Toronto highway construction doubled Gardiner travel times, new study finds [Video]

Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway rehabilitation is causing major traffic delays, with new analysis showing travel times have more than doubled in key areas since construction ramped up in April 2025.

While most major metropolitan areas in North America have their share of congestion, especially during commuting hours, the extensive renovation project on the Gardiner has caused major increases in the time it takes to travel through the city.

According to analysis by Geotab ITS, travel times have sharply increased across heavily used stretches of the Gardiner in the past year.

For example, the commute between Humber River and Strachan Avenue, which took just eight minutes before construction began in 2024, now takes 24 minutes. Similarly, the stretch between Jarvis Street and Dufferin Street has gone from 11 minutes to 30 minutes.

The most congested section of the Gardiner are experiencing delays of up to 230 per cent, with overall travel times along the expressway between Highway 427 and …