Drivers who take the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp from the westbound Gardiner Expressway are going to have to find another way to get downtown, starting tonight.

As of 10 p.m., the off ramp will be closed to traffic for extensive repairs that aren’t scheduled to be completed until Sept. 16.

The westbound on ramp at Jarvis street will also be closed overnight from July 16 to July 31 to accommodate the work taking place on the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp.

“This is very disruptive work, we recognize that but it is really important work,” Toronto’s Chief Engineer Michael D’Andrea told CP24 on Monday morning. “When it comes to public safety this is paramount for us. We want to make sure that all of our infrastructure is safe for now and into the future.”

D’Andrea said that the work taking place on the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp is part of the first phase of the rehabilitation of the Gardiner Expressway, which will cover a section of the highway from Jarvis to Cherry streets.

He said that work on that section will carry on until early 2021 and will include the rehabilitation of the westbound Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp, the westbound Sherbourne Street off ramp and the eastbound on ramp at Jarvis Street , as well as the replacement of concrete along the Gardiner itself.

The work is expected to cost about $300 million and is part of a $2.3 billion plan to rehabilitate the entire highway, D’Andrea said.

“There is an awful lot of work ahead of us,” he said. “We are trying to deal with the most disruptive aspects during the summertime when traffic volumes are lower but no question as we begin in earnest on replacing the deck it will be year-round construction.”

D’Andrea said that work on the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp will include the replacement of concrete barrier walls and concrete curbs, as well improvements to the storm drainage system.

The entire ramp will also be repaved.

“It is going to be noisy work,” he warned. “ We are running the project 24/ 7 so we can expedite the overall construction. Most of the disruptive work will be finished by 11 p.m. but there will be some nights where there will be some noise.”