Throwing Good Money After Bad Car Infrastructure - Wonderland Road

Summary

A proposed $212 million road-widening project in London, Ontario, aimed at easing traffic congestion, was reconsidered due to its environmental and social impacts. The speaker critiques Wonderland Road, a typical car-centric 'stroad', highlighting its dangerous design for pedestrians and cyclists. The video contrasts this with well-designed streets in Amsterdam, demonstrating how sustainable infrastructure can move more people. Ultimately, the project was canceled as city officials acknowledged the negative impacts, raising broader questions about the future of urban planning and the need to prioritize public transportation over car-dependent infrastructure.

Takeaways

• 😀 London, Ontario, was once known for its car-centric urban design, leading to a dependency on cars for mobility.
• 🚗 Wonderland Road, a major North-South arterial in London, was originally a 5-lane 'stroad' that served over 45,000 vehicles per day, contributing to traffic congestion.
• 🚧 A proposed road widening project aimed to expand the road to 7 lanes, costing over $212 million, despite the issue of induced demand.
• 🌳 The road's design was hostile to non-drivers, with minimal pedestrian infrastructure, poor bike lanes, and a lack of green space.
• 🚶‍♂️ The contrast between Wonderland Road and streets in Amsterdam highlights the benefits of complete streets—safer, more walkable, bike-friendly, and better for public transit.
• 🏙️ A street in Amsterdam, though similarly wide, prioritized people with wider sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and dedicated bus/tram lanes.
• ⚠️ Induced demand, a well-documented phenomenon, explains how adding more lanes to a road increases traffic rather than reducing congestion in the long term.
• 💸 A major road widening project would not solve London's congestion problem but would create an ongoing maintenance burden while lowering quality of life for non-car users.
• 🌍 The City of London recently canceled the road widening project, aligning with environmental goals and recognizing the negative impact of such car-centric infrastructure on the climate.
• 🚉 Despite progress in recognizing the need for change, London's lack of a high-quality transit system remains a key obstacle in reducing car dependency.
• 🏠 The city's sprawling, car-dependent development pattern makes it difficult to implement meaningful transit solutions and create walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods.

Q & A

What is Wonderland Road in London, Ontario, and why is it considered problematic?

Wonderland Road is a five-lane stroad in London, Ontario, designed primarily for car traffic with minimal regard for other modes of transportation. It is considered problematic due to its car-centric design, which makes it hostile to pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users. The road's design also leads to dangerous conditions for people who are not in cars.

What does the term 'stroad' mean, and how does it apply to Wonderland Road?

A 'stroad' is a hybrid between a street and a road, designed to serve both high-speed vehicular traffic and local access, but often resulting in poor outcomes for both. Wonderland Road is a typical stroad because it has multiple lanes for cars but lacks adequate infrastructure for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit, making it inefficient and unsafe for non-motorized users.

Why did the city of London propose to widen Wonderland Road, and what were the anticipated consequences?

The city proposed to widen Wonderland Road to address congestion, as it carries over 45,000 vehicles a day. However, widening the road would have resulted in increased traffic, a temporary improvement in traffic flow, and ultimately more congestion due to induced demand. It would also have created a larger, more expensive maintenance burden without solving the underlying issues of car-dependency.

What is 'induced demand,' and how does it relate to road expansion projects like the Wonderland Road widening?

'Induced demand' refers to the phenomenon where increasing road capacity leads to more driving, as people take advantage of the new lanes. In the case of Wonderland Road, widening the road would have initially improved traffic flow but would have eventually attracted more drivers, leading to a return to the same congestion levels as before.

How does the design of Wonderland Road compare to a street in Amsterdam, and what lessons can be learned from this comparison?

Unlike Wonderland Road, which is designed primarily for cars with minimal consideration for pedestrians or cyclists, a street in Amsterdam is designed to be safe and accessible for all modes of transportation. It includes wide sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and dedicated bus and tram lanes. This comparison highlights the importance of designing streets that prioritize people over cars to create safer, more attractive, and sustainable urban environments.

Why is the 'Discover Wonderland' road-widening project logo considered problematic?

The 'Discover Wonderland' logo is criticized because it seems to trivialize the impact of the road-widening project, which would contribute to further environmental degradation and car dependency. The logo suggests a vision of progress, but the reality of the project would have been a step closer to expanding car infrastructure, potentially paving over more of the natural environment.

What was the response of the city of London to the proposed road widening, and why is it significant?

The city of London voted to cancel the road-widening project after a report was issued analyzing transportation projects through a 'climate lens.' This decision is significant because it represents a shift in thinking about transportation and infrastructure in the city, taking into account the environmental impact, climate change, and the broader implications of continuing to build car-centric roads.

What role does public transit play in addressing the issues on Wonderland Road, and why is it not an effective solution in its current form?

Public transit is the most efficient way to move large numbers of people, but the current bus route on Wonderland Road is ineffective because it gets stuck in the same traffic as cars. For public transit to be a viable solution, it needs to have its own dedicated right-of-way, allowing it to avoid congestion and offer a reliable alternative to driving.

What are the flaws in London's approach to transit and how could they be improved?

London's approach to transit is flawed because it focuses on retrofitting car-centric infrastructure with inadequate transit options. The city needs to invest in high-quality transit with dedicated lanes and encourage the development of mixed-use, walkable neighborhoods around those transit lines to create a more sustainable, accessible, and effective transportation network.

What is the fundamental issue with London's urban development patterns, and how does it relate to the city's transportation challenges?

The fundamental issue with London's urban development is its reliance on sprawling, car-dependent neighborhoods, primarily composed of single-family homes. This layout makes it difficult to build high-quality, accessible public transit, as transit systems rely on density and mixed-use development to be effective. The city's transportation challenges stem from these development patterns, which prioritize cars over people and make it difficult to shift toward more sustainable mobility options.