Shift is the name of a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) network in London, Ontario, consisting of two BRT corridors that meet at a central hub in downtown London.^[1]

Construction was initially anticipated to begin in 2019,^[2] but after delays, construction started on the first BRT project, the Downtown Loop, in spring 2021 and will continue in phases until 2023.^[3] The project received C$170 million in funding from the Ontario government on January 15, 2018.^[4]

History

The City of London updated its Transportation Master Plan in May 2013, providing a strategy for transportation and land use decisions to 2030 and beyond. One of its targets was to increase transportation mode share in the city from 12.5% to 20% by 2030, and a key objective to achieve that was to implement a BRT network. The proposed network consisted of an east-west corridor and a north-south corridor, both of which met in the downtown core.^[5] The city then initiated planning for a rapid transit project in September 2014, and branded it as "Shift" in January 2015. By November 2015, the envisioned network had changed the corridors to north-east and west-south.^[6]

Network

Shift North-East
Masonville Western/Richmond Windemere Medway Creek Elgin Western University North Thames River Richmond/University St. Joseph's Hospital Oxford CP Railway Victoria Park Clarence/Queens Central Transit Hub West-South Route to White Oaks Colborne Adelaide Western Fair CN/CP Spur Eleanor Dundas/Highbury CP Railway St. Joseph's Regional Highbury/Oxford Oxford/Second

Shift West-South
Wonderland Beaverbrook Cherryhill Wharncliffe Mixed traffic operation Riverside Thames River Talbot Queens/Clarence Central Transit Hub North-East Route to Oxford at Second Canadian National Railway Via Rail Corridor Horton South Middle Thames River Bond Baseline Commissioners Wilkins Southdale Montgomery White Oaks

Overall, the network's two routes will be 24 kilometres (15 mi) long, and have 34 stations. Stations will be spaced approximately 600 to 800 metres (2,000 to 2,600 ft) apart. One route will serve the north and east areas of the city, while the other will serve the west and south areas, both which meet at a central transit hub at Wellington and King streets in the downtown.^[1][7]

The North-East Route's termini will be Fanshawe Park Road at Richmond Street, and Second Street at Oxford Street East. The route will be mostly aligned with Richmond Street, King and Dundas Streets, Highbury Avenue and Oxford Street East.^[8]

The West-South Route's termini will be Fanshawe Park Road at Wellington Road south of Bradley Avenue, and Wonderland Road and Oxford Street West. The route will be mostly aligned with Wellington Street, Queens Avenue, and Oxford Street West.^[8]

References