Londoners frustrated with north-south travel in the city can rejoice, as the new Victoria Bridge has finally opened.
The bridge, which runs over the south branch of the Thames River on Ridout Street, officially opened Thursday. Hundreds of Londoners attended the opening ceremony, which featured free snacks, music, and family activities.
Gary Brown, who lives near the bridge, says he’ll miss the peace and quiet on Ridout Street, but recognized the bridge needed to be opened as soon as possible.
“You have a small, quieter road like Wortley for people to spend time on and be out on, then you have a more car-orientated road like Ridout,” Brown said.
“Driving through Wortley Village is not what we really want in this city. This is meant to be the thoroughfare for cars to this part of the community, and that’s fine, that’s the way it should be.”
The original bridge was built in 1926, connecting Old South to Downtown London. It’s estimated 12,000 vehicles a day use the bridge, along with countless pedestrians and cyclists.
Work to replace the previous 96-year-old bridge began in the summer of 2022, and cost $22.8 million to build. The new design includes measures to make it more resistant to climate change, such as an elevated deck design and the removal of a centre pier.
London Mayor Josh Morgan says the bridge is a critical connection between downtown and old south, and it’s a “monumental step forward in paving the way for a healthier, more connected community for all.”
“The ability to walk in and out of the downtown, to cycle, to use these active transportation options to come into the downtown, especially at this time of year,” Morgan said at the opening ceremony.
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“Coming in and out of the downtown without having to take that long, convoluted way around, and I’m sorry for everybody who lives on the (south) side and has had to endure that.”
The new bridge has a bike path on the east side of the bridge and a multi-use pathway on the west side. The multi-use path connects directly to the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP).
Ward 11 Coun. Skylar Franke, whose ward the bridge’s south end falls in, says residents are excited to start using the passage again.
“(Residents) have found that people were using their sidestreets as cut-throughs, because Wellington Street was under construction and Wharncliffe Road is always busy,” Franke said. “People are hoping that it alleviates some of the neighbourhood traffic. Plus, it’s a beautiful bridge.”
As part of the project, the TVP north of the Thames River was widened, and tennis courts in Thames Park were reconstructed and will be open in the coming weeks. The city also plans to extend bike lanes from Horton Street to King Street to improve active transportation in and out of the core.