Resources & Data | LONDON TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE

LTA MOBILITY OBJECTIVES

OBJECTIVE 1

Providing a Modern Road Network

Improved traffic demand management

The efficiency of a region’s transportation system can be greatly improved by the deployment of a traffic management system that optimizes the level of mobility that can be provided by a region’s existing transportation network.

London should make further progress in adopting “smart” traffic light technology, which adjusts to varying traffic volumes to reduce delays and improve mobility. London should also expand its traffic demand management capability so that the city’s traffic lights and other traffic management devices can be coordinated to improve regional mobility.

Bottleneck improvements

Traffic bottlenecks cost the region’s residents, visitors and businesses a significant penalty in the form of lost time and reduced productivity. Individual transportation bottlenecks can be evaluated to determine whether there are practical measures that can be implemented to relieve the bottleneck and improve mobility. Possible transportation bottleneck solutions include: improved signal timing, additional turn lanes and improved intersection design.

The following is a list of London’s most challenging bottlenecks, which could be improved through a set of comprehensive bottleneck relief measures:

Optimization of arterial roads

Because London does not have any urban freeways (other than a small portion of Highbury Street from Hamilton Road to Highway 401) mobility in the city is highly reliant on its major, signalized, arterial roads, which are often constrained by a narrow rights-of-way, which limits the opportunity for lane widenings without major harm to the streetscape and character of a transportation corridor. Travel on these roads is often impeded by a lack of turn lanes or buy laybys, which results in significant travel delays.

The implementation of a program to optimize mobility on London’s most critical arterial roadways would provide a significant benefit to Londoners, regardless of which mode is used, in the form of reduced delays and improved mobility.

Where appropriate, the provision of the following improvements could be provided on London’s major arterials to optimize mobility on these routes: improved signal timing, left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes and bus laybys to allow other vehicles to proceed while buses pick up and drop off passengers.

The following portions of arterial roadways in London would benefit from a program of roadway optimization:

Accommodating future growth in London will also require the widening of some existing London roadways and in some cases either the extension of existing routes or the removal of gaps in the region’s road network.

The following chart provides details on needed capacity expansions in London’s road network:

OBJECTIVE 2

Enhancing Public transit, shared transportation services and environmental stewardship

Mobility is a critical factor in the quality of life in a region, impacting the ability of people to access employment, education, healthcare and social activities. Insuring that people are provided a high level of mobility regardless of income or physical ability is vital to a region’s livability.

As the provision of urban transportation rapidly evolves as a result of changing vehicle and communications technology, it is important that a region modernize its transportation system to insure that its approach to mobility maximizes its benefit to the community.

The emergence of connected, electric and autonomous vehicles offers London an opportunity to enhance mobility for all Londoners by combining on-demand, point-to-point, environmentally friendly transportation services with a fixed route, public transit system that enhances the ability of both to provide optimal transportation options to Londoners.

Provide additional electric vehicle charging stations.
Support/encourage implementation of self-driving and connected vehicles.
Support/encourage introduction of ride-hailing and ride-sharing transportation providers.
Transition regional transit agency to a regional mobility agency.

London should provide system-wide enhancements to its fixed-route public transit system to improve service to the city’s transit users and to build transit ridership without disrupting mobility for other transportation modes or impacting the character or livability of its communities and neighborhoods. Improvements to London’s public transit system should include:

Improved service frequency of traditional fixed-route as well as of on-demand or express public transit.
Expanded use of express and semi-express routes, particularly during peak demand periods.
Improved and expanded transit routes to better serve emerging needs.
Improved bus shelters, including the provision of additional benches, advanced vehicle location and real-time messaging to keep riders informed of wait times.
Expanded off-bus pre-payment systems.
The use of transit signal priority measures.
The use of emerging forms of public transit such as micro-transit in an effort to cost-effectively increase the quality of regional transportation.

OBJECTIVE 3

Removing rail freight from London and converting these corridors to bike/pedestrian facilities and evaluating the possibility of providing rapid transit on these corridors.

The CP and CN rail freight lines which dissect London from east to west continue to be a significant source of transportation delays for Londoners and also compromises public safety.

To improve regional mobility, the London Transportation Alliance recommends removing freight rail from London and converting these critical transportation corridors into a combination of bike and pedestrian trails and evaluating the possibility of providing rapid transit on these corridors.

Freight rail traversing the London region would be re-routed to a new freight rail line, which would be built largely on existing right-of-way, including Veterans Memorial Parkway, the 401 and the 402, which would reduce expropriation costs. The CN would retain use of their rail line for inter-regional, passenger rail service.

The removal of freight rail from London would have a significant impact in reducing traffic congestion largely by eliminating delays caused by freight train movement and shunting and would also remove the threat of catastrophic damage in the city that could be caused by a freight rail derailment. It would negate the need to build a $60 million underpass slated for the Adelaide Street CP rail line crossing. Removing freight rail from London would also make available two major transportation corridors in London to be used for active transportation as well as improved transit.

London could build pedestrian/bicycle paths along the former freight rail right-of-way and could evaluate whether these corridors could be used for either light rail or bus rapid transit. Additional rail spurs could be added to the London Airport and to Fanshawe College, to improve their transit access. The two rail corridors also traverse several parks in the city as well as the Western Fair District, further enhancing the usefulness of the corridors for recreation and transit.

The possible inclusion of rapid transit on these corridors would also improve transit service in London, without the need to expropriation of property or disruption to residents or businesses, including the widening of roadways.

OBJECTIVE 4

Improving Active Transportation Options in Urban Areas

The London Transportation Alliance recognizes the benefits of providing a variety of active transportation options, including improved health of residents, better air quality and reduced greenhouse gas emissions, a more connected and efficient transportation network and reduced traffic congestion.

Projects:

Improve and expand opportunities for bicycling

Expand bike share programs as well as exploring the possibility of a dockless bike network in London to expand access to bicycles. In addition to London’s current system of bike trails and limited on-street bike route network, explore the possibility of adding bike lanes on the following routes

Pedestrian facilities

Continue to fund the addition of pedestrian facilities to further connect the London.

Paddling improvements / paddle share

Provide a low-water dam to replace the decommissioned Springbank Dam to allow self-powered water craft to use the Thames River from May until early October. Provide a series of paddle-share stations at several locations along the Thames River, including Springbank Park, Greenway Park, Evergreen Park, Forks Park, Thames Park, Carfrae Park, Harris Park, Gibbons Park and North Branch Park to provide kayaks and canoes. The paddle share and bike share programs would be combined to provide Londoners with city-wide access for walking, bicycling and paddling.

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