Good news for Toronto drivers, construction on the Gardiner Expressway is a year ahead of schedule.
Ontario’s Minister of Transportation, Prabmeet Sarkaria, confirmed on Thursday that the project will move on to phase two early thanks to the government’s $73 million investment which meant work on the highway could be done 24/7.
The Gardiner revitalisation project was initially expected to wrap up in 2027 but that date has since been moved up to 2026.
“We’re making real progress on our government’s plan to fight gridlock and keep drivers moving,” Sarkaria said in a statement.
This morning, it was a pleasure to announce that construction on the Gardiner Expressway is ahead of schedule!
— Prabmeet Sarkaria (@PrabSarkaria) November 7, 2024
Under the leadership of Premier @fordnation, we’re working 24/7 to reduce gridlock and make commutes faster and more efficient. This means less time stuck in traffic… pic.twitter.com/aBpzCKv0fu
“Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re not only getting it done on the Gardiner Expressway, we’re also bringing common sense changes to bike lanes through new legislation and speeding up construction of priority highway projects like Highway 413, Bradford Bypass and the Garden City Skyway bridge, to help get drivers across the province out of gridlock,” he continued.
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Two of the Gardiner Expressway’s eastbound lanes have reopened and crews are now set to begin demolition and reconstruction of two centre lanes, before moving onto work on the remaining two westbound lanes, the government said.
The full project, which started in March, includes revitalizing 700 metres of elevated roadway from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, reinforcing support structures, installing new streetlights and upgrading the traffic management system.
The provincial government estimates that speeding up construction will save Ontario’s economy $273 million, and the 140,000 drivers who rely on the Gardiner every day will save up to 22 minutes per trip, sooner than originally planned.
Toronto commuters currently face the longest travel times in North America, spending an average of 98 hours each year in rush-hour traffic, according to the Toronto Region Board of Trade.
