The future of Toronto's Gardiner Expressway is expected to be debated by council on Wednesday.
Council will look at two options for the eastern portion of the crumbling roadway that have been recommended by the Public Works and Infrastructure Committee:
1. The remove alternative
Supported by city staff in a report last February, this option involves the removal of the elevated Gardiner structure east of Jarvis Street, and the creation of a multi-lane ground-level roadway. The tear-down option has been pegged at $461 million. According to a May report written by the University of Toronto's Centre for Intelligent Transportation Systems, tearing down the eastern portion of the Gardiner could add an extra 10 minutes to a driver's morning commute.
2. Hybrid alternative
Favoured by Mayor John Tory, this option will cost $919 million and involves maintaining a link between the Gardiner and the Don Valley Parkway. The on- and off-ramps east of the Don River that extend to Logan Avenue, however, will be demolished. And east of the Don River, the Lakeshore will be rebuilt as a six-lane boulevard.
