Gardiner construction report will be released very soon, Olivia Chow says [Video]

Mayor Olivia Chow says staff are “very close” to releasing a report that will outline steps the city can take to accelerate construction of the Gardiner Expressway as concerns over traffic congestion mount.

Since the major rehabilitation work began earlier this year, lane reductions on the busy highway have brought traffic to a standstill at many points throughout the day, causing significant delays for commuters.

In a letter to council last month, the mayor acknowledged that the initial three-year timeline to rebuild the highway is “simply too long” for the “vital artery” and more must be done to accelerate the work.

Speaking to reporters at city hall ahead of Tuesday’s executive committee meeting, Chow said staff will soon publicly release a report that breaks down what can be done to speed up work and improve congestion.

“We are very, very close,” she said of the final report.

In the meantime, …