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
'Some structural damage' from wildfire near Fort Nelson, B.C., mayor confirms
More than one home has been damaged or lost due to a massive wildfire outside of the B.C. community of Fort Nelson, the mayor confirmed Wednesday.
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
B.C. man shot sex worker in the back during drug-fuelled birthday, court hears
A man from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been sentenced to four years behind bars after shooting a sex worker in the back during a drug-fuelled 43rd birthday.
'Inhumane conditions': 68 dogs pulled from Winnipeg home
Nearly six dozen dogs were seized from a home Wednesday morning by the Winnipeg Humane Society. It is the largest known seizure of animals in the city’s history.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.
Driver said he smoked pot oil, took medication before Florida crash that killed 8 Mexican workers
A man with a long record of dangerous driving told investigators he smoked marijuana oil and took prescription drugs hours before he sideswiped a bus, killing eight Mexican farmworkers and injuring dozens more, according to an arrest report unsealed Wednesday.