When a city warns tourists and residents to avoid driving downtown, you know that it’s something to pay attention to.
And that’s what Toronto has done ahead of the city’s 2023 “construction season.”
So, even though the warm weather is a welcome sign of summer, it’s also a sign of increased road work. And while there’s usually more construction in summer that any other period, 2023 has more construction than even seasoned Toronto motorists are used to.
In fact, the construction of the new Ontario subway line will keep Queen St. at Yonge St. closed for the next few years.
Not only that, but the City will also be installing gas mains along Lakeshore Boulevard, water mains, and adding infrastructure for easier cycling within the city’s core.
To help you out with your travels this summer, let’s break down the road closures and road work into sections. The information below should help you avoid any unexpected traffic snarls due to summer construction (these roads are closed unless otherwise specified):
Core
- Adelaide St. from Adelaide Pl. to Jarvis St. (for 2023).
- One lane minimum between University Ave and Church St.
- Bay St. – two lanes from Adelaide St. to King St. (until May 22).
- Blue Jays Way – lane reductions between Spadina Ave and Navy Wharf Court.
- Navy Wharf Court from Blue Jays Way to Bremner Boulevard (until 2025).
- Church St. from Gould St. to Gerrard St. (until May 31).
- Esplanade St. between Scott St. and Market St. (3Q 2023 – early 2024).
- Between Lower Jarvis and Berkeley St. (3Q 2023 – 2Q 2024).
- Front St. from Spadina Ave to Draper St. (lane restrictions for most of 2023).
- James St. is mostly closed to Albert St.
- King St.
- One lane from Charlotte St. to Peter St. (until June).
- King St. and Charlotte St. curb lane (until December).
- Queen St. at Yonge St. is closed to Bay St. and to Victoria St.
- Queen St. at Spadina Ave (a section closed until 2029).
- Simcoe St. between Queen St. and Richmond St. (until 2029).
- Spadina Ave between Queen St. and Bulwer St. (until 2029).
- Spadina Ave from Queen St. to Spadina Cres. (one northbound lane).
- Spadina Ave and Fort York Boulevard, north and westbound lanes (to end of 2023).
- Union Station construction continues into 2025.
- University Ave north of Queen St. (multiple lanes until 2029).
- Between Queen St. and College St. (3Q 2023 – early 2024).
- Victoria St. near Queen St. on both sides will mostly be closed (until 2027).
- Wellington St. between Blue Jays Way and Clarence Square (most of 2023).
- Yonge St. between Wellington St. and King St. – two northbound lanes (until Sept. 2024).
- Yonge St. between King St. and Esplanade St. (end of 2024).
East
- King St. East between Berkeley St. and Parliament St., mostly or fully closed (until 2029).
- King St. westbound lanes (until June 30).
- Moss Park visitors can expect delays (until 2031).
- Front St. at Berkeley St. (until 2031).
- Lake Shore Boulevard East between Jarvis St. and Richardson St.; and from Sherbourne St. and Bonnycastle St. (road work until 2023).
- Lake Shore Boulevard East between Cherry St. and Carlaw St. (two westbound lanes closed until Apr. 10, 2024).
- Eastbound curb lane closed between Cherry St. and Don Valley Parkway North (until Aug. 30).
- Road work from Cherry St. to Don Roadway and from Richardson to Lower Sherbourne; and Richardson St. from Lake Shore to Queens Quay.
- Lake Shore Gardiner Expressway eastbound on-ramp at Jarvis closed (until Sept. 2030).
- Parliament St. between King St. and Front St., mostly or fully closed (until 2029).
- Queens Quay East from Bay St. to Parliament St. (road work until 2025).
West
- Dundas St. West one eastbound lane closed from Bathurst St. to Carlyle St.
- Bathurst at Dundas one northbound lane closed (both until October 2023).
- Gardiner Expressway area between Dufferin St. and Shaw St. – construction (until 2027).
- Atlantic Ave nearby will also undergo construction.
- King St. at Bathurst St. – nearby streets will be partially or fully closed (until 2029).
- Bathurst from King St. to Stewart St., and parts of Stewart St. partially or fully closed (until 2029).
- Lake Shore Boulevard from Fort York Boulevard to Cherry St. – construction.
- Parliament St. between Mill St. and Lake Shore Boulevard East – construction (summer – end of 2023).
- Lake Shore Boulevard eastbound from Spadina Ave to Rees St. – north curb lane closed (until August 2023).
North
- Bloor St. East construction starting later in the summer and lasting through 2024 with more intense work.
- Bloor St. and Yonge St. lane restrictions (until 2025).
- Bloor St. between Spadina Ave and Avenue Road – construction (late summer until early 2024).
- Bloor St. between Avenue Road and Castle Frank Rd. – lane restrictions (later this year).
- College St. between Manning Ave and Bay St. – construction (until late summer).
I know. It’s a long list!
Hopefully once drivers get used to construction and closures in these areas, the downtown driving experience will become smoother. So, plan ahead for your downtown commute this summer, give yourself and your family extra time, or take transit!
