Delays building BRT add new detours downtown
When it is finished, London, Ont.’s bus rapid transit (BRT) will speed up commutes, but for now the growing maze of downtown detours is fueling frustration.
“There is no such thing as bus schedules with all this construction!” says bus passenger Sherri Fraser. “I give myself an hour and 15 minutes so I can get to work early, but the unpredictability makes it all the more difficult.”
Next week, navigating the core will get even more difficult when the intersection at Talbot Street and Queens Avenue closes.
The city decided to begin work on the intersection in order to compensate for delays experienced building other segments of the rapid transit system in the area.
City of London Director of Construction and Infrastructure Jennie Dann describes the network of century-old pipes and utilities discovered during excavation in the area as “spaghetti.”
A map of closures in downtown London, Ont. starting Oct. 3, 2022. (Source: City of London)
“There are sections that have run into some challenges,” Dann explains. “We've been able to pivot and adjust with the changes we're making now, bringing some sections forward.”
London Transit warns the closure will impact 19 of its bus routes.
“With that additional amount of traffic and buses all utilizing Richmond, that is likely to result in delays which will mean further schedule adherence issues,” says London Transit Commission General Manager Kelly Paleczny.
Closing the intersection will block traffic in both directions on Talbot, and detour westbound drivers to either York or Horton.
“We are really pushing forward with the work on Ridout Street, so we hope to have that opening up closer to Halloween,” adds Dann. “There is a little bit of an overlap [with Talbot and Queens] and we really appreciate Londoners patience.”
The intersection closes on Oct. 3 and is anticipated to reopen in mid-December.
London Transit recommends utilizing real-time bus schedule information on its website.
Paleczny explains that adding extra buses to impacted routes isn’t possible because of an ongoing shortage of bus drivers.
“We would normally add ‘tripper buses’ to help alleviate the crowding and scheduling on our busier routes, but given our restrictions with respect to resources, we just aren't able to do that this year,” she says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING King Charles' cancer treatment progressing well, says Buckingham Palace
King Charles III’s doctors are 'sufficiently pleased' with his cancer treatment and he is expected to return to public-facing duties, Buckingham Palace announced on Friday.
BREAKING Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
'Unacceptable': Trudeau reacts after AFN chief says headdress taken from plane cabin
After the Assembly of First Nations' national chief said her headdress was taken from an airplane cabin this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the incident 'unacceptable' and a 'mistake' on the part of Air Canada.
DEVELOPING Bird flu outbreaks: WHO weighs in on public health risk
The current overall public health risk posed by the H5N1 bird flu virus is low, the World Health Organization said on Friday, but urged countries to stay alert for cases of animal-to-human transmission.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
Regina police officer injured after being accidentally shot by fellow officer's gun
An investigation is underway after a Regina police officer was accidentally shot by a fellow officer’s gun during the search of a house early Friday morning.
From faulty kids' cribs to flammable kids' bathrobes, here are the recalls of the week
Health Canada issued recalls for various items this week, including kids’ bathrobes, cribs and henna cones.
Taylor Swift dons Montreal designer's dress in 'Fortnight' video
A pair of Montreal designers' work has now been viewed over 41 million times. Taylor Swift dons a Victorian throwback black gown in her latest music video, 'Fortnight', designed by UNTTLD due Simon Belanger and Jose Manuel Saint-Jacques.
Island near Mull of Kintyre for sale for US$3.1 million
An idyllic 453-acre private island is up for sale off the west coast of Scotland and it comes with sandy beaches, puffins galore, seven houses, a pub, a helipad and a flock of black-faced sheep.