Students at Fanshawe College will notice significant changes this summer as part of the City of London’s East London Link rapid transit project, which has officially reached the Oxford St. campus.

Preparation work began on March 20, and while the heaviest construction will occur between May and September, students and staff will start to see visible changes along Oxford St. throughout the summer. The work is part of Phase 4 of the East London Link, an initiative to revitalize more than six kilometres of roadway from Downtown London to Fanshawe’s doorstep.

According to Denise Luksys, Project Coordinator at Fanshawe College, the work currently underway includes road and pedestrian walkway surveys, installing temporary traffic signals, and removing fencing and brick pillars along Oxford St.

“You’ll see the buses move from out front of T Building to just slightly east of A Building,” she said. “The new bus stops will be between A Building and the corner of Oxford and Second St. So, it’s in front of the parking lots east of a building, where the new bus stops will be.”

Luksys confirmed that construction will continue through the fall, at which point work will pause for the winter. Crews are expected to return next summer to finish landscaping, apply a second coat of asphalt, and correct any deficiencies.

“The majority of the work will be completed this fall,” she said.

The rapid transit corridor is a City of London initiative. While it’s not a Fanshawe-led project, the college works closely with city planners and contractors to minimize disruptions.

“The City sees Fanshawe College as a great location for their rapid transit bussing system,” Luksys explained. “In addition to the London Transit buses, students will have access to a faster service with fewer stops.”

A new pedestrian crosswalk will be installed closer to Second St., and access points along Oxford St. will be modified.

“There will always be pedestrian traffic for students and visitors and staff across Oxford St. through this renovation, but it just might be moving depending on where the work is happening to make it the safest for our students,” Luksys said. “We’ve also asked for that additional crosswalk to make it safer for students crossing to school and home.”

Phase 4 of the project will stretch from Fanshawe College Blvd. and Second St. to Roehampton Ave., progressing westward in stages. This will result in lane reductions, turning restrictions, and possible redirection of municipal services such as water, sewage and electricity.

Fanshawe’s cooperation with the city also includes upgrades to internal roadways and entranceways along Oxford St. One new feature will be a signalized entrance for vehicles on the west end of campus—an addition Luksys called “great” for traffic flow and safety.

Ultimately, while the construction may be inconvenient for some, the long-term goal is to improve access, safety and transit efficiency for the entire community.

“It’s going to be a nice benefit,” Luksys said. “We believe the changes will make it safer and more accessible for students, staff and visitors.”

For more details, visit london.ca/rapidtransit or follow Fanshawe College’s channels for construction updates.