Gardiner Expressway - Route Description

Route Description

From the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) and Highway 427 interchange, east to the Humber River, the Gardiner is straight, eight-to-ten lanes wide. This is the former QEW segment. Due to its status as a former Ontario 400-series highway, and because of its more recent design (rebuilt in the late 1960s), this section was built to more recent standards than the Metro-constructed Gardiner. A system of collector and express lanes serves Kipling Avenue and Islington Avenue and this segment has a speed limit of 100 km/h rather than 90 km/h. From the 427 to Grand Avenue the highway passes through an area of residential, commercial and light industry. To the south are the neighbourhoods of Alderwood and Mimico.

The highway curves approaching the Humber River passing the residential condominium towers of The Queensway-Humber Bay neighbourhood along the waterfront, the Mr. Christie cookie factory and the Ontario Food Terminal on the north side. The segment east of the Humber is the original Gardiner segment and is six-to-eight lanes wide. Two eastbound lanes exit to Lake Shore Boulevard and the roadway narrows to the six lanes of the original segment at the bridge over the Humber River.

East of the Humber the highway curves along Humber Bay, passing to the south of the Swansea neighbourhood, before passing the Sunnyside waterfront on the south and High Park and the Roncesvalles neighbourhood on the north side. Along the north side from Roncesvalles to Exhibition Place is the neighbourhood of Parkdale. Like the rail lines which run parallel to the Gardiner along its north side, the Gardiner is built in a cut from Dowling Avenue to Dufferin Street and is below grade. From Dufferin to Strachan Avenue, the highway is flanked by light industry and the Liberty Village neighbourhood to the north and the buildings of Exhibition Place on the south side. The highway becomes elevated at this point, rising at a gentle grade with a view of downtown Toronto straight ahead.

From east of the Exhibition Place streetcar loop and just west of Strachan Avenue, the space below the elevated sections of the highway was enclosed for use as storage space. Bricked sections with windows can be seen when driving along Manitoba Drive or taking the streetcar in or out of Exhibition Place. GO Transit's Exhibition train station is located under the Gardiner Expressway with tracks located on the north side of the Gardiner.

To the east of Strachan Avenue, the highway is entirely elevated, mostly overhead of Lake Shore Boulevard, between the buildings of downtown Toronto. Just east of Strachan, the highway passes Old Fort York on the north side and Coronation Park to the south. From Bathurst Street eastward to Yonge Street, the south side is developed with residential condominiums of the Harbourfront neighbourhood and office towers. On the north side, the highway passes the Rogers Centre, CN Tower and the Air Canada Centre landmarks interspersed with residential condominium towers. North along Bay Street are the office towers of the Toronto Financial District. Two elevated eastbound lanes fork off east of Spadina to provide exit ramps to Yonge, Bay and York Streets. Between York and Yonge Streets the highway is narrowed to two lanes in each direction.

From Yonge east to the Don Valley Parkway, the rail lines run parallel to the Gardiner on the north side, and to the north of the rail lines is the low-rise residential development of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood, the Distillery District and the West Don Lands. To the south of the highway, the land use is light industrial and waterfront lands in transition. The highway passes over the Don River with a ramp to connect to the Don Valley Parkway and descends in a ramp to end at Lake Shore Boulevard and Bouchette Street.

The elevated section is supported by steel-reinforced concrete columns. The roadway itself was constructed on top of concrete slabs supported by steel girders. The height of the elevated section is higher than required to cross city streets and provide clearance underneath. The intent of this was to reduce traffic noise at ground level. The highest point of the elevated section is the eastbound ramp from the Gardiner to the Don Valley Parkway which goes up and over the westbound lanes, then drops to ground level. The elevated sections of the Gardiner use a tall wall concrete barrier topped with green metal blades. The blades act to reduce the glare of oncoming headlights from the opposing direction of traffic. At grade sections west of Bathurst Street use steel guide rails.