Yet another Toronto highway is about to slow to a crawl for major construction project

Those users of the Don Valley Parkway who already refer to the Toronto thoroughfare as the “Don Valley Parking Lot” due to its traffic ain’t seen nothin’ yet, in the words of  Bachman–Turner Overdrive, as roadwork is set to stall things even further.

Repairs on the highway’s busy Bayview Bloor ramp has now kicked off — weeks later than expected, of course — which the City is warning will lead to further congestion and slowdowns around the entry and exit routes.

“Road users should expect delays and increased traffic on nearby main and side streets,” staff wrote in a construction notice that explains the project, which includes a full rehabilitation of the Don Valley Parkway Ramp Bridge over the Bayview Extension, and Road Resurfacing on the Bloor Ramp between Bayview Avenue and the DVP itself.

If everything goes according to schedule, many aspects of the overpass will be fully replaced over the next eight months, with an anticipated completion date of May 2025.

“This work will ensure that the bridge and road meet today’s standards and remain safe into the future,” the notice says, also advising residents of “dust, noise and other inconveniences” that will be caused as a result. 

Crews will work away between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, halting on Sundays and stat holidays.

In a statement, the City told blogTO that it is already redesigning the setup around the work site, and that the new approach with “a reduced impact on traffic” will be announced soon and implemented later this month.

“We understand the inconvenience caused by the work zone set-up and are actively working on a solution to minimize future disruptions,” they said.

“The City of Toronto is committed to maintaining and improving our infrastructure to ensure the safety and reliability of our roads and bridges. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as we work to complete this important project.”

The fixes coincide with the ongoing partial shutdown of the Gardiner Expressway and Highway 401, also for rehabilitation work.

Due to the nightmare the former endeavour caused along the expressway and surrounding roads immediately after it kicked off, the provincial government invested more funds to accelerate that work round-the-clock.