Second lane closes on Gardiner Expressway and won't reopen for at least 2 years

Commuting east to west (or, west to east, for that matter) in Toronto just got a little bit more painful, as a second lane has closed on the Gardiner Expressway — and it'll stay that way for at least the next two years.

Having officially kicked off in late March, the Gardiner Expressway lane closures will be affecting traffic flow along the route between Dufferin and Strachan incrimentally for the next 3 years.

The first closure as part of the ongoing restoration project was a single eastbound lane but, as of Sunday, April 14, a westbound lane on the expressway has closed, too.

This limits the Gardiner to two lanes going in each direction on the 700m-long stretch, with the city saying that they will occasionally close additional lanes for overnight construction, further restricting traffic flow, albeit during non-peak hours.

The closures are part of a strategic plan to restore the 60-year-old Gardiner Expressway, with the Strachan-Dufferin lane closures expected to remain in place until 2027, with a short re-opening during the 2026 FIFA Tournament.

Construction on the Gardiner is currently taking place between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and, according to the City, occasional work will take place on Sundays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.