Well, this is peak London construction energy right here. A Reddit user has posted what might be the most London thing ever: a photo showing fresh asphalt perfectly paved around a hydro pole on Dundas East, leaving the utility pole standing right in the middle of what should be road.

The image, posted to the London Ontario subreddit, shows the aftermath of road work near McCormick where new roads have apparently been paved before the electric poles were relocated. It’s the kind of thing that makes you stop and wonder if this is real life or some elaborate prank.

Reddit being Reddit, the comments section immediately became a mix of construction expertise and classic London humour. One user with apparent inside knowledge explained that it’s “just a base layer” and that hydro will remove the pole before the final layer of asphalt gets applied. Another chimed in that it’s likely a communication cable from Rogers, Bell, or Start, with one company apparently being “late to the job.”

But the real gems came from the locals who clearly know London’s construction quirks all too well. One user quipped that they should “leave it” as a traffic deterrent, while another suggested it’s obviously a “heritage post.” Someone else predicted it’ll become a “future pothole,” which honestly feels like the most realistic outcome.

The whole situation is part of the ongoing East London Link construction that’s been transforming roads across the east end. This massive multi-year project is revitalizing more than 6 kilometres of road from Downtown to Fanshawe College, adding transit improvements and replacing aging underground infrastructure.

For anyone wondering about the technical side, construction experts in the thread pointed out this is actually a standard practice during road construction. The base layer gets paved first, utilities get relocated, and then the final surface layer is applied. It just looks absolutely ridiculous in the meantime.

The Dundas East section has been particularly complex, with multiple phases of construction affecting everything from Egerton Street to McCormick Boulevard. The project includes adding concrete platforms for future rapid transit stops, underground water and sewer replacement, and intersection upgrades.

One commenter noted that this particular section of Dundas “has been dug up so many times it’s crazy,” which probably resonates with anyone who’s tried to navigate the east end during rush hour lately.

The East London Link has received funding from both federal and provincial governments to support transit improvements across the city. When complete, it’ll feature dedicated rapid transit lanes, though clearly the pole relocation coordination still needs some work.

For now, that hydro pole stands as a monument to construction timing mismatches and gave London Reddit users their best laugh of the week