Ontario transportation minister pitches 24-hour work to speed up Gardiner construction

Ontario's minister of transportation, who will soon be responsible for the Gardiner Expressway, is calling for 24-hour construction to speed up rehabilitation work on the route.

As claustrophobic congestion on Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway worsens with years-long lane closures to accommodate road repairs, Ontario’s minister of transportation is suggesting around-the-clock construction could dramatically shorten the time frame.

Parts of the Gardiner, between Dufferin Street and Strachan Avenue, have been reduced by one lane in each direction for “critical rehabilitation work” for three years.

On Thursday, Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria told Global News he was willing to “use any tool” to speed up construction, including allowing the work to take place through the night.

“We’ll work with the city on any slew of measures, (including) looking at 24-hour construction on the Gardiner and see how we can help,” he said.

“We’re up for any solution to this. We want to build highways and transit across this province (and we know) it’s disruptive but we’ll do whatever we can to make sure we speed that up.”

Both the Ford government and the City of Toronto are currently responsible for the road as its ownership transfers from city hall to Queen’s Park through a new deal signed at the end of 2023.

While the final details of the upload — which will also transfer the Don Valley Parkway to the province — are finished, the Ford government is paying for the rehabilitation work, while the City of Toronto is managing it.

Sarkaria conceded that the rehabilitation was a “city project” but implored Toronto to consider expanding its construction work.