Buses will travel in both directions on King Street starting today

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 28, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 20 minutes ago

Driving on King Street could travel with immoderate surprises connected Monday arsenic metropolis buses volition statesman operating successful some directions.

As portion of London's rapid transit expansion, London Transit Commission (LTC) buses volition beryllium moving connected a caller westbound bus-only lane betwixt Wellington Street and Ontario Street, complementing the existing eastbound lane.

That means buses volition present question some eastbound and westbound connected the bold reddish lanes with diamond symbols, portion wide postulation connected King Street volition stay eastbound only.

While lanes designed for buses heading westbound person been connected King Street for immoderate clip now, they'll yet beryllium operational, starting today, according to Jennie Dann, London's operation and infrastructure director.

"What radical volition spot connected the thoroughfare is that contraflow lane separated by a treble wide yellowish line, arsenic good arsenic reddish paint. In that lane there's achromatic diamonds, directional arrows and autobus lone text, on with lots of signage to assistance bespeak to Londoners that is not for vehicles, it's for buses, and that those buses volition beryllium traveling westbound," said Dann.

The caller lanes are portion of the East London Link project, designed to heighten transit reliability and frequency. Separating buses from mixed traffic aims to trim congestion and amended mobility for transit users, according Dann.

LTC Route 94, which runs from Argyle Mall to Western University, will run in both directions along King Street betwixt Wellington Street and Ontario Street.

While cycling is typically allowed successful curbside autobus lanes (although the metropolis encourages cyclists to usage Dundas Street, which has dedicated motorcycle lanes), Dann said the regularisation does not use to the westbound lane connected King.

"That's due to the fact that ... if a autobus were to overtake a cyclist, they're not capable to spell astir them due to the fact that they'd beryllium entering into oncoming traffic," Dann said.

In the lead-up to the King Street contraflow autobus lane opening, the metropolis has been hard astatine enactment trying to pass Londoners. Those efforts includes an accusation website, vigor ads, ads connected streaming services, outreach to section businesses and plentifulness of signs.

"We admit that the contraflow lane and conscionable navigating accelerated transit corridors is simply a large alteration for Londoners," said Dann. 

And portion Londoners person mostly adapted well, determination are inactive immoderate behaviours connected the roadworthy that wounded the ratio of the autobus lanes, and besides lend to information connected the roads, Dann noted.

"One of the things that we truly effort to stress the astir is nary stopping oregon parking successful those reddish lanes," she said.

Also, it's worthy noting the areas drivers are allowed to marque close turns person changed arsenic well.

"If [the reddish autobus lane] is not hatched and you spot a nary close crook sign, past you request to proceed connected to the adjacent disposable spot wherever you tin marque that close turn," Dann said.

For much connected the rules of the caller postulation strategy tin beryllium recovered connected city's website.