Wellington Gateway (Rapid Transit)

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About this project

The Wellington Gateway project is one of three rapid transit projects moving forward in London, with the goal of increasing the frequency and reliability of transit on this important corridor, where rapid transit buses will be travelling in dedicated lanes to help ease traffic flow on Wellington Road.

The project aims to revitalize approximately 6 km of roadway between Downtown and Highway 401, widening Wellington Road/Street to add continuous transit-only lanes.

Once complete, the Wellington Gateway project will provide opportunities to strengthen connections with neighbouring municipalities and improve transit to south London’s industrial employment areas through a transit hub by White Oaks Mall and a proposed park-and-ride near Highway 401. Remaining phases of the Wellington Gateway project are expected to be constructed between 2024 and 2027.

The full Wellington Gateway project will:

  • improve safety for all road users, including through the re-alignment of the S-curve located on Wellington Road, south of Bond Street
  • add multi-use active transportation paths along the corridor
  • install new traffic systems that include transit signal priority, sensors and video to reduce intersection delays
  • add new streetscape elements above ground, while repairing and replacing aging sewers, watermain and other underground infrastructure.

Project status: Clark's Bridge (Wellington Bridge) Widening

Construction crews will begin to mobilize to the area as early as Monday, April 1 to set up traffic control and install temporary traffic signals, followed by removals and necessary traffic restrictions. Construction in the area will continue through 2025, with some finishing work in 2026.

Traffic impacts:

Lane restrictions will be place for northbound and southbound travel for the duration of the project (2024/2025). Left-turns will also be restricted to signalized intersections. Please expect delays through this section of Wellington Road.

Local businesses remain open and accessible during construction.

Access to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP)

This section of the TVP will be closed during construction to complete improvements to the bridge safely and as efficiently as possible. A signed detour will be in place to help guide people walking and biking around the path closure and connecting to the TVP just north of the bridge.

Above: A map of the TVP closure and detour during construction.

Construction schedule and staging:

Construction along Clark’s Bridge will be completed in stages to allow the project to progress while maintaining road access as well as connections to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP). The first stage of the project will start on the east side of the bridge, requiring lane restrictions along the project area. Stage 1 of the project will also include works at the Watson Park parking lot on Front Street as well as Grand Avenue East. Weather permitting, work may continue over the winter months to progress the project before Stage 2 and other remaining stages begin in 2025 to complete the bridge rehabilitation and road reconstruction.

Above: A map of the anticipated construction stages for the Clark's Bridge Widening.


Recording of the pre-construction webinar for the Clark's Bridge Widening

Thank you for joining us virtually on Wednesday, March 27 to learn more about the project and what to expect during construction.




Design Overview for the Clark's Bridge Widening Project


Above: Map of the approximate project area.


Project status - Wellington Gateway Phases 3 and 4

As the City of London prepares to begin construction of Phases 3 and 4 of the Wellington Gateway project, we are hosting a public engagement period from February 14 - 28, for residents and businesses to learn about the projects and view the near-final designs. Construction work on both phases is anticipated to begin in summer 2024 and continue through 2025.

A pre-recorded presentation is now available for you to:

  • view an overview of the design and planned improvements for both projects
  • view roll plans of near-final designs for the Wellington Gateway Phase 3 project (Wellington Road from Wilkins Street to Harlech Gate) and Wellington Gateway Phase 4 (Wellington Road between Harlech Gate and Greenfield Drive) as well as the anticipated changes to current traffic operations
  • learn more about the expected project timeline and next steps

Anyone directly impacted by the project is encouraged to submit their comments and questions using the comments tool at the bottom of the page or at wellingtongateway@london.ca.


Project limits:

  • Wellington Gateway Phase 3: Wellington Road from Wilkins Street to Harlech Gate
  • Wellington Gateway Phase 4: Wellington Road from Harlech Gate to Greenfield Road

Above: Map of the construction limits Wellington Gateway Phases 3 and 4.

Above: A conceptual rendering of the proposed design of the Wellington Gateway Phase 4 project by White Oaks Mall.



Construction update (Wellington Gateway Phase 1)

Phase 1 of construction is currently underway, requiring lane restrictions between York Street and just north of the Thames River, until approximately December 2023.

Detour and access:
Wellington Street is open with delays and restrictions. Drivers travelling northbound and southbound along this section of Wellington Street are being channelled through one lane of traffic in each direction. Warning signs will be installed to help guide traffic through the construction zone.

Some restrictions are also in place at side streets during Wellington Street construction, including:

  • Horton Street, Grey Street and South Street will experience channeled lanes through the Wellington Street intersection, and
  • Hill Street and Simcoe Street will be closed on the east side of Wellington, restricting eastbound and westbound turning movements.

Drivers looking to access Wellington Street are encouraged to use Grey Street for westbound access and can use South Street for eastbound travel off Wellington Street.

Businesses remain open and accessible throughout construction.

Transit impacts:

Some bus routes will be impacted during construction. Routes 13 and 90 will be detoured off Wellington Street at Grand Avenue and travel along Carfrae and Richmond Streets in both directions. Route 1 will continue to operate along Wellington Street, South Street and Colborne Street. Alternative stops will be arranged during construction as buses will not stop within the construction limits. Transit riders are advised to visit the LTC website for the most up-to-date information about detours and service updates.

Pedestrian and bike access:

Sidewalk access will be maintained on at least one side of the road during construction. Pedestrians are advised to follow signs to navigate the construction zone safely and are encouraged to use nearby streets to reach their destinations.

Cyclists are encouraged to use Dundas Place where connections to the Dundas Bikeway and Dundas-TVP are available for east-west cycling through the core.


Important design information

Centre-median

For both curbside and centre-running configurations, rapid transit corridors require a centre-median to maintain safe, frequent, and reliable transit operations. As a result, left-turning movements will be restricted to signalized intersections, therefore, driveways and unsignalized side streets will change to right-in/out access.

This change may require local businesses to alter their delivery and/or access routes to and from Wellington Road.


Pre-Construction meeting (Wellington Gateway Phase 1)

View a recording of the pre-construction webinar hosted on Thursday, March 2, 2023, which outlined plans for construction, including impacts to property owners, businesses and residents, anticipated traffic changes, and how to stay informed during construction.



Key features of the Wellington Gateway project

  • Improved safety for all road users, including through the re-alignment of the S-curve located on Wellington Road, south of Bond Street
  • The addition of multi-use active transportation paths along the corridor
  • Installation of new traffic systems that include transit signal priority, sensors and video to reduce intersection delays
  • New streetscape elements will be added above ground, while the project repairs and replaces aging sewers, watermains and other infrastructure underground
  • Clark's Bridge (which crosses the Thames River between Grand Avenue and South Street) will be widened to accommodate two traffic lanes in each direction, two new transit-only lanes, and a multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians


The Wellington Gateway is one of 10 transit and transit-supportive local projects that received funding commitments from the Government of Canada and Province of Ontario. The other two rapid transit projects moving forward are the Downtown Loop project and the East London Link project.


Map of Wellington Gateway project (Phase 1)

The map below highlights the boundaries of the project, and indicates the approximate area where Phase 1 of construction is expected to begin in 2023.

Construction is expected to be completed in phases between 2023 and 2027, in order to minimize disruption. Ahead of each phase of construction, the City will host a meeting to share details and answer questions.

Map of Wellington Gateway project, indicating that the first phase of construction is scheduled to begin in 2023 on Wellington Street from approximately York Street to Wellington Street just north of the Thames River.



Stay connected

The City is committed to keeping you informed during planning and construction. Sign up here for email updates on the project.

(External link)

The personal information collected on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, and will be used by the City of London and project partners to contact you in relation to the Downtown Loop.

Questions about this collection should be addressed to Manager, Public Engagement, Major Projects, City of London at 251 Dundas Street, London, ON N6A 4L9. Tel: 519-930-3518, email: wellingtongateway@london.ca.

About this project

The Wellington Gateway project is one of three rapid transit projects moving forward in London, with the goal of increasing the frequency and reliability of transit on this important corridor, where rapid transit buses will be travelling in dedicated lanes to help ease traffic flow on Wellington Road.

The project aims to revitalize approximately 6 km of roadway between Downtown and Highway 401, widening Wellington Road/Street to add continuous transit-only lanes.

Once complete, the Wellington Gateway project will provide opportunities to strengthen connections with neighbouring municipalities and improve transit to south London’s industrial employment areas through a transit hub by White Oaks Mall and a proposed park-and-ride near Highway 401. Remaining phases of the Wellington Gateway project are expected to be constructed between 2024 and 2027.

The full Wellington Gateway project will:

  • improve safety for all road users, including through the re-alignment of the S-curve located on Wellington Road, south of Bond Street
  • add multi-use active transportation paths along the corridor
  • install new traffic systems that include transit signal priority, sensors and video to reduce intersection delays
  • add new streetscape elements above ground, while repairing and replacing aging sewers, watermain and other underground infrastructure.

Project status: Clark's Bridge (Wellington Bridge) Widening

Construction crews will begin to mobilize to the area as early as Monday, April 1 to set up traffic control and install temporary traffic signals, followed by removals and necessary traffic restrictions. Construction in the area will continue through 2025, with some finishing work in 2026.

Traffic impacts:

Lane restrictions will be place for northbound and southbound travel for the duration of the project (2024/2025). Left-turns will also be restricted to signalized intersections. Please expect delays through this section of Wellington Road.

Local businesses remain open and accessible during construction.

Access to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP)

This section of the TVP will be closed during construction to complete improvements to the bridge safely and as efficiently as possible. A signed detour will be in place to help guide people walking and biking around the path closure and connecting to the TVP just north of the bridge.

Above: A map of the TVP closure and detour during construction.

Construction schedule and staging:

Construction along Clark’s Bridge will be completed in stages to allow the project to progress while maintaining road access as well as connections to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP). The first stage of the project will start on the east side of the bridge, requiring lane restrictions along the project area. Stage 1 of the project will also include works at the Watson Park parking lot on Front Street as well as Grand Avenue East. Weather permitting, work may continue over the winter months to progress the project before Stage 2 and other remaining stages begin in 2025 to complete the bridge rehabilitation and road reconstruction.

Above: A map of the anticipated construction stages for the Clark's Bridge Widening.


Recording of the pre-construction webinar for the Clark's Bridge Widening

Thank you for joining us virtually on Wednesday, March 27 to learn more about the project and what to expect during construction.




Design Overview for the Clark's Bridge Widening Project


Above: Map of the approximate project area.


Project status - Wellington Gateway Phases 3 and 4

As the City of London prepares to begin construction of Phases 3 and 4 of the Wellington Gateway project, we are hosting a public engagement period from February 14 - 28, for residents and businesses to learn about the projects and view the near-final designs. Construction work on both phases is anticipated to begin in summer 2024 and continue through 2025.

A pre-recorded presentation is now available for you to:

  • view an overview of the design and planned improvements for both projects
  • view roll plans of near-final designs for the Wellington Gateway Phase 3 project (Wellington Road from Wilkins Street to Harlech Gate) and Wellington Gateway Phase 4 (Wellington Road between Harlech Gate and Greenfield Drive) as well as the anticipated changes to current traffic operations
  • learn more about the expected project timeline and next steps

Anyone directly impacted by the project is encouraged to submit their comments and questions using the comments tool at the bottom of the page or at wellingtongateway@london.ca.


Project limits:

  • Wellington Gateway Phase 3: Wellington Road from Wilkins Street to Harlech Gate
  • Wellington Gateway Phase 4: Wellington Road from Harlech Gate to Greenfield Road

Above: Map of the construction limits Wellington Gateway Phases 3 and 4.

Above: A conceptual rendering of the proposed design of the Wellington Gateway Phase 4 project by White Oaks Mall.



Construction update (Wellington Gateway Phase 1)

Phase 1 of construction is currently underway, requiring lane restrictions between York Street and just north of the Thames River, until approximately December 2023.

Detour and access:
Wellington Street is open with delays and restrictions. Drivers travelling northbound and southbound along this section of Wellington Street are being channelled through one lane of traffic in each direction. Warning signs will be installed to help guide traffic through the construction zone.

Some restrictions are also in place at side streets during Wellington Street construction, including:

  • Horton Street, Grey Street and South Street will experience channeled lanes through the Wellington Street intersection, and
  • Hill Street and Simcoe Street will be closed on the east side of Wellington, restricting eastbound and westbound turning movements.

Drivers looking to access Wellington Street are encouraged to use Grey Street for westbound access and can use South Street for eastbound travel off Wellington Street.

Businesses remain open and accessible throughout construction.

Transit impacts:

Some bus routes will be impacted during construction. Routes 13 and 90 will be detoured off Wellington Street at Grand Avenue and travel along Carfrae and Richmond Streets in both directions. Route 1 will continue to operate along Wellington Street, South Street and Colborne Street. Alternative stops will be arranged during construction as buses will not stop within the construction limits. Transit riders are advised to visit the LTC website for the most up-to-date information about detours and service updates.

Pedestrian and bike access:

Sidewalk access will be maintained on at least one side of the road during construction. Pedestrians are advised to follow signs to navigate the construction zone safely and are encouraged to use nearby streets to reach their destinations.

Cyclists are encouraged to use Dundas Place where connections to the Dundas Bikeway and Dundas-TVP are available for east-west cycling through the core.


Important design information

Centre-median

For both curbside and centre-running configurations, rapid transit corridors require a centre-median to maintain safe, frequent, and reliable transit operations. As a result, left-turning movements will be restricted to signalized intersections, therefore, driveways and unsignalized side streets will change to right-in/out access.

This change may require local businesses to alter their delivery and/or access routes to and from Wellington Road.


Pre-Construction meeting (Wellington Gateway Phase 1)

View a recording of the pre-construction webinar hosted on Thursday, March 2, 2023, which outlined plans for construction, including impacts to property owners, businesses and residents, anticipated traffic changes, and how to stay informed during construction.



Key features of the Wellington Gateway project

  • Improved safety for all road users, including through the re-alignment of the S-curve located on Wellington Road, south of Bond Street
  • The addition of multi-use active transportation paths along the corridor
  • Installation of new traffic systems that include transit signal priority, sensors and video to reduce intersection delays
  • New streetscape elements will be added above ground, while the project repairs and replaces aging sewers, watermains and other infrastructure underground
  • Clark's Bridge (which crosses the Thames River between Grand Avenue and South Street) will be widened to accommodate two traffic lanes in each direction, two new transit-only lanes, and a multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians


The Wellington Gateway is one of 10 transit and transit-supportive local projects that received funding commitments from the Government of Canada and Province of Ontario. The other two rapid transit projects moving forward are the Downtown Loop project and the East London Link project.


Map of Wellington Gateway project (Phase 1)

The map below highlights the boundaries of the project, and indicates the approximate area where Phase 1 of construction is expected to begin in 2023.

Construction is expected to be completed in phases between 2023 and 2027, in order to minimize disruption. Ahead of each phase of construction, the City will host a meeting to share details and answer questions.

Map of Wellington Gateway project, indicating that the first phase of construction is scheduled to begin in 2023 on Wellington Street from approximately York Street to Wellington Street just north of the Thames River.



Stay connected

The City is committed to keeping you informed during planning and construction. Sign up here for email updates on the project.

(External link)

The personal information collected on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, and will be used by the City of London and project partners to contact you in relation to the Downtown Loop.

Questions about this collection should be addressed to Manager, Public Engagement, Major Projects, City of London at 251 Dundas Street, London, ON N6A 4L9. Tel: 519-930-3518, email: wellingtongateway@london.ca.

Have a question? Submit it here.

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Page last updated: 27 Mar 2024, 02:52 PM