Extended commute times on Gardiner Expressway

A new study reveals dire statistics about commute times on Toronto's Gardiner Expressway, as construction has closed lanes in both directions, according to data from Geotab, an Oakville-based technology company that helped AI and uses advanced data analytics to improve fleet performance, it announced that travel times on the Gardiner increased by 250 percent during the morning rush hour (7-10 a.m.) and 230 percent during the afternoon rush hour. In late March, when repairs began on Gardiner, heavy vehicle drivers were spending 80 percent more time on Gardiner each day, and the three alternate routes—Harbor Avenue, Lake Shore Boulevard, and Cherry Avenue—had an average 43 percent increase in traffic.

The company said in part of its study: "The average journey time from the River Humber to Strachan Street has increased from 8 minutes to 20 minutes, and the average time to travel the 5km distance between Jarvis Street and Dufferin Street is now 25 minutes instead of 11 minutes. Longer driving times in Gardiner also increase carbon dioxide emissions from heavy vehicles. The increase in driving time has led to a 23% increase in greenhouse gas emissions. This equates to approximately 1,200 kg more CO2 per day from the vehicles in question.

Construction on the Gardiner from Dufferin Street to Strachan Street began in November 2023 and is expected to be completed in mid-2027. The highway will be briefly reopened for the 2026 World Cup from May to the end of July 2026.

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