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City plans rehabilitation of bridge along busy commuter corridor in London

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Frustrated commuters will have a new traffic headache to worry about in north London, Ont. next year.

As the Adelaide Rail Underpass is completed in 2025, the city plans to embark on another large infrastructure project in the area.

Rehabilitation of the Adelaide Street North Bridge will extend its lifespan and improve walking and cycling opportunities in the area.

Constructed in 1982, the concrete bridge crosses the Thames River between Windermere Road and Kipps Lane.

The final design will include active transportation infrastructure connecting to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP) multi-use path that runs beneath the south end of the bridge.

“On the west side of the bridge, we’re looking to widen the existing sidewalk to provide a multi-use path,” explained Garfield Dales, director of Transportation Planning and Design. “I think that’ll be a great improvement to connectivity.”

Adelaide Street North Bridge, seen on April 3, 2024, will be rehabilitated in 2025. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

An active transportation route crossing the river will connect the TVP to multi-use pathways, a dog park, and the Stoneybrook neighbourhood to the north.

“The Stoney Creek connection will provide a new multi-use pathway, over 1.2 km in length, along Windermere Road and Adelaide Street North connecting to the Thames Valley Parkway,” reads the staff report.

The Stoney Creek pathway will be constructed in 2024 and is partially funded through the federal government’s Active Transportation Fund.

Rehabilitation of the bridge will allow it to remain in service for the next 30 years as a popular commuting corridor.

But drivers should brace for some short-term traffic headaches during the bridge work.

Adelaide Street North Bridge, seen on April 3, 2024, will be rehabilitated in 2025. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)

Lane reductions during construction of the nearby Adelaide Rail Underpass will be ending around the same time that reductions are likely to begin on the bridge.

Dales suggests the projects will be coordinated to minimize the impact to the 30,000 vehicles that cross the bridge each day.

“We anticipate we’d be able to maintain one lane of traffic in each direction during construction,” Dales said. “We will finalize those plans through the design process.”

On Tuesday, the Civic Works Committee will consider hiring a consultant to undertake the detailed design and tendering phases of the infrastructure project.

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