Province kicks in $18M to upgrade Sunningdale Road in area of rapid growth

The Ontario government announced Thursday that it will contribute $18 million to upgrade and widen a section of Sunningdale Road West, which is already often overwhelmed with traffic generated by the area's rapid growth.

What is currently a two-lane road with a gravel shoulder, Sunningdale, particularly the section between Wonderland Road and Richmond Street, can become traffic-choked during the morning and afternoon rush hours.

The area has added subdivisions along Sunningdale and a retail plaza at Richmond in recent years, in what was formerly an agricultural area of north London.

The money will cover the cost to widen Sunningdale from two to four lanes. The road enhancement will also add sidewalks, new lighting, cycling lanes and drainage improvements.

The funding was announced Thursday at a new subdivision near the Sunningdale Golf & Country Club. Ward 7 Coun. Corrine Rahman, who's spoken before about the need for infrastructure upgrades in the area, said the road improvements are badly needed.

"We'll have sidewalks, finally, on Sunningdale Road, can you imagine?" she said.

The construction work, set to start next year, will add to the delays drivers experience on Sunningdale. Rahman didn't dispute the suggestion that upgrading the road after the subdivisions start filling in isn't ideal.

"I would say that we have work to do to align our growth with what we have from an infrastructure perspective," she said. "The challenge is the funding formula. It's something we need to get better at and something we've been talking to the province about."

Mayor Josh Morgan, who attended Thursday's announcement along with Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack, said it's not often feasible to build all the necessary infrastructure before the growth arrives.

"It would be great if we could build out all the infrastructure first, all across the city, but it would be a very expensive way to do things because we don't actually have the tax revenue to sustain it yet," he said. The infrastructure going in here will not just support the existing growth that's already happened, but the future growth that's anticipated in this part of the city. There's always the ideal way to do it and the practical way to do it."

Morgan said without the help from the province, the upgrades would have had to be funded by London taxpayers and likely require borrowing.

Linda Wilson lives in a new house in a subdivision off Sunnindale that is filling in but still dotted with empty lots for sale.

She'd like to cycle to her job in north London, but said Sunningdale in its current state isn't safe for pedestrians. She said it's a particular problem in winter when plowed snow covers the gravel shoulder.

"Even if you walk to the next subdivision, you'd be taking your life in your hands," said Wilson.

Wilson said she'll not be looking forward to added delays on Sunningdale when the work begins, but said it's part of the challenge that comes with living in a fast-growing city.

"We went through the big construction down by Masonville Mall, which wasn't fun, but that's the way the world is now. It's growing and we just have to be patient."