Jarvis to Cherry Street – Construction & Traffic Updates

Information about specific construction activities, traffic updates and construction notices will be regularly updated on this page.

Gardiner Expressway Deck Replacement – South Half

Dates: 5 a.m. on Monday, July 27 to Spring 2021

Location: Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets

Time: Mostly 24/7

Impact

  • Construction will fully replace the south half of the concrete deck and steel beams of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets
  • The Gardiner Expressway will be reduced to two lanes in each direction from York Street to the Don Valley Parkway (DVP)
  • The eastbound on-ramp at Jarvis Street remains closed for replacement
  • To maintain safety, the speed limit on the expressway will be reduced to 70 km/h through the work zone but drivers are encouraged to drive 60 km/h
  • Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, the City is allowing for longer Lake Shore Boulevard East lane closures to help accelerate construction. Lake Shore Boulevard East will be reduced to one lane in each direction between Parliament and Jarvis Streets: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and Sunday to Thursday from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. There also may be instances in the off-peak hours where traffic will be paused for 15 minutes so crews can safely remove and replace sections of the expressway above
  • Traffic-signal timing changes will be made to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes, to help mitigate traffic congestion
  • When sections of the expressway are removed, slurry water (a grey watery substance that is a by-product of cutting concrete) will fall from the expressway onto Lake Shore Boulevard. This water will fall throughout the deck removal and the lanes will be reduced on Lake Shore Boulevard where the water is anticipated to fall

Work Details

  • To complete this work faster and to be less disruptive to the public, the City is using an innovative construction technique called Accelerated Bridge Construction to replace the expressway deck.
  • This technique involves building the new sections of the expressway off-site and transferring the new sections into place where existing sections have been removed.
  • The benefits of this method are less dust and noise, and can reduce construction time by up to 40 per cent compared to traditional methods.
  • This project is unique as no other city in Canada has renewed a major expressway using this accelerated technique with the added complexities of the work zone located in an urban environment, in close proximity to buildings and over a major arterial road.

Dates: 12:01 a.m. on Monday, May 18, 2020 to Spring 2021

Location: Gardiner Expressway eastbound on-ramp at Jarvis Street

Time: Mostly 24/7

Impact:

  • Access to the Gardiner Expressway from the eastbound on-ramp at Jarvis Street will be fully closed until Spring 2021 so that crews can safely rehabilitate the ramp.
  • Lane closures will occur on one or two of the most north lanes on the eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard East between Lower Jarvis and Parliament Streets during the following times: daytime off-peak hours (Monday to Friday, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); nighttime off peak hours (Sunday to Thursday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.); and 24-hour weekends (from 12 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.) so workers can remove and replace the bridge deck sections alongside corresponding construction works*
  • A minimum of one lane on the eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard East will remain open to traffic heading east
  • While the majority of the most disruptive work will be completed before 11 p.m., some disruptive work may take place overnight for the safety of crews and the travelling public.
  • Advanced signage will be in place to advise motorists of the ramp closure.
  • Please plan your travel in advance, be patient on the roads, and consider alternate routes or public transit.

Alternative Routes:

During this construction, drivers should consider using alternate routes such as the eastbound Bay Street on-ramp, Lakeshore Boulevard East or the Don Roadway to the Don Valley Parkway.

Work Details:

The section of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets is nearing the end of its service life and this major work will rehabilitate the eastbound Jarvis Street on-ramp, including replacing the entire deck and steel girders.

*Please note lane closure hours could change depending on COVID-19 situation, however one lane on eastbound Lake Shore Boulevard East will always remain open

Due to the current COVID-19 situation, the City is allowing for longer Lake Shore Boulevard East lane closures to help accelerate construction. Lake Shore Boulevard East will be reduced to one lane in each direction between Parliament and Jarvis Streets: Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday to Sunday from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and Sunday to Thursday from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. These lane restrictions are needed so crews can safely remove and replace sections of the concrete expressway deck above. There may also be instances in the off-peak hours where traffic will be paused for 15 minutes so crews can safely perform removal and replacement operations.

F.G. Gardiner Expressway Rehabilitation, Jarvis Street to Cherry Street

Completed – Gardiner Expressway Deck Replacement – North Half

Dates: 5 a.m. on Monday, October 14 to July 27, 2020

Location: Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets

Time: Mostly 24/7

Using an innovative construction technique called Accelerated Bridge Construction, crews replaced the north half of the expressway deck with pre-fabricated sections that were built off-site in the fabrication yard and transferred into place where existing sections were removed.

Completed – Westbound Lower Sherbourne / Lower Jarvis Streets Off-Ramp Replacement

Map of Phase 2 and 3 Work – Extensive repairs to the westbound Lower Sherbourne / Lower Jarvis Streets off-ramp
Map of Phase 2 and 3 Work – Extensive repairs to the westbound Lower Sherbourne / Lower Jarvis Streets off-ramp

Dates: 10 p.m. on October 4, 2019 to April 18, 2020

Location: Westbound Lower Sherbourne / Lower Jarvis Streets off-ramp

Time: Mostly 24/7

The contractor replaced the Lower Sherbourne / Lower Jarvis Streets off-ramp by:

  • Removing and replacing the existing asphalt, joint assemblies, approach slabs, light posts, barrier walls, and curbs;
  • installing new deck drains and maintain existing drainage systems;
  • patching concrete on the deck; and
  • waterproofing and paving the new deck.

Completed – Westbound Yonge-Bay-York Streets Off-Ramp Rehabilitation

Map of Phase 1 Work – Extensive repairs to the westbound Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp

Dates: 10 p.m. on July 15 to September 22, 2019

Location: Gardiner Expressway westbound Yonge-Bay-York streets off-ramp

Time: Mostly 24/7

The contractor rehabilitated the Yonge-Bay-York streets off-ramp by:

  • Removing and replacing the existing asphalt, joint assemblies, approach slabs, light posts, barrier walls, and curbs;
  • installing new deck drains and maintain existing drainage systems;
  • patching concrete on the deck; and
  • waterproofing and paving the new deck.
Image of westbound Gardiner Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp work zone, image of crews chipping concrete on the southside of the ramp.
Crews chip and remove concrete
Image of westbound Gardiner Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp work zone, worker saw-cutting retaining wall near the base of the ramp.
Crews saw-cut retaining wall in preparation for replacement.
Image of westbound Gardiner Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp work zone, crews remove concrete parapet wall at the top of the ramp.
Crews remove concrete parapet wall at the top of the ramp.
Image of a construction worker in a cherry picker chipping concrete under the bent of the Gardiner Expressway York-Bay-Yonge off-ramp
Worker chips concrete under the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp
Image of a construction worker chipping the concrete curb along the Gardiner Expressway York-Bay-Yonge off-ramp
Crews chip concrete curb
Image of construction worker chipping concrete on Gardiner Expressway York-Bay-Yonge off-ramp with safety netting and temporary wooden rails in the background
Safety netting and rails in place as crews chip concrete curb

Completed – Access Platform Installation

Dates: Sunday night to Thursday night, until June 13, 2019

Location: Westbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard East from Cherry Street to Jarvis Street

Time: Overnight rolling lane closures from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.

The contractor completed installing access platforms to support crews in future work phases.

Below is an example of the access platforms that were previously installed on the Gardiner Expressway for work on the West Deck rehabilitation. The lane closures on Lake Shore Boulevard East will allow crews to install similar access platforms on the underside of the Gardiner Expressway from Jarvis Street to Cherry Street.

Image of the underside of the Gardiner Expressway West Deck that shows an example of an installed access platform. The access platform depicted is a wooden structure that is installed on the underside of the Expressway along the bent.