The ramp from the eastbound Gardiner Expressway to York, Bay and Yonge streets will be closed to traffic for nine months as of April 17 so it can be demolished and reconstructed.

Mayor John Tory announced the closure of the ramp at a news conference on Wednesday, noting that it will be “frustrating” for drivers but will ultimately improve traffic flow and provide pedestrians and cyclists with better access to the waterfront.

The funding for the project is included in the $312 million earmarked for road projects in the city’s 2017 budget.

“The bad news is the ramp is in poor condition and needs to be replaced but the good news is that will give us an opportunity to do a number of things both transportation wise and in terms of the urban precinct we have here with regards to waterfront,” Tory said. “This ramp has become yet another barrier between the waterfront and the city and we are going to have an opportunity to make some improvements in that regard.”

New ramp will be shorter

The current ramp, which is about 50 years old, begins at Reese Street and travels eastbound to York Street where it ends in a roundabout that connects with Harbour Street.

The new ramp, however, will be shorter and will end at Lower Simcoe Street. Harbour Street will then be widened from three to four lanes from Lower Simcoe Street to Bay Street in order to accommodate the added traffic flow.

As part of the project, the park space that currently exists where the soon-to-be demolished roundabout stands will also be redesigned.

“Staff have nicknamed this ramp the hot wheels ramp because you really do whirl around as you come off the highway but that ride is about to be over,” Tory said. “I am not going to stand here and say there won’t be frustration but I hope people will understand that we are being upfront in saying that this work needs to be done and that there are going to be benefits from it. It is going to be better for drivers, it is going to be better for pedestrians, it is going to be better for cyclists and it is going to be better for the city overall.”

Tory said that traffic lights in the surrounding area will be retimed during the closure. Drivers will also be able to access the eastbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard from Spadina Avenue, which they are not currently able to do.

Construction will take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday.

The new off ramp is expected to open to traffic in January.