Toronto, Ontario

Gardiner Expressway Section 5 Detailed Design

Client: City of Toronto
Our Role: Design

An aerial view of the Gardiner Expressway with the Toronto city skyline in the background.

Originally constructed in the 1950s and 1960s, the Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway (the Gardiner) plays a vital role in the city’s local and regional transportation network. Stretching east to west along the city’s waterfront — from the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) to Highway 427, where it becomes the Queen Elizabeth Way — the Gardiner has long served as a lifeline for commuters, businesses, and visitors.

As Toronto continues to evolve, so too must the infrastructure that supports it. The future of transportation will reimagine Toronto’s potential from a growing demand for enhancing connectivity to revitalizing public spaces, it will create an accessible and inclusive city for everyone. Investments in the Gardiner’s rehabilitation reflect a broader commitment our firm has to sustainable urban mobility plans.

Together with our integrated partners LEA Consulting and DTAH, our firm was the successful proponent of competitive procurement for detailed design of the Gardiner Section 5 between Cherry Street and the DVP.

This section of the Gardiner Expressway, from Cherry Street to the DVP, will shift slightly north with some early work already completed. The project is being coordinated with major nearby initiatives, including the Ontario Line, Port Lands Flood Protection, Waterfront East light rail transit, East Harbour, and Waterfront Toronto redevelopment.

Key Features

Reconfiguration of Lake Shore Boulevard East (LSBE) from Cherry Street to the Don River, including Cherry Street on-ramp and off ramps connecting LSBE to the Gardiner.
Reconfiguration of ramps over the Don River connecting the Gardiner to the DVP.
Public realm and active transportation improvements, as well as the development of an open space on the north side of LSBE (referred to as the North Linear Open Space) along the Gardiner-LSBE corridor. This was part of the Toronto City Council’s decision and direction to staff on the Gardiner Environmental Assessment (EA), and as a condition of the provincial approval of the Gardiner EA per the LSBE Public Realm Vision, Phasing, and Implementation Plan.

Outcomes

Agencies gain a clear roadmap to close compliance gaps and meet federal and state safety training requirements.
Recommendations help streamline training programs, eliminate redundancies, and focus resources where they’re needed most.
By improving training alignment and clarity, agencies empower their workforce with the knowledge and tools to work safely and confidently.