New Cycling Bridge over the Don!

Last week I noticed that a new bridge is being constructed over the Don River just north of Lakeshore Blvd. This is to connect a new bike path that will run on the north side of the reconstructed Lakeshore between the Don Roadway and eventually Coxwell Avenue.

This path and bridge are part of the project to dismantle the Gardiner Expressway east of the Don River and replace it with a new urban boulevard. There is more information on this project in general on The Gardiner East Dismantling Project website. Here there is information on the phases of the roadway construction and some information about the planned cycling facilities including some photos.

Click on this photo to go see some before and after shots.

Don River Trail to Carlaw Avenue

The pictures below are of the construction work currently being done on the bridge. They were taken on May 9, 2001. The bridge is in place and the approach ways are being prepared. The bridge will be finished in about a month but it will not be open to cycling traffic till the path on the north side of Lakeshore Blvd between Don Roadway and Carlaw Avenue is completed. This should be done by the end of July 2001!

Carlaw Avenue to Leslie Street

There is currently a temporary paved path north of Lakeshore Blvd. Between Carlaw Avenue and Leslie Street. The new path will connect to this path at Leslie Street. The permananent path along this section will be completed later this year.

Leslie Street to Coxwell Avenue

The final leg of the path from Leslie Street to Coxwell Avenue will be completed next year. It will also run on the north side of Lakeshore.

This is a map showing the approximate location of the new trails. The base map is from the City of Toronto Maps website. I added the coloured lines to show roughly where the paths will run. (So these may not be to scale.)

Looking northbound on the Don Trail you can see the fork in the road not yet traveled. This leads to new bridge over the Don River.

Looking from the Don Trail to the West you can see the intersection of Don Roadway and Lakeshore Blvd. in the background.

Looking south you can see the new bridge spanning the Don River with the Gardiner Expressway in the background.

Looking to the West over the bridge you can see Downtown Toronto framed by the beginning of the Don Valley Parkway.

Martin Koob
tcc-rep@tbn.ca