TORONTO —The Ontario government is marking the start of the second phase of construction on the Gardiner Expressway four months ahead of schedule. The early milestone is the result of the government’s $73 million investment in the project on the condition that construction work may be allowed to proceed 24/7.
“We’re making real progress on our government’s plan to fight gridlock and keep drivers moving,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, Minister of Transportation. “Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’re not only getting it done on the Gardiner Expressway, we’re also bringing common sense changes to bike lanes through new legislation and speeding up construction of priority highway projects like Highway 413, Bradford Bypass and the Garden City Skyway bridge, to help get drivers across the province out of gridlock.”
With two eastbound lanes on the Gardiner Expressway now rehabilitated and reopened, crews will begin the demolition and reconstruction of two centre lanes, before completing work on the remaining two westbound lanes. The full project is expected to be finished one year ahead of schedule and includes revitalizing 700 metres of elevated roadway from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, reinforcing support structures, installing new streetlights and upgrading the traffic management system.
Once construction is complete, the 140,000 drivers who rely on the Gardiner every day will save up to 22 minutes per trip. Accelerating construction is expected to save Ontario’s economy $273 million by getting drivers and goods out of gridlock earlier than originally planned.