News Release
August 20, 2021

The City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto today announced construction details of the planned Lake Shore Boulevard East project, including removal of the Logan Avenue ramp at the most eastern portion of the Gardiner Expressway, as part of both the Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Plan and Port Lands Flood Mitigation Protection project.

This work will support planned realignment of the expressway to keep the roadway safer, facilitate broad improvements and liveability of the Port Lands area, improve public access to the Port Lands, and significantly enhance the City’s future climate resiliency through the Port Lands Flood Mitigation Protection work undertaken by Waterfront Toronto.

The planned construction, referred to collectively as the Lake Shore Boulevard East project, is being led by Waterfront Toronto and includes:
• Permanent removal of the Logan Avenue ramp at the east end of the Gardiner Expressway,
• widening and lengthening the Lake Shore Bridge over the Don River, and
• rebuilding the roadway between Don Roadway and Carlaw Avenue, including new safer intersections, pedestrian and cycling facilities.

Removal of the Logan Avenue ramp supports Gardiner realignment work and allows for the Lake Shore Bridge to be lengthened and widened. Once the Lake Shore Bridge is re-engineered, the new space will accommodate bike lanes, pedestrian paths and a new linear park, and allow for the re-design and naturalization of the Don River, which will be a critical element for future flood protection.

This package of work was planned and approved in 2016 as part of the larger Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Plan. It is a highly coordinated project between the City and Waterfront Toronto and includes other key stakeholders such as Metrolinx and Toronto Hydro.

Every effort has been made to reduce construction impacts for the project. It was designed and engineered to be as efficient as possible, including cost savings of approximately $35 million and a shorter construction period which will reduce traffic disruption by two years and deliver infrastructure improvements to local residents and the travelling public four years earlier than planned. Extensive consultation has taken place with residents, businesses and interest groups over the past few years, and there is on-going communication planned to help the local community understand the work and its immediate and long-term impacts.

There has been significant planning undertaken to ensure flow of traffic continues during and after construction such as changes to lane configuration and traffic signal timing. Reconstruction at nearby intersections and ramps to/from the Gardiner Expressway has also been planned and implemented to improve the traffic flow during construction. The Gardiner Rehabilitation Plan calls for new DVP ramps to eventually be built further north as well as the eventual construction of new access ramps at Cherry Street.

Modelling shows that most impacted trips will choose to use Lake Shore Boulevard once the ramps are removed, and that the larger traffic volumes are eastbound. Given this, the project will keep two lanes eastbound and one lane westbound open on Lake Shore for the duration of construction. The recommended alternate route for drivers travelling eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard East is to follow Cherry Street north to Eastern Avenue eastbound. For drivers travelling westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard, drivers can also travel north on Leslie Street and westbound on Eastern Avenue.

Here are key dates for the Lake Shore Boulevard East project. Note that ramp removal work will only occur on weekends:

Tuesday, August 31 at 9 p.m.
• Permanent closure of the Gardiner Expressway ramps to Logan Avenue begins

Weekends Only – September to October 2021
• Lake Shore Boulevard East closed from Cherry Street to Carlaw Avenue
• Westbound Gardiner can be accessed from Jarvis Street
• Don Roadway closed between DVP and Commissioners Street – No access permitted to DVP. Access will be via Eastern Avenue and Queen Street

November 2021
• Work will begin on Lake Shore Boulevard East – Note that Lake Shore Boulevard East is not expected to close again once the Gardiner ramps are removed
• All roadway construction is anticipated to be complete in 2024.

As with most major construction projects, members of the public can expect some noise and some dust or dirt. Plans are already prepared to reduce the amount of expected noise and dust, and its impacts. For example, this fall, noise-generating work will take place only from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in September and October. Any work outside of 7 a.m. – 11 p.m. will be limited to clean-up of the Gardiner concrete sections, steel beam removal, and general non-crushing activities as well as other low-noise-production work.

In addition, workers will be diligent about cleaning, lubricating and inspecting equipment before and after shifts, all construction equipment on-site will have an exhaust muffler to help supress sound, and while reverse beacons are necessary to support worker safety in the work zone, every effort is being made to use equipment with lower volume beacons that is also safe, and crews will use water trucks to control dust and mud.

The latest construction updates, including maps, are available at www.PortLandsTO.ca/Construction

Details about the Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation Plan are at toronto.ca/gardiner

To sign up for newsletters and digital notices related to the work, residents are encouraged to email info@waterfrontoronto.ca

Information about the City’s planned capital construction work is available at toronto.ca/inview.

Toronto is home to more than 2.9 million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture and innovation, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents and businesses. For more information visit the City’s website or follow us on Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Media Relations