Gardiner deck rehabilitation project resumes August 19

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:

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News Release:  August 13, 2015

Gardiner deck rehabilitation project resumes August 19

Construction work to replace the deck on the elevated portion of the Gardiner Expressway from Strachan Avenue to Bathurst Street will resume on Wednesday, August 19 following a planned pause for the Pan Am/Parapan Am Games. 

During this closure, two lanes of traffic in each direction will be available. The work, which is part of the City's Strategic Rehabilitation Program for the Gardiner Expressway, is expected to be completed by October 31, 2016.

"This is important construction work to improve the quality of the Gardiner Expressway for the thousands of commuters who use this road on a daily basis," said Councillor Jaye Robinson (Ward 25 Don Valley West), Chair of the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee. "While this work takes place, we are taking every step possible to minimize disruptions for Torontonians."

The City is taking steps to minimize disruption to the travelling public during the Gardiner rehabilitation, including the following two measures:

• implementing traffic signal timing changes to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes, and 

• working to improve the response to incidents on the Gardiner Expressway.

The City will also assist drivers by posting travel times for the Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard on variable-message signs.

The lane closures will extend beyond the construction zone to better accommodate traffic flow and enable the City to set up access routes for the planned demolition of the Dunn and Dowling Avenue bridges in 2015/16.

The daily closure of the westbound ramp from Jameson Avenue to the Gardiner Expressway will be temporarily suspended during the construction period. When the work is completed, the normal closure on weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. will be reinstated in order to enhance driver safety and reduce congestion. As well, the City will be monitoring traffic on the expressway and will make any changes necessary to improve safety and traffic operations along the roadway.

Drivers affected by the expressway work should consider options such as carpooling, taking transit, cycling to work, or travelling outside the usual rush hours.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions. Information about the City's planned capital construction work, which also affects roads, is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview

More information about other commuting options is available at http://www.smartcommute.ca.

This work is part of the City's comprehensive and co-ordinated strategy to rehabilitate and upgrade Toronto's roads, transit and underground infrastructure for current and future needs.

This news release is also available on the City's website: http://bit.ly/1L8eViA

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

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Media contact: Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, sjohnsto@toronto.ca