TORONTO — Good news for GTA commuters. The Gardiner Expressway has officially reopened to three lanes, both eastbound and westbound, between Exhibition Place and Grand Magazine Street.
Eastbound reopened to all three lanes Wednesday morning, while all three westbound lanes reopened over the weekend.
The work was completed two months ahead of schedule. Mayor John Tory announced in Dec. 2014 the work schedule was being accelerated due to negations between the city and the contractor. The new timeline came at a cost of an additional $2 million, which added additional crews, materials and equipment.
“It’s a relatively small price to pay to allow drivers relief two months sooner,” said Tory at the time.
The city estimated holdups on the Gardiner Expressway due to construction costs about $1 million a day in lost productivity for commuters stuck in gridlock along the vital route.
“Having this work completed sooner means that Toronto residents can get where they need to go more quickly rather than being stuck in traffic due to construction,” said Tory in the announcement’s release.
He hinted that more projects in Toronto could see tighter timelines in the future.
“This is the first of, I hope, some key construction projects that can be finished sooner and help minimize disruptions to Torontonians in the city,” said Tory.
This is considered the first phase of rehab work on the roadway. While these lanes reopening might be a small victory for commuters, the city still has a battle ahead. Reports show the Gardiner’s eastern portion is in for some serious work, if not total demolition.
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