Gardiner Expressway closed this weekend for fall maintenance

If you’re planning to drive in Toronto this weekend, be prepared for heavy traffic and delays near the lakeshore.

The city will close the Gardiner Expressway from late Friday night to Monday morning to conduct its annual fall maintenance.

Road work was originally scheduled to take place last weekend, but was delayed due to weather.

The annual repair work will run from 11 p.m Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.

The city of Toronto says the elevated highway will be closed between from Don Valley Parkway and Carlaw Avenue to Highway 427.

Crews will complete the resurfacing of the highway and make improvements to the road.

In 2015 and 2017, the city avoided full weekend closures by shutting down parts of the highway over four weeknights instead of the typical weekend.

The city is encouraging residents and visitors to use public transit to get around Toronto.

Service for GO Transit customers travelling on bus routes 16, 21 and 31, which use the Gardiner Expressway, will be adjusted for buses arriving at or leaving Union Station Bus Terminal.

Drivers can use Lake Shore Boulevard, the Queensway, Bloor Street and Evans Avenue as alternate routes.