London’s rapid transit plan is bound to get “painful.”

That’s the word one city councillor used as it becomes clear several portions of the proposed routes are too narrow to fit dedicated lanes for the high-frequency buses the system would use, raising the likelihood of property impacts.

“It’s going to be very painful,” said Coun. Phil Squire, who chairs a group of politicians and community members ironing out the details of the $560-million proposed system.

“The huge problem is the narrowness of the corridors. It presents a huge challenge.”

City officials and consultants have identified a handful of trouble spots along the 24-kilometre route. Two in particular stand out:

— Richmond Street, north of a future underground tunnel and near the Western University gates.

— Wellington Road, a major north-south pathway between the Hwy. 401 and the heart of the city.

The former also happens to sit in the area Squire represents, Ward 6. Adding two lanes dedicated to rapid transit would certainly require road widening, while sticking with the existing lanes would create traffic congestion, defeating the purpose of rapid transit.

Squire says he’s heard from residents about the potential impacts on their property.

“I’m already hearing from people who are concerned, primarily because there’s still a lot of heritage properties on Richmond Street,” he said. “You’re going to have to reconcile that with your desire to widen the roadway.”

Along Wellington, the creation of dedicated transit lanes will require the loss of trees, parks and street parking. Consultant Brian Hollingsworth has also told politicians they could “acquire some . . . buildings” to make room for a widened Wellington.

“What we want is full dedication for rapid transit, so they have their own lanes,” Hollingsworth said in a recent update. “That’s been one of the founding premises in London. It’s got to be a premium service competing with private vehicles.”

He added: “This is kind of our ideal vision. London has many corridors which aren’t ideal.”

Coun. Harold Usher said city hall can’t be shy when expanding over things like parking, trees or city-owned land that butt up against homes and private property.

“We need to ensure ourselves that whatever widths we decide on these roads, they can last a lifetime or two,” Usher said. “I don’t think we can afford to be too stingy on this.

“Wherever we need to widen the road, we need to find that width one way or another. This thing is going to last a long time.”

Council has proposed a $560-million system that would run high-frequency buses along L- and 7-shaped corridors bisecting London, with downtown as the corridor. They would run north to Masonville Place; east to Fanshawe College; south to White Oaks Mall; and west to Wonderland Road/Oxford Street.

City hall’s stake is capped at $125 million, meaning London needs a combined $435 million from Queen’s Park and Ottawa to build the system. Neither level of government has committed money yet.

pmaloney@postmedia.com

twitter.com/patatLFPress

--- --- ---

PUBLIC MEETING

Londoners will be able to learn more detail about the proposed rapid transit system — and ask questions about the complications it may pose — at a meeting Thursday Feb. 23. It’s scheduled from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Central library downtown.