Hamilton resident Marshall Craft left his downtown Toronto office a little extra early Tuesday afternoon when the snow started to fall because he hoped to beat the traffic.

Instead, Craft, who moved to Hammertown two years ago to escape the city’s gridlock, found himself in a massive traffic jam on Lake Shore Boulevard, just west of Jarvis Street.

“It was slammed. We couldn’t even move,” he told CP24.com.

“I actually turned off my car a few times because no one was going anywhere.”

Craft was one of dozens of frustrated motorists who got stuck in stand-still traffic along the 500-metre stretch, which has been reduced from four to one lane due to construction. He said some motorists, specifically those in pick-up trucks, got so tired of waiting that they drove over the median and pulled a U-turn, while others cut through a blocked construction lane to get moving.

Craft, who said he had no forewarning that the traffic would be so bad on Lake Shore, didn’t get home last night from work until 6:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, the City of Toronto issued a traffic advisory that urged drivers to avoid travelling on Lake Shore Boulevard westbound, between Cherry and Yonge streets, due to the replacement of a 4.5-kilometre Enbridge Gas pipeline.

The 24/7 road work, which has resulted in sections along this stretch being reduced to one lane, is “creating congestion in and around the area,” the city said in its Nov. 16 traffic alert.

Construction on Lake Shore from Yonge to Bay streets is expected to wrap up Thursday by the end of the day, while the work slated for westbound Lake Shore Boulevard, between Cherry and Parliament streets, won’t likely be done until mid-December.

“With so much construction taking place in the downtown core, drivers are advised to plan their travel in advance, expect delays, or consider taking public transit,” the city said.

CP24.com contacted Toronto Mayor John Tory’s office for further comment on the situation, but we have yet to hear back.