Toronto highway construction doubled Gardiner travel times, new study finds
Toronto's Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation is causing major traffic delays, with new analysis showing travel times have more than doubled in key areas since construction ramped up in April 2025.
While most major metropolitan areas in North America have their share of congestion, especially during commuting hours, the extensive renovation project on the Gardiner has caused major increases in the time it takes to travel through the city.
According to analysis by Geotab ITS, travel times have sharply increased across heavily used stretches of the Gardiner in the past year.
For example, the commute between Humber River and Strachan Avenue, which took just eight minutes before construction began in 2024, now takes 24 minutes. Similarly, the stretch between Jarvis Street and Dufferin Street has gone from 11 minutes to 30 minutes.
View image in full screen
Gardiner Expressway construction has doubled travel times and intensified pressure on businesses and drivers, with economic losses expected to climb. Courtesy of Geotab inc.
The most congested sections of the Gardiner are experiencing delays of up to 230 per cent, with overall travel times along the expressway between Highway 427 and Cherry Street having doubled during peak times, including morning rush hour, between 7:30 and 8:30 a.m.
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These growing delays are impacting commercial fleets, which cannot reroute to public transit or alternate roads.
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A survey found that 68 per cent of fleet professionals say work-related stress is affecting their driving, and 34 per cent have considered leaving their jobs in the past year as businesses struggle to meet delivery schedules and drivers face longer hours and mounting pressure.
While some commuters and commercial vehicles with flexible schedules may be able to travel on the Gardiner during the middle of the day instead of during peak hours, travel times have also increased midday.
The analysis showed that a midday, westbound trip that used to take 11 minutes now averages about 21 minutes, or a 91 per cent increase due to construction.
With construction expected to continue through next year, drivers and businesses are being urged to plan ahead.
The Gardiner Expressway's strategic rehabilitation plan includes six different areas of construction, one of which has already been completed and two of which are currently underway.
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