Major closure of Gardiner Expressway planned for this weekend

Vehicles makes their way into and out of downtown Toronto along the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto on Thursday, November 24, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

It could be a challenging weekend to get around Toronto with a closure of the Gardiner Expressway for maintenance and the suspension of subway service along a portion of Line 2.

The Gardiner will be closed in both directions between the Humber River and Spadina Avenue all weekend as the city carries out infrastructure maintenance and preparation for the FIFA World Cup.

The closure begins at 11 p.m. on Friday and the highway is not scheduled to reopen until 5 a.m. on Monday.

The closure also coincide with a TTC shutdown on a portion of Line 2 and several service changes across GO Transit‘s network.

Major Highway Closures

Officials say the work on the Gardiner is part of an effort to maintain expressway infrastructure and prepare the city’s roadways for the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Similar closures will also be coming to the Don Valley Expressway on the weekend of May 8.

“The closures allow multiple city divisions and partners to work safely and at the same time, to ensure the expressways remain safe, clean, and in good working condition.” city officials said in a news release.

“Drivers should plan their travel in advance and consider alternate routes, leave extra time for their journey and take public transit if possible,”.

TTC and GO Transit Service Changes

Those taking the TTC will also see disruptions and schedule adjustments starting this weekend.

The TTC has announced that Line 2 Bloor-Danforth will be closed between Kipling and Jane stations on Saturday for planned signal work. Regular service is expected to resume Sunday at 8 a.m.

Those taking GO transit may be in for some relief, as officials have announced increased service.

Starting Monday, trains on the Lakeshore West and Lakeshore East lines will depart either two minutes earlier or two minutes later to better reflect actual travel times. Additionally, 15-minute midday and weekend evening service will return to the Lakeshore East line between Durham College Oshawa GO and Union Station starting May 2.

Commuters along the Lakeshore West line can expect similar service between Oakville GO and Union station.

On the Kitchener Line, two new weekday express trips are being added starting Monday:

• A westbound morning trip departing Union Station at 8:49 a.m.
• An eastbound afternoon trip departing Kitchener GO at 3:43 p.m.

Seasonal Bus Routes Return

For those heading to local attractions, GO Transit is also launching its seasonal weekend service as of Saturday.

Travelers can take Route 25K for direct access between Kipling station and Toronto Premium Outlets, while Routes 47W and 52X will resume service to Canada’s Wonderland. Route 96Z will also provide weekend-only trips to the Toronto Zoo. All seasonal routes are scheduled to run through August 30.