New sidewalks on Burnside Drive, Ascot Street and Bow Street
About this project
The City of London is committed to providing safe, convenient, and accessible mobility choices for all residents. As part of this commitment, new sidewalks are added each year on streets that currently lack them, to bolster connectivity and provide more mobility options.
In the fall, the City sent a notice to residents about an upcoming sidewalk project on Burnside Drive, Ascot Street, and Bow Street that will improve connectivity and increase mobility choices for nearby residents, see map below.
Since the notice, a detailed land survey has been completed, an on-street meeting was held, and the feasibility of various sidewalk locations on Burnside Drive have been assessed.
Above: A map of the proposed sidewalk locations including Burnside Drive, Ascot Street and Bow Street.
Sidewalk locations
The assessment looked at a range of factors, including walking connectivity, pedestrian comfort, street lighting, grading, and potential impacts to trees, utilities, and driveways. City staff also considered the comments we received from residents at the on-street meeting on November 9, 2023 and all other feedback received to date.
Based on resident feedback and the detailed assessment, the City is recommending the following sidewalk locations:
| Street | From | To | Sidewalk location |
|---|---|---|---|
Burnside Drive | Bow Street | Ascot Street | Adjacent to curb |
Ascot Street | Burnside Street | Trafalgar Street | Adjacent to curb |
Bow Street | 50 metres west of Burnside Street | Burnside Street | Boulevard sidewalk |
Advance tree removals
During a construction project’s design, the current health of the trees in a project area are assessed and we determine how to best plan for the construction work while minimizing impacts to trees and structures. Removal of trees is never our first choice, and we strive to reduce tree impacts where possible.
After careful assessment, it was determined that a total of 35 trees within the City right of way will need to be removed to accommodate the sidewalk. Click here to learn more about the tree removal locations.
Many of these trees are located under hydro lines, have been over-pruned, and are in poor health.
In other cases, tree roots that extend from the trees are expected to be impacted by the construction and require the tree to be removed.
Timing of advance tree removals could be as early as this month. These trees will be marked with white spray paint in advance of their removal.
Above: An illustration of how tree root systems grow away from the trunk of the tree.
Tree protection and replanting
A tree protection plan has been established for the remaining trees and tree replanting will occur after construction, with the goal of planting the right tree in the right location. Property owners will be consulted prior to tree replanting.
Property and construction impacts
Sidewalks adjacent to the curb or in the boulevard will require some regrading of both lawns and driveways, depending on the existing slope of each.
The City makes every effort to minimize the necessary impacts and will restore lawns and driveways to the pre-construction condition or better.
Construction is anticipated to begin this spring or summer, and typically takes two to four weeks from start to finish.
Every effort is made to minimize disruptions but there will be times when you will not have full access to your driveway. The City Project Manager will be onsite regularly and available to reach should there be any concerns when the project is underway.
A construction notice letter will be issued two weeks before construction starts with more information.