Toronto is known for many great things, but some of our ugliest traits lie within our traffic congestion, and it might get uglier.
That’s because a portion of the Gardiner Expressway will be cut down to two lanes in both directions, instead of three, starting next month, thanks to repair work.
Back in October, Toronto agreed to work with Grascan Construction Ltd. for its design and construction services for the Gardiner between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue.
And like everything the city seemingly does, this construction is fashionably late.
In fact, this project is part two of the city’s six-part Strategic Rehabilitation Plan, which was approved by council nearly a decade ago.
According to the city’s website, construction on the Gardiner betweenDufferin Street to Strachan Avenue began last year in November and is anticipated to be completed in the middle of 2027.
Soccer fans won’t have to worry though, as construction will take a break during the FIFA World Cup in Toronto.
“The lane restrictions will be removed from May to the end of July 2026 to allow for full capacity of the Expressway during the tournament,” a statement shared with media read.
As you can imagine, news of the lane reduction did not sit well with some residents.
“This sounds like a nightmare,” one X user wrote.
“This wouldn’t be as big of a problem if there was ample parking at TTC and GO stations to make it easy for commuters to get downtown,” someone else said.
“Cars idling for hours on end will surely help climate change,” another person sarcastically chimed in.
However, some users predict this might be a blessing in disguise.
“Prediction: traffic rates will adjust, people (especially those for whom driving is not necessary but currently just more convenient) will switch to other options, and goods will continue to enter the city while lower city congestion+pollution goes down,” one user said.
“This will make traffic downtown better. Bookmark this tweet,” another added.
Reddit users even got in the mix.
“They aren’t doing it for fun, they need to keep the damn thing standing. Not a lot of options with bad, aging infrastructure,” one user shared.
And they aren’t wrong, the city says that the Gardiner Expressway has been in service for 60 years and with the effects of weathering, salt and increasing traffic loads, it is approaching the end of its original design life.
“The City is working to balance critical construction with the needs of people and businesses using Toronto’s roads. While the City recognizes there will be impacts to residents and commuters, completing this state of good repair project is critical to ensure the safety of all road users, commuters and residents of Toronto,” the city told Now Toronto in an email statement on Wednesday.
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