Toronto traffic: Major road closures due to Open Streets TO, weekend festivals

Another weekend packed with festivals in Toronto will mean plenty of road closures to accommodate the crowds and celebrations.

In addition to significant closures for events such as Open Streets TO and Chinatown Festival, the 139th Canadian National Exhibition will be open for the first weekend of the season, and heavy traffic is expected around Lake Shore Boulevard and the Exhibition.

The city is encouraging those taking part in all the action to take transit wherever possible and give yourself lots of time to get there.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Major stretches of both Bloor and Yonge streets will be closed in both directions for Open Streets TO on Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will see those streets temporarily converted to so-called “paved parks” to promote recreation and physical activity.
  The closures on Bloor are in effect from Montrose Avenue, near Ossington, to Parliament Street. Yonge is closed from Bloor to Queen Street. Vehicles will still be able to cross Bloor and Yonge at many major intersections.
• Chinatown Festival will see the southbound lanes of Spadina Avenue closed from St. Andrew to Sullivan Street from midnight on Saturday to midnight on Sunday. This year’s theme is based on Chinese Valentine’s Day, celebrated last month, and a folktale called “Meeting Across the Milky Way.”
• Bathurst Street will be closed between Wilson and Laurelcrest Avenues in both directions from Saturday at midnight to Sunday at midnight for Taste of Manila. The event is said to be the largest Filipino street festival in North America. Extra TTC service will be in effect on Bathurst to get you there.
• Several blocks of Danforth Avenue near Warden will be closed on Saturday from 7 a.m. to midnight for the car show event Wheels on the Danforth. Closures are in effect from Byng Avenue to Leyton Avenue and from Leyton to Warden. Danforth Road will also be closed between Landry Avenue and Danforth Avenue. The 113 Danforth and 20 Cliffside buses will divert.
• On Sunday, two northbound lanes of University Avenue will be closed from Queen to Dundas for the Panorama India Day Festival and Grand Parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of India’s independence. Closures are in effect from midnight and 6 p.m. Armoury Street (University Avenue to Chestnut Street) will also be closed to vehicles.
• The TTC will be operating shuttle buses between Kipling and Islington stations, which are out of service until Monday morning. Check the TTC website for the full list of diversions and service updates.