Two major downtown roads will be closed to traffic on Sunday

The Gardiner Expressway in Toronto is almost empty in the as the sun rises on Sunday, April 19, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn

Thousands of cyclists will be taking over the Gardiner Expressway and the Don Valley Parkway this weekend, likely creating headaches for drivers in the process.

Parts of the two highways will be shut down to vehicular traffic from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. to accommodate the Bike for Brain Health.

The second annual event benefits the Baycrest Foundation and includes three distances that cyclists can choose from – 25, 50 and 75 kilometres.

The city says that to accommodate the ride, the Don Valley Parkway will be shuttered from York Mills Road to the Gardiner Expressway while the Gardiner will be closed from South Kingsway to the Don Valley Parkway.

Police are warning that motorists can expect “significant delays in the downtown core, particularly on the arterial roadways” as a result of the closure.

They say that public transportation is “strongly recommended” during the closure.

The event, however, is just one of several things which are expected to slow traffic in the city this weekend.

Here is a list of the other major road closures drivers should be aware of:

Front Street West will be closed from Spadina Avenue to Draped Street from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday for a crane hoist.
There will be lane reduction on Bloor Street East at Sherbourne Street between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday for a crane hoist.
The westbound lanes of Pottery Road will be closed from Broadview to Bayview avenues between 8 p.m. on Friday and 8 p.m. on Saturday for bridge rehabilitation work.
St. George Street will be closed from College Street to Harbord Street from 7 p.m. on Friday until 8 p.m. on Saturday for an event at the University of Toronto.
The westbound lanes of Lake Shore Boulevard East will be reduced to one lane between Parliament and Cherry streets from June 5 to June 9 for road restoration related to gas pipeline replacement work.

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Two major downtown roads will be closed to traffic on Sunday

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