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LFP EXCLUSIVE: City hall getting $200M in federal transit funding -- exactly the amount needed to build bus rapid transit in #ldnont https://t.co/dRlbckuN26 pic.twitter.com/d5yIiYwr4u — London Free Press (@LFPress) March 16, 2018

The CP Rail line that crosses Richmond Street south of Oxford Street and Adelaide Street near Central Avenue is a commercial line. There are not regularly scheduled trains, as train traffic depends on customer demands, said Soldo.

“Our goal is to take that information and disseminate it to the public, give them an advanced warning,” he said.

Signs along the road — much like the digital screens now found at downtown bus stops — will get the information to drivers so they can change their route, or be prepared for a delay.

The same technology is being used in Winnipeg, he said. The city has not decided where the signs displaying delay information will be placed.

The initiative began as part of the bus rapid transit debate, as the city is concerned about rail traffic slowing BRT traffic on Richmond and Oxford streets.

“We looked into options when council directed us and this is an emerging technology. We expanded the program to include other corridors, but it was BRT related, originally,” said Soldo.

Coun. Phil Squire, representing north-end Ward 6, likes the idea of getting more information to drivers, but it’s not a solution to the looming traffic jam awaiting Oxford and Richmond drivers when BRT is rolled out.

“It’s a good thing to do. What happens now is you’re driving along and you don’t know what is waiting for you. This will give you a bit of notice to make the changes you need to go somewhere else,” said Squire.

“Right now, there are not a lot of other options. It’s nice but it won’t do anything other than notify drivers.”