The City of London is happy to share that Queens Avenue is now open to one-way traffic between Wellington Street and Richmond Street after being closed for construction of the Downtown Loop Phase 2 project.
People driving will now be able to travel westbound on Queens Avenue all the way from Old East Village to Riverside Drive. Some sporadic, localized lane restrictions may still be required over the next few weeks for landscaping and other miscellaneous work before crews completely leave the site. There is still ongoing construction and reduced lanes at the Queens Avenue and Wellington Street intersection until the end of the year as part of the Downtown Loop Phase 3 project.
Above: A photo of Queens Avenue at Clarence Street.
A new curbside bus-only lane has been built on Queens Avenue from Wellington Street to Ridout Street North and along Ridout Street North between Queens Avenue and King Street to facilitate rapid transit operations. Pavement markings and signs will be installed to help drivers recognized the recently added bus-only lane. As a reminder, parking or stopping are not allowed on the new transit lane.
As part of this project, new sewers and other underground infrastructure has been replaced or fixed. Above ground, new streetscape elements including trees, streetlights, concrete sidewalks and traffic lights have been installed to beautify Queens Avenue.
It has been the busiest construction season London has ever experienced and we appreciate the patience and support from all businesses, residents and Londoners whose commute and access has been impacted by construction this year.
London’s Renew Construction Program is investing just over $200 million in several projects across the city to continue to support our rapidly growing population and ensure our infrastructure is more resilient and better able to handle demand, climate change and extreme weather. To view the top 10 projects being constructed in London this year, please visit London.ca/topten.
About the Downtown Loop
The Downtown Loop is the first of London’s new rapid transit projects and includes curbside bus-only lanes and enhanced rapid transit stops. Phase 1 of the Downtown Loop was built in 2021 to add a new bus-only lane on King Street between Ridout Street North and Wellington Street. Phase 2 construction on Queens Avenue started in 2022, with planned carry-over work in 2023. Phase 3 of the Downtown Loop is underway along Wellington Street from Queens Avenue to York Street and is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2023, with some planned carry-over work in 2024. Sign up here to receive construction updates impacting the core.
The Downtown Loop project will add new streetscape elements as well as transportation and transit improvements above ground, while repairing and replacing aging sewers, watermains and other underground infrastructure.
This project has been funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario.