The Lake Shore Boulevard East: Don River Bridge and Public Realm (LSBE) Project combines some elements of the Port Lands Flood Protection (PLFP) with some elements of the City of Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard Reconfiguration (Gardiner East) projects.
Jump to: Construction Schedule
Jump to: What are we building?
Jump to: The New Lake Shore Boulevard – Before/After
Jump to: Road Closures, Detours
To see recent and upcoming Public Meetings related to this project, visit the Public Information Centre Page. For Frequently Asked Questions, please see our FAQ Page.
The PLFP and Gardiner East projects will both help make the eastern waterfront more livable and have both received approval from Toronto City Council. Construction on PLFP is well underway in the area south of Lake Shore Boulevard between Cherry Street and Don Roadway.
Both the PLFP and Gardiner East projects require changes to the Lake Shore Bridge over the Don River. Lengthening the Lake Shore Bridge is a critical element of PLFP’s design for flood protection. The Gardiner East design requires that the Lake Shore Bridge be widened to accommodate the expected increase in traffic resulting from the planned removal of the overhead Gardiner/Logan ramps. The wider bridge will also make space for new cycling and pedestrian paths and more landscaping, including a linear park. More information on the Lake Shore Boulevard East Public Realm Project.
Delivered separately, the overlapping scope and timing of these two projects would make the overall reconstruction of the Lake Shore Bridge costlier, riskier and more complex. To coordinate resources, reduce costs and risks as well as speed up the completion of new public spaces and cycling connections, the City and Waterfront Toronto agreed to incorporate some elements of the approved Gardiner East project into the PLFP project. This means construction on the Lake Shore Bridge and removal of the Gardiner/Logan ramps will start in September 2021, several years earlier than originally planned. See the Construction Schedule.
What are we building?
The LSBE project combines elements of the Gardiner East project with the PLFP project. This includes changes to the Lake Shore Bridge, Gardiner Expressway and Lake Shore Boulevard. Ongoing work involves:
- Extending the Lake Shore Bridge by two spans
- Relocating utilities from the former Rail Bridge
- Replacing two existing spans of Lake Shore Bridge and rehabilitate the existing pier and abutments
- Realigning Lake Shore Boulevard from Don Roadway to Carlaw Avenue
- Building new pedestrian and cycling facilities and landscaping on the Lake Shore Bridge and Lake Shore Boulevard from Don Roadway to Carlaw Avenue
The New Lake Shore Boulevard – Before/After
We’re rebuilding Lake Shore Boulevard from the Lake Shore Bridge at Don Roadway to Carlaw Ave. The new street includes landscaped buffers separating new bike and walking paths.
Above: A cross section showing the future configuration of Lake Shore Boulevard East. This is a representative cross section. More on the new design.
Construction Schedule
The Gardiner on/off ramps to Logan Avenue are now removed.
Work started on the Lake Shore Bridge over the Don River and Lake Shore Boulevard East from Don Roadway to Carlaw in February 2022. Construction is scheduled to be complete in 2025.
For more details about what to expect during construction, visit our construction page.
Road Closures, Detours
- Lake Shore Boulevard remains open, with some lane diversions. To see current and planned road status, visit our construction page.
- Cycling Detours: the Lower Don Trail south of Corktown Common and the Multi-Use Trail along Lake Shore Boulevard between Don Roadway and Booth Avenue are currently closed. See more information on the construction page.
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