Old East braces for more road construction as work resumes on East London Link
Another season of road construction in London’s Old East Village is about to get underway.
Beginning Wednesday, road closures will take place along part of the Dundas corridor and last through the summer, as crews complete carry-over work on phase two of the East London Link for the bus rapid transit project.
For affected businesses, it’s another season of trying to steer customers to their doors with minimal headaches.
“I gotta admit it is frustrating because we get a lot of calls from our clients who are trying to navigate this area, and not everyone is aware of the closures,” explained Graham Stuart, owner of McHardy Vacuum on Dundas Street. “So then they get stuck. Sometimes they don’t always make it here.”
“With COVID and construction, street traffic and walking traffic have all diminished,” added John Reed of J. Reed Upholstery at Dundas and Woodman. “It will, I hope come back.”
Road closures include:
- Dundas Street from Ontario Street to Egerton Street
- Ontario Street between Dundas Street and King Street
- King Street from Lyle Street to Ontario Street
Beginning May 1, 2024, road closures will take place along part of the Dundas corridor and last through the summer. (CTV News)
At Illbury+Goose knick knack shop on Dundas Street, owner Dan Phillips said he’s tired of the back-and-forth.
“Especially last year, the hurdles we had to go through made it really tough,” said Phillips.
He continued, “Luckily for us again we’ve got a lot of customers and we can ship online. But when it’s construction season nobody wants to go around through it. Just be re-inventing the wheel once again and trying to stay relevant and letting people come shop and come figure out how they’re going to get here.”
The city said local traffic and pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction, so you’ll still be able to get to your destination in the Old East Village, but you might have to jump a few traffic hurdles.
A sign at Dundas and Egerton streets in London, Ont. indicates businesses are open during construction as of April 30, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
Jennie Dann, the city’s director of construction and infrastructure said the road closures, excluding local traffic, may be inconvenient, but it’s the safest way to complete the work.
“A lot of our typical carry-over work includes raising the man-hole lids in preparation for top-coat asphalt. We’ll be removing the temporary street poles and street lights, we’ll be doing some deficiency repairs to concrete and finishing touches, so it those last things. But we really need to touch a lot of spots throughout the project so it’s safest and clearest for everybody if we a close the end points and just allow drivers to have local access,” said Dann.
The city said it’s working closely with local businesses to address their needs during construction.
This phase of the East London Link is expected to wrap by the end of summer.
Director of Construction and Infrastructure for London, Ont. Jennie Dann is seen on April 30, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trump confronts repeated boos during raucous Libertarian convention speech
Donald Trump was booed repeatedly while addressing Saturday night’s Libertarian Party National Convention.
This type of screen time has the worst effect on kids: experts
According to some experts, there is one type of screen time that is continuously excessive, and it's having a severe effect on our children.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
Three dead after vehicle plunged down a 100-foot embankment in Shediac, N.B.
Three people have died after a vehicle veered off the road in Shediac N.B., Friday morning.
Appeal denied for Edmonton soldier accused of trying to kill her 3 children
An Edmonton woman found guilty of trying to kill her three children has been denied an appeal.