Ontario Construction News staff writer
Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway westbound Sherbourne-Jarvis off-ramp reopened Sunday after being closed since October 2019. The ramp replacement was part of the city’s Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan.
Crews spent the weekend adjusting construction staging to prepare for the reopening of the westbound off-ramp to Lower Sherbourne/Lower Jarvis Streets and the simultaneous closure of the westbound off-ramp to Yonge-Bay-York Streets.
Work on and near the Yonge-Bay-York off-ramp includes the replacement of the concrete deck and steel girders of the westbound expressway lanes near the ramp. The ramp is expected to be closed until late summer 2020 when construction will move to the final phase for the replacement of the southern half (eastbound lanes) of the expressway deck.
Crews will primarily work around-the-clock on a 24/7 basis to accelerate the project and reduce the length of construction. The majority of the most disruptive work should be completed by 11 p.m. most days. However, in some instances disruptive work must be performed overnight for the safety of crews and the travelling public.
The renewal of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis Street and Cherry Street is part of the first project of the Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan. The Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan addresses the immediate and long-term rehabilitation needs of the entire expressway from Highway 427 to the Don Valley Parkway to ensure it remains in a safe and operable condition, now and in the future.
The section of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis Street and Cherry Street is nearing the end of its service life and is the number one priority for rehabilitation in the Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan.
The City of Toronto is renewing this section of the expressway in a way that’s faster and less disruptive than ever done before.
This work is using an innovative construction method called Accelerated Bridge Construction, which can reduce the construction time by approximately 40 per cent and minimize the impact on the travelling public as well as reduce noise and dust impacts.
The section of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets is nearing the end of its service life and this major work will replace the existing westbound Sherbourne/Jarvis off-ramp.
The contractor is fully replacing the last area in the work zone of the north half of the concrete deck and steel beams of the Gardiner Expressway between Jarvis and Cherry Streets.
More information about this work is available at toronto.ca/JarvisToCherry.
The City of Toronto developed the F.G. Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan to rehabilitate and keep the entire expressway in a “safe and operable condition, now and in the future”.
Effects of age, heavy usage, weather and salt have resulted in significant damage and critical work that needs to be done. The plan establishes immediate and long-term rehabilitation needs of the expressway.
Work will realign the expressway from Jarvis Street to approximately Logan Avenue and help transform the area to improve transportation corridors and provide more efficient public transit and new public facilities.