Gardiner Expressway to be reduced to 2 lanes starting Sunday

Toronto'sGardinerExpressway will be reduced to two lanes starting Sunday, as the cityresumes the next phase of the highway's rehabilitation plan.

The lane reduction from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue willtake effect in both directions,with intermittent additional lane closures as required,according to the city.

One westbound lane is set toclose to traffic at 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, if weather permits, the city said.Earlier this week, oneeastbound lane was closed off in both directions.The eastbound on-ramp from Lake Shore Boulevard, east of Jameson Avenue, will also be closed.

The latest lane closure is part of the city's $300 million rehabilitation project on theaging highway, whichisexpected to last three years, according to a news release.

The city previously said it plans to keep traffic flowing on specific days and for some events. From May 2026 to July 2026,the Gardiner will be fully open to accommodate increased traffic expected duringthe FIFA World Cup.

Preparatory work on this portion of the Gardiner began in November 2023, the city said.Thefirst section of the rehabilitation project, from Jarvis to Cherry streets, was completed in 2021. The city budgeted roughly $2.2 billion for thetotal project, which it first approved nearly a decade ago.

WATCH | Here's what you should know about Gardiner construction:

How the Gardiner construction will impact your commute

5 months ago

Duration 2:39

Toronto has unveiled a new four-year construction plan for the Gardiner Expressway, which will mean lane reductions in both ways on a very busy stretch of the highway. CBCs Greg Ross has the latest details on how this will impact Torontonians.