A section of the Gardiner Expressway that was closed for construction following the end of Game 2 of the World Series has reopened ahead of schedule, albeit temporarily.
The closure was between Highway 427 and Spadina Avenue. It was set to re-open at 7 a.m. on Monday, but traffic was once again flowing in the early morning hours.
The work was fast-tracked thanks to a $73-million investment from the provincial government.
Another closure on the same stretch between Highway 427 and Spadina Avenue is planned for Saturday, Nov. 1, but the timing will be dependent on the Toronto Blue Jays’ schedule, should the World Series go to a deciding Game 7, which would be played at the Rogers Centre.
Should that shutdown happen, the Gardiner Expressway will be closed from Spadina Avenue to Highway 427, and all six lanes will reopen by approximately 7 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, in time for the morning rush hour.
CityNews confirmed last week that the reopening of the Gardiner Expressway between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue could be delayed until Monday, Nov. 10. The province’s transportation minister attributed the delay to the Blue Jays’ World Series games.
Last month, the City of Toronto announced that the construction project was six months ahead of the last expected completion date.
In June 2024, a study revealed that travel times on the Gardiner Expressway had increased by up to 250 per cent in the morning rush hour (7 to 10 a.m.) and by 230 per cent in the afternoon rush hour.
