Victoria Bridge is now open to all users for north and south travel along Ridout Street across the Thames River.
The City of London began construction on Ridout Street in 2022 to replace the 96-year-old bridge and to meet local travel demands and better integrate active transportation. As the fifth structure to be installed across the Thames River at this site, the new bridge design includes several climate change features to increase resilience to and withstand the impacts of climate change, such as flooding, into the future. This includes the slender elevated deck design and centre pier removal.
“As our city continues to grow, replacing this century-old bridge is a monumental step forward in paving the way for a healthier, more connected community for all,” says Mayor Josh Morgan. “Investing in infrastructure projects that integrate active transportation elements and prioritize environmental resiliency is key to achieving our net-zero emissions goal by 2050.”
The new bridge includes a wide sidewalk and a dedicated northbound bike lane with bollards on the east side, and a shared multi-use pathway for people walking and cycling on the west side. The shared pathway directly connects Thames Park to the Thames Valley Parkway.
“Londoners and their families rely on active transportation connections like this to access parks and greenspace, to and from their homes, or to get downtown,” says Peter Fragiskatos, Member of the Parliament for London North Centre. “Investments in walking, biking and transit connectivity remain critical to London’s future.”
As part of the project, the Thames Valley Parkway, north of the river, was widened, and the tennis courts in Thames Park have been reconstructed and will be back open to the community in the coming weeks.
“I’m excited to see infrastructure improvements towards building a more inclusive city,” says Arielle Kayabaga, Member of the Parliament for London West. “Families in London need infrastructure like this to make more sustainable choices for daily trips, like going to the park or downtown.”
Future projects include a bike lane extension from Horton Street to King Street, further improving multi-modal connectivity into London’s core area.
“The new Victoria Bridge design provides dedicated space for cyclists and pedestrians to use the bridge more comfortably." says Doug MacRae, Director of Transportation and Mobility at the City of London. “Improving active transportation infrastructure supports more sustainable movement as identified in the City’s Mobility Master Plan vision.”
Victoria Bridge has always served as a gateway between London's Downtown and the neighbourhoods of Old South, and is now being reopened ahead of a busy weekend downtown.
“We are very excited about the reopening of Victoria Bridge,” says Barbara Maly, Executive Director at Downtown London. “This bridge serves as a key connection into the downtown and enhances accessibility to our businesses.”
Some important transit, bridge and pathway updates listed below:
- Victoria Bridge is now open to pedestrians, cyclists and drivers
- The Thames Vally Parkway (South Branch) between Horton St and Richmond Street is now open. Path users no longer need to detour via Carfrae Crescent.
- London Transit Routes 4 and 15 will resume regular routing along Ridout Street effective first bus on Friday, July 5.
The City of London would like to thank the community for their cooperation during construction on Ridout Street. Some finishing bridge and landscaping work will be underway following the reopening of the bridge, which is not anticipated to significantly impact traffic or park operations.
We acknowledge with gratitude the financial support provided by the Government of Canada for the Victoria Bridge Replacement project through the Canada Community-Building Fund (CCBF).
