London drivers, rejoice.

The days of hitting a bottleneck on Western/Wharncliffe Rd. north of Oxford St. could be coming to an end.

City staff has recommended to council’s civic works committee the city pay a consultant $418,000 for an environmental assessment of a stretch of the road to Platt’s Lane, the first step to widening it from two to four lanes.

About 19,500 vehicles a day head along Western/Wharncliffe Rd. from Oxford to Platts Lane. The corridor also provides a way for pedestrians and cyclists to get to Western University, a staff report heading to committee Monday says.

The project would include turn lanes and the widening of a CPR underpass, with a start date of 2017 and an estimated cost of

$17 million.

“It’s important that we have the ability to move people effectively and efficiently and where we have bottlenecks, we have to tend to them sooner rather than later,” said Ward 13 Coun. Joni Baechler, a member of the civic works committee.

City staff hope the widening will not only improve traffic flow but create pathways and sidewalks for cyclists and pedestrians, connect Grosvenor Lodge physically and visually to the neighbourhood and create another attractive gateway to Western.

The city and university have joined in the recent past to enhance entrances to Western, Baechler noted.

“It’s an international institution and it’s really important that there is a quality urban design that speaks to the quality of the university,” she said.

Committee chair, Ward 12 Coun. Harold Usher, and area representative, Ward 6 Coun. Nancy Branscombe, couldn’t be reached for comment.

The environmental assessment will examine impact of widening and options for road crossings. City staff recommended AECOM, a London firm, get the contract for the environmental assessment.

randy.richmond@sunmedia.ca