University officials estimate necessary repairs to and testing of University Drive Bridge will be concluded within weeks, ending a reconfiguration of three London Transit Commission (LTC) routes as a result of weight restrictions imposed on the bridge March 4.
“The big news is that our engineering consultants, and the firm contracted to do the repairs and load testing, feel they can get the work done within the next three weeks,” said Gitta Kulczycki. Vice-President (Resources & Operations). “They are comfortable with that timeframe. The weather is co-operating and we’ve been able to get a jump start.”
Work on the bridge will begin this week.
Last fall, engineers identified needed repairs to the 92-year-old bridge during its annual visual review. Late last month, Parsons Engineering, the firm that won the contract for the repairs, recommended the 60-foot articulated buses (‘double-buses’ or ‘accordion buses’) not use the bridge until repairs were made and load testing on the structure was complete.
As LTC only runs articulated buses on the Richmond and Wellington routes, the 6 Richmond, 6A Richmond and 13 Wellington that once crossed the bridge were forced to stop at the university’s Richmond Gates starting Monday.
Kulczycki stressed there is no danger to other types of vehicles using the bridge. The university restricted heavy truck use of the bridge in 2002. The heaviest vehicles using the bridge today are buses.
“These are repairs that needed to be done,” she continued. “The whole point of this, in terms of being cautious and closing the bridge to articulated bus traffic, is exactly that – to be cautious.”
Some in social and traditional media questioned the timing of Western waiting until Friday afternoon to communicate the Monday morning commute change. However, Western officials say they moved as quickly as possible once all stakeholders weighed in.
On Feb. 25, Parson Engineering officials recommended that the 60-foot articulated buses no longer use the bridge until the repairs and load testing were complete. That recommendation was verbally communicated to LTC on Feb. 26 and in writing on Feb. 29.
On March 2, LTC met to determine potential detour routes to be implemented. On March 3, LTC officials decided using only 40-foot buses on the three routes was not possible. On March 4, LTC informed Western that three route detours would be necessary.
On March 6, university and LTC officials worked throughout the day to finalize routes and enlist shuttle services to bring students the one kilometre from The Gates to central campus.
On March 7, Western implemented a free temporary shuttle service for campus riders on the three impacted routes. This service will continue to run during regular class hours until routes are restored. Weekend service is not being considered at this time.
“The shuttle service is going quite well in terms of the service,” Kulczycki said. “But the student take-up has not been significant, though, as a lot of students are preferring to walk. The weather is a contributor to that as yesterday and today were lovely days. But we are monitoring and being responsive to what we see happening out there. So far, we have seen very low utilization of our shuttle capacity.”
Keith Marnoch, Media and Community Relations Director, was on the scene Monday to direct students to shuttles.
“No one was left behind. Everyone got to campus. And most people were really good natured about it,” he said. “We expect to learn a bit more as we go. It’ll get busier from time to time, especially if inclement weather comes in. So, we’ll keep learning from our experiences out there.”
As LTC continues to review and tweak the three impacted routes, Western officials are asking transit riders to study routes for options. For example, on 6A Richmond, if riders stay on past The Gates, the bus turns left down Windermere, then left onto Western Road, where riders can get off at one of five other stops in front of the university.
“Take that one example,” Marnoch said. “For an extra three minutes on the bus, it’s a really great, convenient option for people, in the short run, looking to get to the other side of campus.”
University Drive Bridge will remain open during repairs. However, it will need to be closed during load testing. Those tests can be conducted during off-hours (overnight, weekend), Kulczycki said.
“The timing of that is still undecided,” she said. “We’ll be communicating that as it gets closer.”
In 1923, staff and students entered Western’s new campus from Richmond Street by way of a rather non-descript laneway, crossing an ornate bridge that offered a magnificent view of Middlesex Memorial Tower rising atop the Arts Building. Since then, University Drive Bridge has been one of the iconic pieces of the campus.
The structure was the first ornate bridge to be built in southwestern Ontario and harmonized perfectly with the new buildings. Students in the summer school class of 1923 were the first to use the bridge. Officially opened to traffic in November 1923, University Bridge remained virtually unchanged for 70 years. In 2002, the bridge underwent major repairs and upgrades. The original stonework and esthetic beauty of the bridge was reluctantly sacrificed in lieu of improved pedestrian safety and traffic flow.
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