A major off ramp from the westbound Gardiner Expressway is back open this morning following a two-month closure.
The York-Bay-Yonge off ramp had been closed since July 15 as crews completed extensive repairs, which included the replacement of the concrete barriers walls and concrete curbs, improvements to the storm drainage system and the installation of new lamp posts.
It reopened at around 11 p.m. on Sunday following the completion of that work.
The work is part of the first phase of a $2.3 billion, 10-year rehabilitation of the aging highway, which will cover the stretch from Jarvis to Cherry streets.
“There is sort of mixed feelings. The good news is that the ramp is open but within the next couple of weeks we will begin work on the rest of this stretch of the expressway with work on the westbound Sherbourne off ramp as well – it needs to be rehabilitated. And shortly thereafter we will begin work on the rehabilitation of the Gardiner deck and at that point the Gardiner will be reduced to two lanes in each direction from Jarvis to Cherry streets,” Toronto’s Chief Engineer Michael D’Andrea told CP24 on Monday morning.
D’Andrea said that the Gardiner is “near the end of its service life” and for that reason he said it is “critically important” that the city conducts the necessary work to ensure that it remains safe now and “well into the future.”
He said that when crews start replacing the concrete deck and steel girders on the roadway they will be using a “accelerated approach” using “pre-fabricated sections or panels.”
The work, however, is still expected to continue into early 2021.
“We want to thank motorists for their patience as we undertake this really important work,” he said.
