Councillors backing costliest Gardiner hybrid option

TORONTO – Some city councillors are ready to back the most expensive hybrid option proposed by city staff,  hybrid option three.

“For me you choose the one that is more beautiful, the one that shows off our city.”

Hybrid option three would cost $1.053 billion over a hundred year cycle and the reconstruction would see existing the Gardiner-DVP ramps removed and realigned to the northern rail corridor.

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It also opens up approximately 7.5 acres of land for development.

In June 2015, council voted 24-21 in favour for the Gardiner hybrid option, narrowly avoiding an alternate plan that would see the eastern part of the Gardiner removed.

While some councillors are still lamenting last year’s council decision, Councillor Paula Fletcher said she is willing to accept the hybrid option three as a close second.

“Of all of the alternatives so far, remove is best but I think hybrid three is number two,” said Fletcher.

“We are moving the Gardiner away from the lip of the waterfront … freeing up land for development, great public realm and a new Lakeshore Blvd.”

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Three hybrid options were presented to media on Tuesday afternoon varying in both cost and design.

Hybrid option one would see the re-decking of the existing Gardiner structure and maintain the existing Don Valley Parkway ramps.

Option one would cost approximately $906 million over a 100-year cycle and is the least costly of the three options.

Hybrid option two would cost just over $1.01 billion over a 100-year cycle and would remove the existing Gardiner-DVP ramps further north.

Construction would begin in 2019 and is anticipated to be completed by 2026.

The city will be hosting public meetings before the options go to Public Works and Infrastructure committee.

The public has been invited to a public meeting on hybrid alternatives Tuesday evening, which will be held at the Toronto Reference library at 6:30 p.m.

Option One

• Re-decks existing Gardiner structure and retains existing DVP ramps
• Removes about 750 m (EB lanes) and 850 m (WB lanes) of the existing Logan on/off ramps
• Adds 2 new ramps (2 lanes each) in the Keating precinct:
  • about 313 m new WB on-ramp and
  • about 341 m new EB off-ramp
• Relocates Lake Shore Blvd as per Keating Precinct Plan alignment
• Limited opportunities for improvements to public space
• Includes new multi-use pathway & some intersection improvements

Option Two

• Removes existing Gardiner-DVP ramps and realigns further north
• Realigns the Gardiner east of Cherry Street and re-decks it west of Cherry Street
• Removes 750 m (EB lanes) and 850 m (WB lanes) of the existing Logan on/off ramps
• Adds 2 new ramps (2 lanes each) in the Keating precinct:
  • about 355 m new WB on-ramp and
  • about 333 m new EB off-ramp
• Relocates Lake Shore Blvd to Keating Precinct Plan alignment
• Opportunities for enhanced public realm included two sided Queens Quay extension and fully unencumbered water’s edge along Keating Channel
• Includes new multi-use pathway and some intersection improvements

Option Three

• Removes existing Gardiner-DVP ramps and realigns to the most northern location
• Realigns the Gardiner east of Cherry Street and re-decks west of Cherry Street
• Removes about 750 m (EB lanes) and 850 m (WB lanes) of the existing Logan on/off ramps
• Adds 2 new ramps (2 lanes each) in the Keating precinct:
  • about 355 m new WB on-ramp and
  • about 333 m new EB off-ramp
• Relocates Lake Shore Blvd to Keating Precinct Plan alignment
• Opportunities for enhanced public realm included two sided Queens Quay extension and fully unencumbered water’s edge along Keating Channel
• Includes new multi-use pathway and some intersection improvements