BRT 2.0: What to know about proposed resurrection of north, west routes

What’s old is new again. London’s new 25-year transportation master plan contains a proposal to revive two bus rapid transit routes to serve north and west London. LFP’s Jack Moulton takes a look back, and forward, at rapid transit’s political feasibility.

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WHAT’S ON THE TABLE FOR BUS RAPID TRANSIT?

Within the next decade, city hall hopes to have a western bus rapid transit (BRT) route of dedicated bus lanes between downtown and the intersection of Oxford Street and Wonderland Road, via Riverside Drive, Wharncliffe Road North and Oxford Street.

Also before 2035, the city hopes to build a northern BRT route between downtown and CF Masonville Place using Riverside, Wharncliffe, Western Road through the university until it meets Richmond Street and the mall.

WHAT HAPPENED PREVIOUSLY?

In 2019, city council voted to fund BRT to Fanshawe College and White Oaks Mall, but voted against funding an almost identical west leg, as well as a north leg that ran along Richmond Street to University Avenue to Western Road, before continuing north to Masonville .

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A Western Road northern route similar to what is being proposed today was considered during early BRT talks.

In the west, councilors objected to the route having a mix of dedicated and shared traffic lanes. For the north, problems included how to bypass the Richmond Row rail crossing, the narrow Richmond corridor, and co-ordinating with Western University to use its roads.

WHAT ARE THE PROS OF AN EXPANDED BRT SYSTEM?

Finally connecting with Western University, and taking traffic pressure off of Oxford and Wonderland are the big wins for council.

“With the north route, I see some possibilities there. . . One of the big users of transit is a post-secondary student population,” Ward 8 Coun. Steve Lehman said.

Mayor Josh Morgan said the transportation master plan tracks London’s growth well, and follows up on fixes council wanted of the nixed routes. A former Western employee himself, he referenced how the Western Road route was preferred by the university.

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“This looks like something that. . . aligns much more with what the public criticisms were of the north and west routes,” Morgan said.

The west route in particular is “an imperative,” Ward 6. Coun. Sam Trosow said. He and Ward 13 Coun. David Ferreira opposed several proposed high-density developments for the Oxford and Wonderland area, arguing the city should have a plan for addressing traffic first.

“It’s so important, because you’re going to see huge development there,” Ferreira said. “This is an excellent plug to alleviate congestion.”

Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman said there is a need for connectivity in the north and west where growth has been the strongest.

THE CONS OF EXPANDING BRT?

Though city hall would like to see the new north and west routes built within the next decade, nothing will happen without financial help from Queen’s Park and Ottawa, Morgan said. Given the city’s growth, however, he doesn’t expect it to be a difficult argument.

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“I can’t contemplate a situation where the provincial and federal governments wouldn’t recognize that London has grown and will grow tremendously and need significant investment to help flow people across the city efficiently,” he said.

ANY CONSENSUS?

Given the bitter divides that existed over the previous BRT plans, including election platforms, are these plans realistic? It remains to be seen, but politicians agree something needs to happen.

“I think there’s broad agreement among all councilors of all different stripes, that the need is there,” Trosow said. “I think where we will run into differences of opinion is how quickly we’re going to do this, how we’re going to fund it, and what do we do with development applications in the meantime.”

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Rahman adds the desire for more rapid transit might also depend on how effective the not-yet-completed east link and Wellington gateway operate.

“Until that time that we really see that transition, that movement, with the current routes and with the future planned routes that are underway, I think it’s difficult to really assess where everyone is on rapid transit,” she said.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Beginning next month, city staff will host several public meetings to gather feedback on the proposed networks of the master plan:

• Jan. 8: South London Community Centre, drop in from 6-8 pm
• Jan. 9: East Lions Community Centre, drop in from 6-8 pm
• Jan. 15: Northbrae elementary school, drop in from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• Jan. 16: Cherryhill Village Mall, drop in from 6-8 p.m.

The draft networks will be brought to politicians in the spring, where they could be subject to change, with the full plan coming later in the summer.

[email protected]

@JackAtLFPress

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