Gardiner Expressway lane closures explained
Pan Am HOV lanes to be taken down Tuesday night, then lane reductions begin
This week brings both good and bad news for drivers who use the Gardiner Expressway to commute to and from downtown Toronto.
Starting Tuesday night at 11 p.m. ET, the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in place during the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games will revert to regular traffic lanes.
After that happens, deck replacement work on the Gardiner Expressway will bring delays and lane closures that will, in some cases, extend into next year.
It's a bit confusing, but here's how the Gardiner Expressway closures break down:
Overnight lane reductions: Starting Wednesday night, the Gardiner Expressway — which has three lanes in both directions — will go down to one lane in each direction from Spadina Avenue to Jameson Avenue starting at midnight and continuing to 5 a.m.
Westbound lane reduction: Starting Wednesday, the westbound Gardiner between Spadina Avenue and Jameson Avenue will be reduced by one lane, leaving two lanes for motorists. That will continue until at least October 2016.
Eastbound lane reduction: The Gardiner Expressway will go from three to two lanes from Strachan Avenue to Bathurst Street until December 2015.
Overnight ramp closure: The Spadina Avenue ramp onto the westbound Gardiner Expressway will be closed overnight starting Wednesday and continuing until Friday.
Weekend lane reductions: From Spadina Avenue to Jameson Avenue, the Gardiner Expressway will be down to one lane in each direction from 1 a.m. to 8 a.m.