Need a bit of advice from anyone living in the TO area (Gardiner closed)

[cjefferys]

I was hoping to get some traveling help from anyone living in or familiar with Toronto. We are heading to a baseball game at the Rogers Centre tomorrow, and I just found out that part of the Gardiner expressway will be closed all weekend for "maintenance". On a holiday weekend? Brilliant!


I'm coming up from Niagara on the QEW and was wondering the best alternate route to take to get downtown. It's gonna be closed between Carlaw Avenue and the Humber River, is that going to affect me? Last year we took the kids to a Wiggles concert downtown and the same thing happened, the Gardiner was closed, but we didn't know ahead of time. Had to take the last exit before the closure and ended up on Lake Shore. The traffic was terrible. If this closure is going to affect me, I was hoping for any tips from seasoned TO drivers. Thanks!

[palitoy]

nah Carlaw and humber only affect dolts like me in the East, coming from the West you shouldn't have a problem although I'd probably take lakeshore for a good long while prior to your stop.

Ed may have some suggestions as well.

[cjefferys]

Cool, thanks, that's good news. I was kinda thinking of getting onto Lakeshore early as possible but wasn't sure if that was the right strategy. My wife also just suggested parking at Kipling or Islington and taking the TTC to Union Station, so that's an option too (free parking on weekends and we have some tokens we never used).

[samurainoir]

Yeah, it's going to be a nightmare getting around Toronto pretty much every weekend between the Marathon last week, Gardiner closure this weekend and the Ride for Heart next weekend, not to mention street parties/ethnic festival season starting up.

I'll give you the same advice I gave my brother when he was trying to get into the city last weekend from the West. The Queensway and Lakeshore is likely going to be a parking lot, but you don't have very many other options unless you want to take the 401 up and over (I wouldn't recommend Bloor). Park it at the Oakville Go station and take the train in (or Burlington if they have service out there on the weekends now).

GOTransit.com - Timetable Details

[samurainoir]

Cool, thanks, that's good news. I was kinda thinking of getting onto Lakeshore early as possible but wasn't sure if that was the right strategy. My wife also just suggested parking at Kipling or Islington and taking the TTC to Union Station, so that's an option too (free parking on weekends and we have some tokens we never used).

That's a good option as well... I'd suggest Kipling. Up the 427, off right away at Dundas West (there is an odd turn at the mall there). Head east and the station will be on your right just after Apache Burger (recommended if you want to grab lunch!).

Although i think the Go Train is your best bet, because it will take you right into Union station (on the TTC, you're going up and over).

[cjefferys]

Thanks for the advice Ed, there are four of us going, and we have TTC tokens, so we might try that way. Thanks for the directions!

[samurainoir]

No problem. Glad to help.

[cjefferys]

Things worked out great. We hit no traffic at all, I found the station at Kipling, took the train into Union Station, the Skywalk to Rogers Centre. Things worked out much more smoothly than I hoped. Plus great weather, and the Blue Jays won! Thanks again!