Ontario moves to accelerate Gardiner Expressway work

Key Takeaways:

• The Ontario government is providing up to $73 million to the City of Toronto to accelerate the Gardiner Expressway construction, allowing for 24/7 work. This will move the completion date from April 2027 to April 2026.
• Measures to improve traffic flow include modifications to on-ramps, opening a left-turn lane, and relaxing noise restrictions and overnight lane closures, all of which will make travel more convenient and efficient.
• Once completed, the improvements will save drivers an average of up to 22 minutes per trip, enhancing travel efficiency and safety for the more than 140,000 vehicles that use the Gardiner Expressway daily.

The Whole Story:

The Ontario government aims to accelerate construction on the Gardiner Expressway by at least one year by providing up to $73 million to the City of Toronto on the condition that work may be allowed to proceed up to a 24/7 basis. This accelerated timeline moves the construction completion date from April 2027 to at least April 2026, which will benefit Ontario’s economy by an estimated $273 million by getting drivers and goods out of gridlock a year faster than planned.

“Our government is helping get the 140,000 drivers from Toronto, Peel, Halton, York, Hamilton and across Ontario who use the Gardiner Expressway each day out of gridlock and where they need to go faster,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “The practical solutions we are implementing to speed up construction, like 24/7 work, will provide major economic benefits to Ontario and make life easier and more convenient for drivers from across the province, and in the local community.”

Ontario’s investment will support contractors working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with multiple shifts per day. Additional measures also being supported through this funding agreement to improve traffic flow include modification of the Jameson to West Bound Gardiner on-ramp, opening a left-turn lane at Spadina Avenue from Lake Shore East Boulevard and relaxing noise restrictions and overnight lane closures.

“Together with the provincial government, we can rebuild the Gardiner Expressway more quickly and ease the painful congestion in downtown Toronto,” said Olivia Chow, Mayor of Toronto. “Working together, we can repair our aging infrastructure, ensure that the Gardiner Expressway is safe and help people get around our city easier.”

The current phase of work on the Gardiner Expressway involves the full demolition and rebuilding of 700 metres of elevated roadway from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, rehabilitating the supporting structures and adding a new traffic management system and streetlights.

The Gardiner Expressway is one of Canada’s busiest corridors with more than 140,000 vehicles travelling on it on an average weekday. A recent study found that travel times on the Gardiner Expressway have increased up to 250 per cent in the morning rush hour and 230 per cent in the afternoon rush hour.

A study of Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area residents by the Toronto Region Board of Trade found that 73 per cent of respondents support 24-hour road construction and 74 per cent support 24-hour public transit construction.

Once construction is complete, drivers will save on average up to 22 minutes per trip, saving commuters time and allowing visitors to get to world-class events, like the FIFA World Cup, quickly and safely.

In November 2023, the Ontario government and the City of Toronto reached a New Deal to help ensure Toronto’s long-term financial stability, including up to $1.2 billion in provincial operating supports over three years and uploading the Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway to the province, subject to third-party due diligence.