Lake Shore Boulevard East Project

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. More details on that project here.

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.

Extend the Lake Shore Bridge and adjacent Rail Bridge by two spans
Relocate utilities from the existing Rail Bridge
Replace two existing spans of Lake Shore Bridge and rehabilitate the existing pier and abutments
Remove the elevated structure of the Gardiner Expressway from Bent #330 (east of Cherry Street) to the eastern end of the Gardiner Expressway
Realign Lake Shore Boulevard from Don Roadway to Carlaw Avenue
New pedestrian and cycling facilities and landscaping on the Lake Shore Bridge and Lake Shore Boulevard from Don Roadway to Carlaw Avenue
Shift the existing rail tracks east of Don Roadway to the center median of Lake Shore Boulevard and connect them to the existing tracks at Carlaw Avenue

Watch an overview of the project here:

Watch an overview of the design here:

We have held three public meetings on this project. You can find the materials, including recordings of the presentations for all three meetings.

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.

View of a paved walking path beside a highway, with lush green trees providing shade. A construction crane towers in the distance under a clear blue sky. — 1. Before: current bike path looking west on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard

A rendering of a bustling bike lane scene featuring several cyclists and lush trees adjacent to a roadway with passing cars. — 1. After: Future bike path on the north side of Lake Shore Boulevard

View of a city street with a designated green bike lane in the foreground leading towards a traffic intersection under a clear blue sky. Signs for bicyclists and vehicles are visible, along with surrounding urban scenery. — 2. Before: Looking west on Lake Shore from Booth Avenue

A rendering of individuals walking through a vibrant park with green trees and colorful flowers along a winding path. — 2. After: future view looking west on the future walking path on Lake Shore

View of a multi-lane road leading under a wide overpass on a sunny day, with some vehicles on the road and clear blue skies. — 3. Before: Heading west on Lake Shore Boulevard

A rendering of a sunset view from a car driving on a multi-lane road with trees and other vehicles. — 3. After: Future experience driving west on Lake Shore Boulevard

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. There are road closures in the interior Port Lands. To see current and planned road status, visit our construction page.
Cycling Detours: the Lower Don Trail south of Corktown and Multi-Use Trail along Lake Shore Boulevard between Don Roadway and Logan Avenue. See more information on the construction page.

To stay updated on construction impacts, Sign up for construction notices. More information on construction notices.

To get meeting invites and project updates, sign up for the Waterfront Toronto newsletter.

See some of the photographs of the Gardiner ramp removal.

Images by artists Vid Ingelevics and Ryan Walker. See more of their work in the Port Lands.