Just as commuters will be clogging the Gardiner on their way to the CNE, the expressway will be undergoing construction.

The City of Toronto announced Thursday that the roadwork will occur along the 800 metre stretch between Strachan Ave. and Bathurst St. starting Aug. 19. It will leave two lanes of traffic available in each direction, while closing the others.

The rehabilitation work, expected to be complete by Oct. 31, 2016, will affect the elevated portion of the Gardiner, which is having its deck and concrete barrier walls replaced.

On Thursday, Mayor John Tory (open John Tory's policard) said the closure cannot be avoided: "It's work that's essential to the integrity of that roadway."

However, he said city officials are investigating ways to get the work done before the scheduled October 2016 target.

"We are now exploring ways with possible additional cost implications, to speed that work up and get it done sooner," Tory said.

Extra crews helped accelerate the rehabilitation of another section, between Garrison Rd. and the CNE, at an extra cost of $2 million.

For construction about to start, crews will start early and finish late and work weekends, Tory said, adding that displays will tell motorists their expected travel times on both the Gardiner and Lake Shore Blvd.

To handle further disruptions, the city will use signal timing changes to manage traffic flow on nearby streets, undertake measures to improve the response to incidents in the area and reopen the westbound ramp from Jameson Ave. to the Gardiner, which is usually closed on weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m.

This phase of Gardiner construction was originally put on hold for the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games, which wrap up Aug. 15 — just under a week before the CNE kicks off.

“There are all kinds of events that are happening, but we tried to sequence this around minimizing the impact,” said Michael D’Andrea, the city’s executive director of engineering and construction.

He noted that other projects like the construction on Lower Sherbourne St. and the repaving of Dufferin St. between Eglinton Ave. and the 401 will pick up soon after Pan Am hiatuses too.

To navigate the construction, D’Andrea recommended “carpooling, public transit and maybe one of the apps that is available to decide on an optimal travel route into the city.”

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