Toronto is in for a “tough summer” when it comes to road construction, Public Works Chair Jaye Robinson is warning.

Robinson says that a number of important projects were deferred last summer due to the Pan American Games, meaning that crews will be extra busy playing catchup this summer, particularly in the downtown core.

As a result, city officials are warning residents about 22 major road projects and a long list of smaller ones that are planned for the coming weeks and months.

“It is going to be a tough summer. A lot of the work was pushed out to the suburbs and outside of the downtown core last year because we had this major exhibition and festival so there is a pent up demand I would say,” Robinson told reporters at a news conference Tuesday morning. “It will be challenging.”

The city will spend $263 million on road and bridge work this spring and summer as well as another $227 million on water and sewer main replacement and rehabilitation.

All told, about 122 kilometres of road will be resurfaced and about 238 kilometers of sewer and water main infrastructure will be replaced or rehabilitated.

Robinson said that whenever possible, construction projects would be worked 24 hours a day or at the very least, with extended hours in order to speed up the process. The city will also implement signal timing changes on parallel route, where increased traffic is expected. 

“There is no doubt that it is going to be a very busy summer but while this work is important, we are making every effort to minimize disruption and keep traffic flowing,” Robinson said.

Some of the major projects planned for this summer include:

  • Completing the west deck replacement on the Gardiner Expressway from Jameson to Spadina avenues.
  • TTC track replacement at College Street and Bathurst Street and College Street and Lansdowne Avenue.
  • Road resurfacing of Bayview Avenue from south of Highway 401 to Steeles Avenue.
  • Road resurfacing of Warden Avenue from Shepard to Steeles avenues.
  • Watermain replacement and road resurfacing on Gerrard Street from Yonge to Sherbourne streets.
  • Road resurfacing on Don Mills Road from Lawrence Avenue to York Mills Road.
  • Watermain replacement, TTC track replacement and road resurfacing on Richmond Street from Church to York streets.
  • Watermain replacement on Queen Street from Bathurst Street to Spadina Avenue.
  • Trunk sewer replacement on Lake Shore Boulevard from Dwight to Superior avenues.
  • Watermain replacement on Finch Avenue at Highway 27.