Should be a full Freeway ASAP

[haljackey]

K-W-C-G (the four headed monster) is going to get yet another freeway.

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/re...M2011-0412.pdf

Meanwhile in London, the VMP might be upgraded to a freeway by the 2070's.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by haljackey

K-W-C-G (the four headed monster) is going to get yet another freeway.

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/re...M2011-0412.pdf

Meanwhile in London, the VMP might be upgraded to a freeway by the 2070's.

Well, what did you expect? London is the city of flopertunity!

[MolsonExport]

No. London is the city of the five-dollar beej!

[Pimpmasterdac]

It's more politics than anything!

Highway 7 plan had been on the back burner, until this upcoming by-election in KW, now Premier McLiar hopes to buy a majority with another promise... If this by-election were in London I'm sure we'd be getting golden nuggets dropped in our backyard too.

The whole VMP/Airport Rd deal London got screwed big time by the province. Something that was constructed in lieu of the an "in London" 402 was a provincial highway for not even 20 years. An unlike this Highway 7 which is a whole new route, VMP needs interchanges on the existing route and a minor extension north.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by Pimpmasterdac

It's more politics than anything!

Highway 7 plan had been on the back burner, until this upcoming by-election in KW, now Premier McLiar hopes to buy a majority with another promise... If this by-election were in London I'm sure we'd be getting golden nuggets dropped in our backyard too.

The whole VMP/Airport Rd deal London got screwed big time by the province. Something that was constructed in lieu of the an "in London" 402 was a provincial highway for not even 20 years. An unlike this Highway 7 which is a whole new route, VMP needs interchanges on the existing route and a minor extension north.

He isn't going to get another majority, considering that he's doing his level best to rip up all contracts for teachers in the province and impose a new one unilaterally. He doesn't seem to care, or understand that the teachers comprise a fairly significant voting bloc and they still wield a considerable amount of influence.

I could actually see the next provincial government being a coalition of all three parties. The NDP stand to pick up a lot of votes from people who see Hudak as a Harris wannabe, and remember the destruction that Harris wreaked on the province during his time in office. And Hudak will pick up a few votes from those who are disaffected by the Liberals.

[MolsonExport]

That fucker is never getting my vote after ripping up teacher contracts. And I will never vote Conservative.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by haljackey

K-W-C-G (the four headed monster) is going to get yet another freeway.

http://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/re...M2011-0412.pdf

Meanwhile in London, the VMP might be upgraded to a freeway by the 2070's.

The whole thing is political. There is no by-election in London, we are not exactly a swing riding, and McGuinty will do absolutely anything to get re-elected. How about the fund for laid-off RIM employees? Did we see anything similar offered to former employees of Electro-Motive?

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

That fucker is never getting my vote after ripping up teacher contracts.

Frankly that was one of the few McGuinty moves that I supported. The government has fiscal realities that it needs to face, the old contract was set to expire, and teachers' salaries have been increasing far beyond the rate of inflation for the past couple years. If my employer was also in dire fiscal straits, I would say a wage freeze would be a reasonable move; if I were really unhappy with such a decision, I would still be free to quit my job.

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

And I will never vote Conservative.

Then you may as well not vote, because the only alternative would be borderline communism.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Originally Posted by Stevo26

He isn't going to get another majority, considering that he's doing his level best to rip up all contracts for teachers in the province and impose a new one unilaterally. He doesn't seem to care, or understand that the teachers comprise a fairly significant voting bloc and they still wield a considerable amount of influence.

Originally Posted by Wharn

Frankly that was one of the few McGuinty moves that I supported. The government has fiscal realities that it needs to face, the old contract was set to expire, and teachers' salaries have been increasing far beyond the rate of inflation for the past couple years. If my employer was also in dire fiscal straits, I would say a wage freeze would be a reasonable move; if I were really unhappy with such a decision, I would still be free to quit my job.

Believe me I'm not going for premier McLiar. I'd rather have a minority government than give that two-faced fraud another full mandate to run this province into the ground. Minority will keep the government on edge.

While I agree in spirit with trying to freeze wages but 1) He seem to pick on certain public professions, rather that implement an across the board freeze for all public sector employees. 2) Essentially these groups are being forced to pay for McGuinty's years of binge tax & spend policies. McGunity has a well thought out and extensive plan for financial solvency, in the Drummond report, which he's seemed fine to wipe his ass with rather implement.

Anyways it's pure power politics this highway 7 extension. Here in London we have two high profile cabinet ministers, yet what has London got/getting to show for it?

No regional economic stimulus that other areas in Ontario got. No grand infrastructure project in lieu of economic stimulus that other areas are getting (Toronto Eglinton LRT, KW LRT, Windsor-Essex Parkway, 404 extension, highway 7 extension) Instead we get 2 measly interchanges, one on Wonderland/401 that shoud've been done years ago, and an unnecessary one @ VMP/401. Neither of which seem to be coming anytime soon.

[MolsonExport]

While I agree in spirit with trying to freeze wages but 1) He seem to pick on certain public professions, rather that implement an across the board freeze for all public sector employees. 2) Essentially these groups are being forced to pay for McGuinty's years of binge tax & spend policies.

this. I'd like to see mcsquinty try this with police and firemen.

[haljackey]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

That fucker is never getting my vote after ripping up teacher contracts. And I will never vote Conservative.

Originally Posted by Wharn

Then you may as well not vote, because the only alternative would be borderline communism.

Just remember there is a progressive conservative party in Ontario... And then there's always the Green Party, which believe it or not, is actually legit in this province.


In all reality, Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is one of the province's busiest 2 lane highways. This route actually goes somewhere, whereas the VMP goes nowhere (as in connecting to another city). It just grinds my gears to see projects like this go ahead time and time again with London left in the dust, regardless if it's political or not.

[Wharn]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

this. I'd like to see mcsquinty try this with police and firemen.

With the exception of the OPP, aren't those municipal responsibilities? Mind you, I would love it if McDinky took on the police unions. He would either succeed in trimming them back or inadvertently turn public opinion against them and permanently tarnish their reputation. Both outcomes would be acceptable.

Originally Posted by haljackey

Just remember there is a progressive conservative party in Ontario... And then there's always the Green Party, which believe it or not, is actually legit in this province.

Unfortunately the Greens suffer from a lot of populism. Some of their ideas are good, such as reducing the size of the central government, increasing the power of municipalities and reducing income taxes, but then things like tuition freezes and carbon taxes make me cringe. Still, I'd rather have them than the NDP.

Originally Posted by haljackey

In all reality, Highway 7 between Kitchener and Guelph is one of the province's busiest 2 lane highways. This route actually goes somewhere, whereas the VMP goes nowhere (as in connecting to another city). It just grinds my gears to see projects like this go ahead time and time again with London left in the dust, regardless if it's political or not.

I would much rather see this money being spent on Highway 69. London is not the only city that has been deprived of much-needed infrastructure spending; Sudbury has been waiting for a freeway connection for over 30 years and construction is still moving forward at a snail's pace. But that's a hardcore NDP seat, so who cares about it? Just like how London is a safe Liberal seat. Nothing needs doing, as far as McGuinty is concerned.

[Stevo26]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

this. I'd like to see mcsquinty try this with police and firemen.

My feeling is that McSquinty can legislate all he wants, but he is going to find himself getting shot down in the courts when the teachers' unions drag him there in a year or so from now, if not sooner.

A number of years ago, the Supreme Court handed down a ruling that says collective bargaining is a Charter-protected right, meaning you can't just arbitrarily and unilaterally rip up existing collective agreements via legislative fiat. As far as the courts are concerned, it doesn't matter that the government have dug themselves into a fiscal hole. Bargaining rights must be respected, period.

What will probably happen is the teachers will get legislated back to work, and an arbitrator will get involved on the bargaining front. What kind of contract emerges after that is anyone's guess.

[Pimpmasterdac]

On a good note the city has filed plans for VMP north of the 401, which include a northern extension to Clarke Road and the interchanges that will be needed. As well new streets in the east end are scheduled for roads which will no longer have access to VMP (River Road, Tartan Dr, Admiral Dr, Page St).

While the city still will probably take decades to actually carry out the implementation, hopefully serious government comes up with new funding for this project

VMP Freeway & North Extension: http://sire.london.ca/view.aspx?cabi...&fileid=109555

[haljackey]

I really hope when the north extension is done interchanges are just built right then and there. However with the penny-pinching finances of the city I highly doubt that will happen... in fact it just might be only two lanes initially.

Thanks for the link. At the end its dated Aug 27 2013? Is that when the plan will be presented? If so perhaps I might attend it.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Only way I see it happening soon is if the Ontario Liberals approve their proposed 1% HST increase for transit, and London diverting the funds to the VMP. We just had a by-election and no party offered London any pork barrel goodies..

Plans from 2007 have VMP 4 lanes all the way to the Thames River north branch, with service roads next to it from Huron to the river. Though with London's history of following plans, who knows how it'll actually be.

VMP 2007 Plans: http://london.ca/Transportation/PDFs/VMP-PIC_PLANS.pdf (6Mbs)

[haljackey]

Wow you are awesome digging up all these links. I just hate the links

What a complete mess. The Highbury interchange is screwed up and it looks like this one will be too.

[ssiguy]

Let me guess..............this is to be completed at the same time as the Ring Road.

London should be using it's precious funds for it's planned BRT system and a good case could be made for funds as Kitchener is getting money for it's LRT but KWC has significantly lower ridership levels than does London Transit.

[manny_santos]

Veterans Memorial Parkway, up to Oxford Street, is part of the National Highway System (NHS), so chances are it can get some federal funding without diverting money away from local projects.

[Pimpmasterdac]

Originally Posted by haljackey

Wow you are awesome digging up all these links. I just hate the links

What a complete mess. The Highbury interchange is screwed up and it looks like this one will be too.

There's lots on http://www.london.ca they have to give public notice on these proposed projects, as well as current one's like Southdale & Oxford widenings.

Highbury could be better, luckily they haven't started design process on the new interchange, perhaps they can design it a bit better..

Originally Posted by ssiguy

Let me guess..............this is to be completed at the same time as the Ring Road.

London should be using it's precious funds for it's planned BRT system and a good case could be made for funds as Kitchener is getting money for it's LRT but KWC has significantly lower ridership levels than does London Transit.

Best London will get is a backwards L as far as a ring road system. It's theoretically planned to be a U with a west end freeway, somewhere between Westdel Bourne and Woodhull road, but it's only lines on a map now and I doubt will get built with all the sprawl in the west end.

The LTC BRT plan is good one, it surprised me in the scope they're planning on going. However the scope the the expropriations needed along Wellington & Richmond might be out a NIMBY crowd bigger than any freeway ever would. Hopefully council carrys out the plan regardless, but looking at past examples might fold.

Hopefully VMP can get senior level government funding, it ought to have been made a freeway when it was widened in 2006, instead of doing improvement in piecemeal stages. The plan proposed requires all sorts of new roads in the east end first, extension to Clarke and then finally put interchanges on VMP.

[middeljohn]

Hi everyone, this is my first post.

As far as converting VMP to a freeway is concerned, I'm not sure what good it will do. It is way too far east of downtown (8km if I remember correctly) to be a faster option to get there. It would be beneficial for people trying to get to the north (assuming it gets extended to Fanshawe).

I live in SOHO and my preferred route for getting to the 401 - even when traveling west bound - is Hamilton to Highbury to 401. The stretch on Hamilton from Adelaide to Highbury is only 2km. From Wellington it's 3km. Converting the VMP would do nothing for the central part of the city however this isn't necessarily a bad thing either.

The city messed up when it didn't turn Highbury into a full freeway and now it's too late. I don't think I've been north of Huron in over 2 months now, just because it takes too long to get there. The only thing that the city can still fix road-wise is converting as many rail crossings to overpasses as soon as possible. The only major road that would be a problem is Richmond (the tracks would have to he moved below grade).

A lack of foresight led to no freeway and sparsely distributed overpasses, which I believe are the two primary reasons this city is now struggling to grow economically.