Don Valley Parkway

The Don Valley Parkway (DVP) will be partially closed this weekend from 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, August 24 until 5 a.m. on Monday, August 26. The following DVP sections, ramps and lanes will be closed:

  • all northbound lanes on the DVP from Lake Shore Boulevard East to the Dundas Street East on-ramp
  • the five on-ramps leading to northbound DVP from the Gardiner Expressway, Don Roadway, Eastern Avenue, Queen Street East and Dundas Street East
  • approximately 500 metres of the southbound lane immediately adjacent to the work zone near the Dundas Street East on-ramp (all other southbound lanes will remain open).

These closures are needed to finish critical work that was not completed during the previous closure in May due to rain, which prevented the culvert replacement. A full closure is required for the safety of the public and the workers.

The Don Valley Parkway, often referred to as the DVP, is a 15 kilometre long expressway that runs from the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto to Highway 401 and is one of the City’s most vital transit arterial roads.

Approximately 135,000 (weekday average) vehicles travel daily on the Don Valley Parkway.

This map highlights the location of the four bridges of the DVP that will be rehabilitated. From north to south, the bridges are: Lawrence Avenue east bridge; Wynford Drive bridge; Spanbridge Road bridge and Don Mills Road bridge

Bridge Rehabilitation over Don Valley Parkway

This summer, work will begin to rehabilitate four bridges over the Don Valley Parkway. This includes work on:

  • Don Mills Road bridge
  • Spanbridge Road bridge
  • Wynford Drive bridge
  • Lawrence Avenue East bridge

This important work will ensure that the bridges meet today’s standards and remain safe for vehicles and pedestrians into the future. The most extensive work is required on the Don Mills Road bridge and the City has bundled the rehabilitation of three other bridges into this project to complete the work as quickly as possible during the summer months (when there are typically lower traffic volumes) and avoid occupying more lanes on the DVP in coming years.

Planned Start Date

July 2, 2019

Planned End Date

October 2019

Traffic Update – Lanes to Reopen at Lawrence Avenue East and one Northbound and Southbound On-Ramp to Close

Good news! Stage 1 work at Lawrence Avenue East will soon be completed and lanes are anticipated to be reopened by Saturday morning, August 17.

For crews to safely reopen the lanes and put in place Stage 2 traffic restrictions, the DVP will be reduced to one northbound and one southbound lane overnight at Lawrence Avenue East on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, August 17 from 11:59 p.m. to 7 a.m.

On Sunday August 18, Stage 2 traffic restrictions will come into effect at Lawrence Avenue East and will close:

  • the northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East;
  • the southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East; and
  • the DVP shoulders at Lawrence Avenue East.

Once the transition at Lawrence Avenue East is made, all bridges will be in Stage 2 construction which will continue until the project is completed by October.

Traffic Impact

Work Stages & Dates (Dates subject to change) Traffic Impact Work Hours
Stage 1
July 2 to Mid to late August		 Update – This construction stage is complete

  • On August 17, the northbound and southbound median lane will reopen at Lawrence Avenue East on-schedule
  • On August 7, Stage 1 at Don Mills Road bridge completed two weeks ahead of schedule and the lanes at Don Mills Road reopened.
  • On July 18, Stage 1 completed four weeks ahead of schedule at Spanbridge Road and Wynford Drive bridges and the lanes reopened.
 24 hours a day
7 days a week
Stage 1a
Early August – For 8 nights
(Dates subject to work progress)		 Update – This work has been completed as of August 2

  • Two lanes of traffic from the median on the DVP northbound and southbound will be closed at Don Mills Road so crews can access and complete work on the Don Mills Road bridge.
 Overnight

12 a.m. to 5 a.m.
7 days a week
Stage 2
Mid to late August to October
  • The northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East and the southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East will be closed.
  • The southbound DVP on-ramp from northbound Don Mills Road is closed.
  • The northbound and southbound shoulders of the DVP will be closed at Don Mills Road, Spanbridge Road, Wynford Drive and Lawrence Avenue East.
 24 hours a day
7 days a week
Stage 2a
Late September – For 10 nights
(Dates subject to work progress)
  • The right-hand lane, both northbound and southbound at Don Mills Road will be closed at times overnight.
  • The southbound Don Mills off-ramp will be closed.
 Overnight
Monday to Friday
10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Weekends
11 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Traffic Impact Maps – Stage 2

At Don Mills Road Bridge

  • Southbound DVP on-ramp from northbound Don Mills is closed
  • DVP shoulders at Don Mills are closed
Map detailing Stage 2 construction traffic staging at Don Mills Road Bridge. Shoulders of DVP will be closed around Don Mills Road Bridge and the southbound DVP on-ramp from northbound Don Mills Road will be closed
Click to enlarge

At Spanbridge Road Bridge

  • DVP shoulders at Spanbridge Road are closed
Map showing updated traffic impact of DVP bridge rehabilitation at Spanbridge Road Bridge. Crews completed stage 1 work ahead of schedule and all lanes have now reopened. Traffic staging is now set up on the shoulders in preparation for Stage 2 construction.
Click to enlarge

At Wynford Drive Bridge

  • DVP shoulders at Wynford Drive are closed
Map showing updated traffic impact of DVP bridge rehabilitation at Wynford Drive Bridge. Crews completed stage 1 work ahead of schedule and all lanes have now reopened. Traffic staging is now set up on the shoulders in preparation for Stage 2 construction.
Click to enlarge

At Lawrence Avenue East Bridge as of Sunday, August 18

  • Northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East is closed
  • Southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East is closed
  • DVP shoulders at Lawrence Avenue East are closed
Map detailing traffic restrictions at Lawrence Avenue East and the DVP. Restrictions will close the shoulders of the DVP at Lawrence Avenue East and close the northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East, and close the southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East
Click to enlarge

Alternate Routes

  • With Stage 2 construction at Don Mills Road bridge impacting the southbound DVP on-ramp from northbound Don Mills, drivers should consider using the Eglinton on-ramp to the north or the Bayview/Bloor on-ramp to the south
  • With Stage 2 construction at Lawrence Avenue East bridge impacting the northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East and the southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East, drivers should consider using the Eglinton on-ramp to the south or the York Mills on-ramp to the north
  • The public are also encouraged to plan their travel in advance and also consider taking public transit
Construction Notices

Bridge Rehabilitation over the Don Valley Parkway on:

Don Mills Road bridge

Spanbridge Road bridge

Wynford Drive bridge

Lawrence Avenue East bridge

The City performs regular spring maintenance every couple years on the Don Valley Parkway. This maintenance typically involves a full or partial closure of the expressway over a weekend that allows City road crews, engineers and other stakeholders to make improvements and keep the throughway in a state of good repair.

The most recent maintenance closure took place in spring 2019 from Sunday, May 26 to Monday, May 27. Work had originally been scheduled for 54 hours but plans were adjusted to just 29 hours due to forecasted rain.

It is estimated that the work completed during the shortened 29 hour closure was the equivalent to about 20 overnight lane closures.

Here is a summary of the work completed (all numbers are approximate):

  • 5.5 lane kilometres of road resurfaced using 2,551 tonnes of asphalt
  • 234 square metres of permanent pothole repairs using 59.4 tonnes of asphalt
  • 1,535 metres of cracks filled
  • 379 metres of guiderail repaired
  • 153,507 metres of line painting
  • 160 kilometres of roadway swept
  • 153.6 tonnes of debris removed
  • 21 tonnes of litter collected
  • 541 catch basins cleaned and flushed
  • 11 culverts flushed
  • 244 overhead signs, inspected, maintained or repaired
  • 8 ‘crash cushion’ systems repaired
  • 15 bridges inspected
  • 260 street lights re-lamped, 46 street lights repaired, and one high mast pole repaired
  • 94 trees pruned

View the 2018 DVP maintenance Video.

  • Completed in 1966, the Don Valley Parkway is a 15 km long expressway that runs from the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto to Highway 401
  • The Parkway is a vital transit artery in Toronto’s travel network as it is the sole expressway connecting the north and south ends of the city
  • The Don Valley Parkway, often referred to as the DVP, runs east of the Don River through Toronto’s vibrant Don River Valley parklands
  • In its 15 km length, the DVP is primarily six lanes with 12 exits
  • The DVP north of highway 401 continues as highway 404
  • Traffic often exceeds its original design of 60,000 vehicles per day
  • The parkway has designated bus lanes to allow passing during slow traffic
  • On June 7, 2010, a section of the expressway was dedicated by former Toronto mayor David Miller as part of the Route of Heroes