The provincial government says it is giving Toronto $73 million in order to speed up rehabilitation work on the latest stretch of the Gardiner Expressway by a year.
Work on the expressway between Dufferin and Strachan was scheduled to be complete by April 2027, but the money will be used to carry out construction 24/7 so that it’s done by April 2026.
Ontario Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria made the announcement alongside Mayor Olivia Chow Wednesday morning at city hall.
“Ontario’s investment will support contractors working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with multiple shifts per day, with additional measures supported through this agreement to improve traffic flow,” Sarkaria said.
He said additional measures will include modification of the Jameson Avenue on-ramp to the westbound Gardiner and opening a left turn lane at Spadina Avenue from Lake Shore East Boulevard, as well as relaxing noise restrictions and overnight lane closures.
“I am pleased to say that with the support of Minister Sakara and the provincial government, we are able to bring a plan to council that would accelerate the reconstruction of the Gardiner by one year,” Chow said. “We are very grateful for their partnership.”
Construction work to rehabilitate the crumbling expressway between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue has hampered traffic on the Gardiner for months since it started in April.
Drivers have described ‘nightmare’ commute times with the busy expressway squeezed down to just two lanes of traffic in each direction since then, prompting calls for the work to be sped up.
“Right now we are demolishing and rebuilding that stretch of elevated highway while four lanes of traffic continue to be driving on it. It’s really complex,” Chow said.
However she added that “no one wants to be stuck in traffic. It’s frustrating. It gets your blood pressure, especially when you see a lane closure where, apparently there’s no work being done.”
Sarkaria said the province estimates the plan will save Ontario’s economy $273 million by reducing gridlock.
He said incentive structures in the contracts will ensure that the work is completed on-schedule.
Approximately 140,000 vehicles use the busy expressway each day.