The City of Toronto will be performing spring maintenance activities on the Gardiner Expressway as well as demolishing the Dowling Avenue bridge over the expressway starting this Friday. A full closure of the expressway is needed to ensure safety for the public and for the workers involved.

This weekend presents an opportunity for City workers to perform maintenance on the expressway as there are few major events occurring in the downtown core. The Mayor's Road Closures Committee meets monthly to select traffic closure dates with the goal of limiting disruption to motorists.

In order to mitigate traffic congestion associated with the expressway closure, the City will make changes to traffic-signal timing to enhance traffic flow on nearby routes.

The Gardiner Expressway will be closed between Carlaw Avenue and Highway 427/Queen Elizabeth Way from 11 p.m. on Friday, May 13 to 5 a.m. on Monday, May 16 for the maintenance work.

Specific activities that will be undertaken during this closure:

• demolition of the Dowling Avenue bridge that spans the Gardiner Expressway
• resurfacing 2.5 lane-kilometres of roadway
• crack sealing and repair of about 8,900 metres of asphalt surfaces
• 800 square metres of bridge deck repair
• in-depth inspection and chipping of 32 bridges west of Dowling Avenue and 24 bridge sections on the elevated portion of the expressway
• flushing of 120 bridge joints
• cleaning and repair of 600 catch basins, and flushing and inspection of culverts
• shoulder re-grading to restore drainage at several locations
• sign maintenance for entire length of roadway
• maintenance of 20 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras
• inspection and repair of seven overhead signs
• repairs on RESCU vehicle detectors
• repair of approximately 500 metres of guiderail, including end treatments and safety systems
• mechanical sweeping operations and debris removal
• inspection, repair and re-lamping of street lights
• pothole repairs, and
• pavement markings.

Motorists can use Lake Shore Boulevard, the Queensway, King Street, Bloor Street and Evans Avenue as alternative routes during the weekend closure.   

The work schedule for the project on Lake Shore Boulevard between York Street and Rees Street has been adjusted so all westbound lanes of traffic can re-open during the full closure of the Gardiner Expressway. The lane reductions currently in effect at that section of Lake Shore Boulevard will go back into effect at 5 a.m. on Monday, May 16.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions.

In addition, the City's T.O. INview map shows planned capital construction work taking place across the city. T.O. Inview can be accessed at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

This work is part of the City's comprehensive and co-ordinated strategy to rehabilitate and upgrade Toronto's roads, transit and underground infrastructure for current and future needs.

Two special events in Toronto this weekend will involve road closures. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy these events. Businesses in the areas affected are open to pedestrian traffic but some roads will be closed to vehicles.

Festivals and other special events are important to the city, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into Toronto’s economy, and they are enjoyed each year by local residents.

In addition to road closures related to special events, there is a significant amount of road work taking place in the city. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations.

Those who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destination. A complete list of events and road work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/torontostreets/.

University of Toronto Science Rendezvous – Saturday closure

St. George Street, from College Street to Harbord Street, will be closed in both directions from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.

Sporting Life 10k – Sunday closures and delays

Yonge Street between Lawrence Avenue and Eglinton Avenue will be closed from 4:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 8 to accommodate the formation area for the run. Along the route for the run, closures will occur between 7:30 and 11:30 a.m. at the following locations:

• Yonge Street between Eglinton Avenue and Richmond Street
• Richmond Street from Yonge Street to Peter Street
• Peter Street/Blue Jays Way between Richmond Street and Front Street
• Westbound Front Street between Blue Jays Way and Bathurst Street
• Bathurst Street from Front Street to Fort York Boulevard
• Fort York Boulevard from Bathurst Street to Fleet Street

Expect delays on Lake Shore Boulevard at Fort York Boulevard as runners enter Coronation Park. 

Note: after all runners pass an intersection, that intersection will reopen to traffic in the area. It is expected that all roads will re-open by 12:30 p.m.

A special event in Toronto this weekend – the Goodlife Fitness Toronto Marathon – will involve some road closures on Sunday. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy this event. Businesses in the areas affected are open to pedestrian traffic but some roads will be closed to vehicles.

Festivals and other special events are important to the city, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into Toronto’s economy, and they are enjoyed each year by local residents.

In addition to road closures related to special events, a significant amount of road work is taking place in the city. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations.

People who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destination. The City has a web-based map to help residents make their travel plans, at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions.

Information about the City's planned capital construction work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview.

The road closures and lane restrictions described below will occur on the day of the marathon – Sunday, May 1.

The race will begin at the North York Civic Centre at 7:30 a.m. but road closures will begin earlier, at 6 a.m. The main segment of the race will take place on Yonge Street from Finch Avenue to Davenport Road.

Some lane restrictions will occur in the area bounded by Bayview Avenue in the east, South Kingsway in the west, Lake Shore Boulevard in the south and Finch Avenue in the north.

In addition, the following Gardiner Expressway and Don Valley Parkway ramps will be closed from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday:

• Gardiner Expressway eastbound ramp to Jarvis Street: access to Jarvis Street will be closed but access to Lake Shore Boulevard will remain open.
• Gardiner Expressway ramp to northbound Spadina: access to westbound Lake Shore Boulevard will be closed.
• Spadina ramp to the westbound Gardiner Expressway: access to westbound Lake Shore Boulevard will be closed.
• Don Valley Parkway Bayview/Bloor ramp: access to southbound Bayview Avenue will be closed.

The route map and identification of roads in the vicinity of the marathon that will remain open during the event are available at http://www.torontomarathon.com.

Road closures for events in Toronto this weekend (July 24-27)

Two festival events along with the Pan Am Games run, race-walk and cycling competitions will involve some road closures in Toronto this weekend. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy these events. Businesses in the areas involved will remain open as usual.

The Pan Am Games and other special events are important for Toronto, boosting the city's economy and providing opportunities to showcase local communities. Whenever possible, residents and visitors are encouraged to consider carpooling, public transit, walking or cycling to get around this weekend and throughout the Games.

Beaches Jazz Festival – Thursday to Saturday Queen Street East between Woodbine Avenue and Beech Avenue will be closed from 6 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, Friday and Saturday (July 23 to 25).

PrideHouse TO Celebrates Street Festival – all weekend Church Street from Alexander Street to Dundonald Street will be closed on Friday, July 24 from 6 p.m. to Monday, July 27 at 2 a.m. The intersection of Church Street and Wellesley Street will remain open to traffic during that period.

Training for cycling and marathon races – all weekend Full road closures of Colborne Lodge Drive (The Queensway to Bloor Street West), Centre Road, West Road, Spring Road and High Park Boulevard will take place from midnight on Friday, July 24 to 6 a.m. on Sunday, July 26.

Additional road closures will take place on Friday, July 24 from 10 a.m. to noon to allow athletes to familiarize themselves with the road cycling and marathon courses, including:

● Lake Shore Boulevard in both directions from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue will be closed.  Access to Ontario Place and the Gardiner Expressway will be maintained.

● The Queensway from Claude Avenue to Ellis Avenue will be reduced to one lane in each direction. 

● Bloor Street from Harcroft Road to Parkside Drive will be reduced to one lane in each direction.

● Parkside Drive from Lake Shore Boulevard to Bloor Street will be closed.

● Ellis Avenue, Ellis Park Road, Olympus Avenue and Harcroft Road will also be closed.

Men's marathon and cycling road races – Saturday The closures highlighted above for Friday, July 24 will occur again from 12:01 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, July 25 to accommodate the men's marathon and the cycling road races. The marathon will take place from 7 to 11 a.m. The cycling road races will take place from 1 to 8:45 p.m.

Note: Lake Shore Boulevard from British Columbia Road to Strachan Avenue will remain closed overnight.

During the closures noted, one lane of Lake Shore Boulevard, from Colborne Lodge Drive to Net Drive, will remain open using a counterflow system (no through traffic, local access only) to provide access for businesses and residents.

There will also be cycling detours. Some sections of the Martin Goodman Trail will be closed to bicycle traffic from Saturday, July 25 at 1 a.m.

until Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. Signage is in place along the 2.85-kilometre detour. Detour routes:

● Cyclists travelling east must exit the trail at British Columbia Road/Lake Shore Boulevard and then take the detour route north on British Columbia Road, east on Saskatchewan Road, south on Princes'

Boulevard and follow Prince Edward Island Crescent to Ontario Drive, south to Lakeshore Boulevard and travel east to rejoin the Martin Goodman Trail at New Brunswick Way.

● Cyclists travelling west must exit the trail at Remembrance Drive opposite New Brunswick Way and then travel west on Lake Shore Boulevard, north on Ontario Drive and immediately west onto Prince Edward Island Crescent, north on Princes' Boulevard  to Saskatchewan Road, proceeding west on British Columbia Road to rejoin the Martin Goodman Trail at Marilyn Bell Park.

Men's 50-km race walk – Sunday

Lake Shore Boulevard from British Columbia Road to Strachan Avenue will remain closed until 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 26. Local access will be provided only past Strachan Avenue. All drivers, including spectators driving to events, will need to show their Games event ticket to gain access beyond that point.

The race itself will take place from 7 a.m. to noon.

Cycling detours associated with this Pan Am Games competition will involve the closure of some sections of the Martin Goodman Trail to bicycle traffic from 1 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Sunday. Signage is in place along the 2.85-km detour. Details about detours for eastbound and westbound cyclists on Sunday are identical to the detour listings above for Saturday.

More information on transportation relating to the Pan Am/ParaPan Am Games is available at http://www.toronto2015.org/transportation.

Festivals and other special events inject hundreds of millions of dollars annually into the city's economy. In addition to road closures related to special events, a significant amount of road work is taking place in Toronto. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations. Those who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destinations.

The City has a web-based map to help residents and visitors make their travel plans, available at http://www.toronto.ca/roadrestrictions.

Information about the City's planned capital construction work, which also affects roads, is available at http://www.toronto.ca/inview

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games.

Pedestrians will not be able to cross Toronto's Dufferin Street Bridge until January as a result of complications to construction work taking place at the site. Pedestrians can cross the railway tracks between Liberty Village and Exhibition Place, using the GO Station tunnel at Atlantic Avenue.

The bridge will be closed to vehicular traffic until February, when two temporary bridges will be installed.

The City of Toronto appreciates the public's patience as the City undertakes this important work to improve infrastructure in the community.