Election Issue -Affordable Ring Rd

In an August 25th, 2004 letter to council, the London Development Institute emphasized the city neither needs a peripheral expressway nor can it afford one; it doesn't solve internal or external linkage problems. London Development Institute suggested the city encourage the Province to structure a Regional Transportation Plan ...as in the GTA, the Technology Triangle and the Golden Horseshoe.
In its city-centric drive for an agri-expressway, ring road discussions would involve London/Middlesex horse-trading ...with Perth and Oxford left out entirely. Provincial consultation might occur later.
Is it possible the alternative to a ring road, i.e a trade corridor, is viewed as giving the much smaller centers undue advantage in locating new industries? The Southwest Capital has an insecurity complex if it sees benefit in dealing with Middlesex to salvage a far-out commuter loop, over working with regional partners in lobbying for a provincially financed trade link.
Meanwhile, at the confluence of two freeways, Woodstock is in a position to attract a major auto plant ...rather than a call center. If London dithers much longer, there will be industrial land use on the field where a full 401/403 clover-leaf should go.
City and regional taxpayers take note: A northern inter-city freeway with ramps at Clarke/Airport Rd, Adelaide, Richmond, and at a connected Westdel/Denfield Rd completes a peripheral city road at minimal local expense while benefiting the region.
While others say, "Build the future by building trade corridors," London spins its wheels on a dream expressway far beyond its fiscal and geographic reach.

Closing the Ring

Middlesex County always cast a wary eye on London's plans for an exclusionary expressway ..and rightly so, since it did nothing for the people of Huron, Middlesex, Oxford and Perth counties. Intersecting their major north/south roads with a 403 extension to Strathroy gives Exeter, Stratford, St. Marys and Wingham greatly improved access to a NAFTA route.
Our midwest cities and towns will only thrive if they cooperate now in promotion of such a high-speed corridor. The region either enhances its NAFTA presence or watches future generations of graduates follow the jobs south.
It is unlikely that an August 2004 letter from the London Development Institute was noticed in the counties. The letter provided ring road estimates of $62 millions for right-of-way purchase and construction estimates of $335 millions. LDI concluded: London can't afford to go it alone on its north expressway and urged the Mayor to improve external links by leading a rally to have the Province sponsor a Regional Transportation Plan.
As the newly self-proclaimed Capital of the Southwest, London should be ready to push the more practical and affordable alternative to the in-city-out-of-city agri-expressway. Indeed, all municipalities have to turn a new leaf ...and focus on connections instead of separations.
An inter-city freeway with ramps at Clark/Airport Rd and at a connected Westdel/Denfield Rd completes the north ring at minimal local expense -and just as importantly, benefits the counties.
Simple and straight-forward, yes, but it takes exceptional resolve to get municipalities to work together for the collective good. Voters will have to persist in e-mailing editors, their Mayors, MPPs and MPs.
Sent to the press in Exeter, St Marys, Strathroy & Stratford in March 2005 ...and appeared in the Lononer Apr 20, 05

Transport Board Needed

Cities and regional governments around Toronto have a joint board whose top priority is a seamless highway system. Given the province's decreasing role in funding roads, the London area should move to such a structure to avoid turf wars over road routing, design and cost sharing.
Case in point -Middlesex and London drivers are not convinced north and west agri-expressways fix inner-city traffic woes. Although the far west has no industries, millions would be spent on a heavy-duty high-speed stub across creek and through productive woodland and cropland from the 402 to Oxford St W; far better to avoid such disruptive mid-block corridor and join two existing roads, Westdel and Denfield; thus connecting Highway 4 at Clandeboy with the 402 .
Perspectives -In 98 the Province said there were plans for widening the 401 between Wellington Rd and the 402 intersection, but no current plans for a freeway connecting Woodstock to Strathroy. Regardless, business and political leaders in the area can best advance their NAFTA priorities by pushing for that northern 403/402 link.
Reality Check -The thru-London stretch of the 401 is not capable of handling future truck and auto volumes. Perhaps with London's ring distraction, other south-west municialities will take the lead in creating a strategic Transportation Authority.
In London Business Magazine & St. Thomas Times-Journal back in 1999