Construction Mapping in London, Ontario

Abstract

This report is in response to the Request for Proposal (RFP) #202420, initiated by the Neighbourhood Organizations in London, Ontario, seeking mapping analysis of road closures between September 2023 and September 2024. The project aims to assess the impact of these closures on local residents, businesses, and commuters by mapping the location, duration, and scale of the closures. The goal is to evaluate whether adequate planning is in place to minimize disruptions caused by ongoing infrastructure improvements. Our team of three experienced mapping professionals is well-equipped to collect, analyze, and present the required data. Using data from the City of London’s public notices and social media, we will systematically compile detailed maps of road closures, summarizing both spatial and temporal impacts. The final deliverables will include data tables, a comprehensive report with visual maps, and recommendations to improve future construction planning. 

Introduction

Road closures and construction are inevitable components of urban development, but their impacts on residents, businesses, and commuters can often be significant. This report responds to Request for Proposal (RFP) #202420, issued by Neighbourhood Organizations in London, Ontario, to analyze the effects of road closures in the city between September 2023 and September 2024. 

London, Ontario, faces multiple road closures happening at the same time or within the same area, which can cause traffic congestion and accessibility issues. This project examines how often these closures overlap in the same area and explores whether scheduling them at different times could help reduce traffic problems and improve city planning. 

The report aims to provide insights into the current state of infrastructure management in London and recommend improvements to enhance urban mobility and resident satisfaction. 

This study draws upon data from public notices and social media platforms to map the location, duration, and scale of road closures during the specified period. By analyzing these patterns and their effects, the report provides actionable recommendations for better infrastructure planning. The findings will contribute to a clearer understanding of how road closures influence urban life and how these disruptions can be effectively mitigated in the future. 

London, Ontario, faces multiple road closures happening at the same time or within the same area, which can cause traffic congestion and accessibility issues. This project examines how often these closures overlap in the same area and explores whether scheduling them at different times could help reduce traffic problems and improve city planning. 

Methodolgy

Being tasked to find all the road closures in London, Ontario from September 2023 to September 2024. We had to go through multiple places to find this information. We used City of London’s official website under the Renew London (Renew London, n.d.) tab where they post the current construction and road closures going on. Some started after the September 2024 deadline, so we sorted by ones that started before the deadline. As well on the City of London’s official website (City of London, n.d.), there was a newsroom tab where the city posted announcements whenever there was a road closure in the city. This provided us with majority of our information. City of London also posts announcements on their Facebook page (Facebook, n.d.) and X (Twitter) account (X, n.d.) which we scrolled through to see if there were any differences or additions we could add. However, we had found all the road closures at that time.  

Since we have found all the information on the road closures in London, ON, we had to create a spreadsheet on Excel with multiple sections (Appendix A to E). This is where we can collect all the information found on the City of London website and their Facebook page. This was necessary since we needed to collect the set of data to be able to transfer it onto a map, we created on ArcGIS Pro to show all the road closures. In the excel spreadsheet, we provided each road closure with a project number so we could easily identify which project is which. As well on the spreadsheet, we split the information into 13 different categories as seen in Figure 1: 

These categories represent the important information related to each road closure. Some of the Categories provided are self-explanatory to understand, however, some need an explanation. Category of road closure is why was the road closed? This could be from construction. What we consider construction is any altercation, improvement, or installation of roads, building, structures or any other physical properties. Event is another category that caused road closure which we considered an event is a place that many people gather. This could be like a festival or parade.  The other category used was other. This is considered anything that doesn’t fit into the other 2 categories. An example of this would be a removal of a crane. Other categories used throughout the spreadsheet was length of road closure is how far was the road closure for. We measured it in mainly city blocks since it was a small length of the road closed majority of the time. Kilometres was used when the length of the road closure was too long to use city blocks. ID # is a number given to each project to easily identify each of the road closure projects instead of just using the long name that is given in the project ID. Finally, traffic volume per day is how many cars typically drive on the road on any given day that is closed. This shows how significance of each road closure. After all the searching, we found forty-six road closures throughout the time period that was provided to us.  

Findings & Results

Data Structure and Analysis 
We compiled data from the City of London’s website and Facebook, organizing road closure details into a spreadsheet. Key attributes included project ID, address, start and end dates, length of closure, and traffic volumes. This structured data enabled us to assess the frequency, duration, and spatial impact of closures, aligning with the study’s objectives. 

Mapping and Visualization 
Using ArcGIS, we geocoded closures by address and visualized them with attributes like traffic volume and project type. Symbology and color intensity highlighted congestion hotspots and areas with extended closures, providing a clear picture of impacts across London. 

Key Patterns Identified 

1. Spatial Trends: Central London, particularly downtown and Oxford Park, had the highest concentration of closures, leading to significant congestion and accessibility challenges. Suburban areas saw fewer disruptions. 

2. Seasonality: Closures peaked from spring to fall, with minimal activity in winter due to weather constraints. 

3. Overlap Issues: Poorly coordinated projects frequently overlapped in time and location, exacerbating traffic problems in high-demand zones. 

4. Prolonged vs. Short-Term Closures: Long-term closures corresponded to major infrastructure projects, while short-term closures appeared less systematically planned. 

Observations on Impacts 
Centralized closures disproportionately affected commuters, businesses, and residents in high-traffic areas. Overlapping closures heightened congestion, while inadequate public communication on short-term closures created unpredictability. 

Limitations

Several limitations exist in this study. First, reliance on data from the City of London’s website and Facebook page may have introduced gaps or inaccuracies, as some closures may not have been documented on these platforms. Poor communication with the City of London further worsened this issue, as some closures may not have been accurately recorded, leading to potential inaccuracies in the data. Additionally, while key attributes such as traffic volume and closure duration were analyzed, indirect effects like economic disruptions or extended commuter delays beyond the closure area were not captured. Finally, the mapping approach may oversimplify overlapping closures and traffic impacts, as it does not account for dynamic changes in traffic flow caused by detours or alternative routes. 

Discussion

The seasonal trends observed, with peaks in closures during spring and fall, align with the active construction periods, but they also amplify disruptions during these high-demand seasons. Overlapping closures, a recurring issue identified in the study, point to coordination gaps in planning. These overlaps worsen congestion, particularly in areas with already limited alternative routes, such as Oxford Street and downtown London. While long-term closures were tied to major infrastructure upgrades, short-term closures often appeared reactive rather than preventative, lacking systematic planning and public communication. This unpredictability has a cascading impact, disrupting not only immediate traffic flow but also the daily routines and economic activities of those affected.  

Suggestions 

To address the challenges identified in this study, several improvements are recommended. First, improved coordination is essential, and establishing a centralized project planning system could help minimize overlapping closures and synchronize schedules, thereby reducing compounded traffic disruptions. Enhanced public communication is also critical; the development of a real-time road closure communication platform or app would keep residents and commuters informed about active closures and their anticipated impacts. Additionally, adopting data-driven strategies could optimize planning by leveraging historical data on traffic volume and closure patterns to prioritize scheduling in high-traffic zones. Finally, diversifying mitigation efforts, such as expanding alternative route options and improving signage, would better manage traffic flow and reduce disruptions during closures. These combined strategies would promote more effective infrastructure management and improve urban mobility in London, Ontario. 

Conclusion

This study demonstrated just how complicated road closure management is in a growing city like London, Ontario. These included poor coordination in overlapping projects, peaks in closures around certain times of the year, and a lack of systematic planning about short-term disruptions. All of these disrupt traffic and access while adding to the already very populated public area. Therefore, city planners and other stakeholders should work towards an integrated and data-informed approach towards infrastructure management to help mitigate these effects. Improved coordination and interaction, coupled with robust planning processes, will be able to dampen all unfavorable effects of closures to a much higher extent. All this would lead to London becoming an enabling city for mobility, local businesses, and community members quality of life. Therefore, the findings and recommendations of this study provide practical insights that could make much easier and more pleasant construction practice in the future if embraced. 

Acknowlegements

We acknowledge that we are gathered today on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak and Attawandaron. We acknowledge all the treaties that are specific to this area: the Two Row Wampum Belt Treaty of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy/Silver Covenant Chain; the Beaver Hunting Grounds of the Haudenosaunee NANFAN Treaty of 1701; the McKee Treaty of 1790, the London Township Treaty of 1796, the Huron Tract Treaty of 1827, with the Anishinaabeg, and the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum of the Anishnaabek and Haudenosaunee. 

We would also like to express our gratitude to Marcello Vecchio, our lecturer, for his guidance and support throughout this project. Special thanks to Josh Grignon, our teaching assistant, for his valuable assistance. We also thank the City of London for providing the data used in this study and ArcGIS Pro for enabling the creation of our maps. 

References

City of London Facebook Account. (n.d.). https://www.facebook.com/LondonCanada/  

City of London X Account. X (formerly Twitter). (n.d.). https://x.com/CityofLdnOnt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctw gr%5Eauthor  

Newsroom. Newsroom | City of London. (2024, November 27).  https://london.ca/newsroom  

Renew London. Renew London – City of London. (n.d.).  https://maps.london.ca/RenewLondon

Resources

https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/f71593b24576413a8233dac3c554bfb0