City approves environmental assessment of Gardiner tear-down
The project, which could cost as much as $300 million, is still a long way from final approval - but the environmental assessment, including an examination of various configurations of roadway, from turning Lake Shore Boulevard into an eight-lane "great street", or simply doing nothing at all, is a crucial first step.
"I'm very pleased at the overwhelming support of city council today to support the environmental assessment to remove the Gardiner from Jarvis East to the Lakeshore and the ramps to the Don Valley Parkway " said Mayor David Miller after the 30-11 vote Tuesday, July 16. "I think council made a significant step toward building a 21st century city and I was pleased to hear the support from members of council from all geographic areas of the city. There is a tremendous opportunity for this city on the waterfront. I think you saw council not thinking about managing the past but trying to build the future."
The vote means that Waterfront Toronto will begin the three-year environmental assessment project - initially with public consultations over the next year. The environmental assessment will help nail down details on how the project is to proceed.
The waterfront agency has already painted a picture in broad strokes. The elevated highway would come down between Jarvis and the Don Valley Parkway. Vehicles that now bypass the city from the DVP to the Gardiner would descend onto an eight-lane road, which would either continue on as the Lake Shore or connect via much smaller ramps.
The roadway itself would be lined with developments ranging from street-front cafes to condominiums. In general terms, the goal of the tear-down would be to open up the east bayfront, in a manner similar to the way that the tear-down of the Gardiner off-ramp east of the Don Valley Parkway opened up the communities of Leslieville and south Riverdale.
Ward 30 (Toronto Danforth) Councillor Paula Fletcher told fellow councillors that the change was worthwhile, creating a wide, bright roadway with more public amenities - and that didn't have a serious impact on travel time for motorists.
"There were very few time changes with traffic, as have been evidenced from the takedown," she said. "People were very worried before it happened that there would be a catastrophic traffic situation, but it is quite a nice ride to take from Leslie Street to the on-ramp."
Waterfront Toronto has argued that the section of highway proposed for removal actually carries very little traffic - about 120,000 cars per day - so the impact would be minimal there too.
Ward 29 (Toronto Danforth) Councillor Case Ootes argued that the under-utilization of the highway was no argument for its removal.
"So we have one highway in the whole City of Toronto where people, instead of sucking gas fumes from the car in front of them can move quickly - and so we tear it down," he said. "The point is that this is the one roadway, one expressway, that provides a link between the west and east end of the city. It's served us well and will continue to serve us well."
Ward 4 (Etobicoke Centre) Councillor Gloria Lindsay Luby voted against the project. A member of Miller's Executive Committee, Lindsay Luby is also a longtime opponent of Gardiner demolition projects. She stuck to her guns.
"Numerous governments over time have looked at removing the Gardiner - and it's unfortunate but they refuse to look at ways of ameliorating its problems," she said, and suggested that the city is deliberately allowing the highway to deteriorate to the point where demolition becomes the only option.
"By not putting money into the Gardiner, it will get to the point where they'll say it will cost too much to keep it up," said Lindsay Luby. "Who are we kidding? It's all there. And the costs of the project are going nowhere but up. Who are we kidding? I want to see public transit, but it won't be serving people from northeast Scarborough."
Ward 3 (Etobicoke Centre) Councillor Doug Holyday accused Miller of trying to sneak the environmental assessment through in the summer when residents are out of town. And he accused Miller of engaging in a long game of demolishing the entire Gardiner.
"We're dismembering the Gardiner Expressway piece by piece," he said. "People say that's not the plan, but I think that's the plan. We just don't have to do it all at once. That seems where we're going. I would like you to come to Etobicoke, and ask them what they think about taking down the Gardiner."
In the end, however, council voted overwhelmingly to go ahead with the environmental assessment. The process will take about three years, with the first year involving public consultation. Then council will vote again on whether to go ahead.
The EA also encompasses the realignment of ramps at Bay/York Street in the downtown core.
