Motorists, cyclists and pedestrians who frequently use Lake Shore Boulevard will have to find alternate routes with some westbound lanes between Jarvis and Cherry streets being closed for rehabilitation work on the Gardiner Expressway.

Brad Ross, the city's chief communications officer, says that while the work is being done on the Gardiner, the Lake Shore lanes running directly below the work area are being closed in the interest of safety.

"Lake Shore runs directly below the portion of the Gardiner that we are rehabilitating. That rehabilitation work actually requires us to remove slabs of the Gardiner one at a time," Ross told CBC Toronto.

"They cut them, they lift them out they replace them with new ones. So, when they're doing that work, debris will potentially drop down onto the roadway, so it's really to protect motorists and pedestrians and cyclists who may be travelling on Lake Shore."

The reduction in lanes will continue until the end of February, with a single lane remaining open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekends.

The Jarvis Street to Cherry Street work includes the following:

Rehabilitation of the westbound off-ramp leading to Yonge, Bay and York streets.

Replacing the entire concrete deck and steel girders of the Expressway between Jarvis Street and Cherry Street.

Replacing the westbound off-ramp at Sherbourne Street and the eastbound on-ramp at Jarvis Street.

Brad Ross, city’s chief communications officer, says while the work is being done on the Gardiner, the Lake Shore lanes running directly below the work area are being closed in the interest of safety. (CBC)

The Gardiner Expressway is more than 60 years old, and the city says the section between Jarvis Street and Cherry Street is nearing the end of its service life.

The city says rehabilitation is a priority and is the first project of the Gardiner Expressway Strategic Rehabilitation Plan.

The overall project is expected to be completed in early 2021.

Throughout the construction period, the city says two lanes in each direction will always be open throughout the expressway work zone.

There will also be full closures on the ramps in this area. However, only one ramp will be closed at a time.

Giant white tents along the Gardiner

The city says the rehabilitation work is being done using accelerated bridge construction methods.

Ross says new slabs, to replace the ones being removed, are being fabricated close to the work site — "in those giant white tents you seen down there on the Gardiner."

"Every slab is unique to the piece that was removed so it fits right back in," Ross added.

The following video provides more information on the Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation.