Don Valley Parkway

Construction Updates

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 – Overnight Lane Reductions on DVP

So crews can complete important work on the four bridges over the DVP and begin to remove traffic staging, there will be some overnight lane reductions:

11 p.m. Monday, September 23 to 5 a.m. Tuesday, September 24

• Northbound right and center lanes closed from Don Mills Road to Spanbridge Road
• At 11:59 p.m. northbound and southbound right and center lanes closed at Wynford Drive

11 p.m. Tuesday, September 24 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, September 25

• Northbound right and center lanes closed from Don Mills Road to Spanbridge Road

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 construction stage is complete 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	Update – Work impacting ramps is complete The northbound DVP on-ramp from eastbound Lawrence Avenue East and the southbound DVP on-ramp from westbound Lawrence Avenue East is closed. The southbound DVP on-ramp from northbound Don Mills Road is closed. The northbound and southbound shoulders of the DVP are 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

• Construction Impact Notice (Dated: June 5, 2019)

Bridge Rehabilitation over the Don Valley Parkway on:

Don Mills Road bridge

• Pre-Construction Notice (Dated: May 27, 2019)

Spanbridge Road bridge

• Pre-Construction Notice (Dated: May 27, 2019)

Wynford Drive bridge

• Pre-Construction Notice (Dated: May 10, 2019)

Lawrence Avenue East bridge

• Pre-Construction Notice (Dated: May 27, 2019)

Spring & Fall Maintenance

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.

History & Facts

• 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