Future Extensions, London Ring Road
London's original ring road was initially planned to be Highbury Avenue, also known as Highway 126, which was opened in 1963. Its exit with Highway 401 is the next one west of Veterans Memorial Parkway. Local opposition resulted in Highbury Avenue's truncation at Hamilton Road.
The City of London has short-term plans to extend Veterans Memorial Parkway to connect with Clarke Road near the Fanshawe Conservation Area. Also, extending Veterans Memorial Parkway south of Highway 401 to Highway 3 in St. Thomas remains a future possibility.
Widening the road between Oxford Street and Huron Street / Robin's Hill Road is also in the city's short term transportation objectives. An environmental study is underway to reconstruct the three-way trumpet interchange with Highway 401 into a four-way interchange that would connect the expressway to Wilton Grove Road and potentially as far south as St. Thomas.
In 2007, the City of London conducted an environmental assessment on potential interchange locations to be built along Veterans Memorial Parkway. These plans are within a 10-20 year time frame.
The City of London conducted a long-term transportation corridor protection study in 2001 and noted that the Veterans Memorial Parkway (then Airport Road) would serve as the city's eastern expressway when the city reaches its projected full build-out potential.
Long-term plans call for Veterans Memorial Parkway to be included as the eastern leg of a future London Ring Road. These proposals have been discussed since the 1960s and recently have been revived. The eastern corridor for a ring road would use Veterans Memorial Parkway in the east, then continue north along Clarke Road. A western link would start at Highway 402 and head north between Westdel Bourne Road and Woodhull Road.
The northern corridor is a major stumbling block since the lands needed within the city limits have been developed. The only available route possible would be outside of the city in Middlesex Centre. Although talks continue between both municipalities, only the province can approve the plan.
Even if a route for the highway is selected soon, it would not likely be built for 20–30 years.
Read more about this topic: Veterans Memorial Parkway
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