London Rapid Transit (U/C)

[ownthesky]

Define lifetime? My mother will benefit from the existing construction once it is done. My aunt won't, but would if the Wonderland section was done. A cousin of mine would benefit from the rest being done. These 3 people talk to everyone about things. So, I can see my aunt talking to her church group. I can see my cousin talking at work with her coworkers. And they all will talk to their friends and other family.

The future of BRT in London depends on the success of the existing project. With the current ones being slated to be opened 2026-2028, and with the fact that there is a municipal election in 2026, no doubt the BRT will be back as a ballot box question.

Sorry I mean to say that I doubt the culture will change in our lifetime, not that infrastructure won't change in our lifetime. The Wellington Gateway would have been a huge help for when I lived in the North End and worked at Vic. I am hopeful that the current projects will help convince people, I just suspect that it won't happen on the timescale many hope for and the uphill slog will continue. See the current regressive pushback against the bike infrastructure we see this year in town.

I'll give you a personal example. My family lives in the area around King's College. They've watched their neighborhood gradually become a student ghetto in their lifetime. They're university educated and don't have anything against students, but it upsets them to see the properties neglected and it upsets them to see all the families pack up from the neighborhood. Simultaneously, they strongly oppose ANY density in the area, including apartments specifically being marketed or built for students, and don't see any connection to the shift in their neighborhood. Their friends and associates have very similar views.

One thing I think that contributes to all this is a brain drain from London. There isn't a strong magnet for educated young people to stick around, beyond academia, and it has downstream impacts on the culture of the city.

 

[micheal_can]

Sorry I mean to say that I doubt the culture will change in our lifetime, not that infrastructure won't change in our lifetime. I am hopeful that the current projects will help convince people, I just suspect that it won't happen on the timescale many hope for and the uphill slog will continue. See the current regressive pushback against the bike infrastructure we see this year in town.

I'll give you a personal example. My family lives in the area around King's College. They've watched their neighborhood gradually become a student ghetto in their lifetime. They're university educated and don't have anything against students, but it upsets them to see the properties neglected and it upsets them to see all the families pack up from the neighborhood. Simultaneously, they strongly oppose ANY density in the area, including apartments specifically being marketed or built for students, and don't see any connection to the shift in their neighborhood. Their friends and associates have very similar views.

I am middle aged... In my lifetime, partly living in London, I have seen so much change. So, by the time I am old, like my aunt,I have no doubt that enough Londoners will want it and will want more of it. I feel with what is going on in the world, we may see a major investment in transit much like we saw with the 2008 recession. How many projects were approved? How many cities that did not have anything now have some sort of RT? The economy needs to keep chugging along, and government contracts for RT is a great way to do just that.

 

[ShonTron]

The King Street contraflow lane will begin operation on April 28.

Here are some photos I took last week.

 

[ShonTron]

Here are some photos of the first phase of the southern section on Wellington Street.

 

[ShonTron]

I wrote up some more thoughts on my website.

BRT comes to London

London’s rapid transit project, scaled down due to cost-cutting and local opposition, has serious challenges that will have to be overcome for it to become successful.

seanmarshall.ca

 

[UtakataNoAnnex]

I wrote up some more thoughts on my website.

BRT comes to London

London’s rapid transit project, scaled down due to cost-cutting and local opposition, has serious challenges that will have to be overcome for it to become successful.

seanmarshall.ca

Not sure it was budget constraints or the lack of political will. Having rid that bus system though before the years started with 2 in those effected areas, they certainly weren't listening to the people who where having to use it... /sigh

 

[ericmacm]

The new draft Mobility Master Plan (open for comments until October 8) shows the return of the North and West BRT legs as "near-term 2035", in addition to a new stretch of BRT along Oxford between the East and West BRT legs as "medium-term 2035-2045", and a Wonderland BRT leg as a "long-term 2045-2050", but they are unfortunately going to prioritize widening the road first. The North BRT leg will go along Riverside, Wharncliffe, and Western Road up to Masonville. The Queen's Bridge Widening/Rehabilitation project that is due to start in 2026 has also been indicated to have a provision for both eastbound and westbound BRT lanes as a rough-in for the North BRT leg.

 

[ericmacm]

The Queens Bridge rehabilitation project will be starting this year, due to commence in Spring 2026 and complete in Fall 2026. This work involves reconfiguration of the existing bridge (two westbound general traffic lanes, two sidewalks) into a configuration with two westbound general traffic lanes, one westbound rapid transit lane, one eastbound rapid transit lane (will not be implemented immediately but will be reserved for the future), and one multi-use pathway. This is considered enabling infrastructure for the North London BRT.

I am hoping we hear more about the North and West BRT legs this year.