Toronto residents and visitors should anticipate significant traffic disruptions this weekend due to multiple events, including an annual triathlon and a cultural festival. Major thoroughfares such as the Gardiner Expressway, Don Valley Parkway (DVP), and Lake Shore Boulevard West will experience closures on Sunday to accommodate the Supertri Toronto event.
The Supertri Toronto, previously known as the Toronto Triathlon Festival, is celebrating its 13th year. It is promoted as a prominent urban race experience in North America. The event features a 1.5-kilometre swim at Ontario Place, a 40-kilometre bike ride along the Gardiner and DVP, and a 10-kilometre run on Lake Shore Boulevard West. Over 1,750 athletes and more than 200 volunteers are expected to participate.
Weekend Road Closures and Transit Impacts
Temporary road closures will be implemented around Exhibition Place and along parts of Lake Shore Boulevard West. On Sunday, the westbound curb lane of Lake Shore Boulevard West, from New Brunswick Way to British Columbia Road, will be closed from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. The eastbound curb lane of Lake Shore Boulevard West, from Ontario Drive to an area east of British Columbia Road, will be shut down from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The Gardiner Expressway will be closed eastbound, stretching from the Humber River to the Don Valley Parkway, from 2 a.m. to 12 p.m. The Don Valley Parkway will also be shut down northbound, from the Gardiner Expressway to Eglinton Avenue, during the same period. Toronto police have advised motorists to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, consider alternative routes, and follow all posted detour signage and directions from police officers and event personnel.
In addition to the triathlon, the Toronto Chinatown Festival will also contribute to road closures. This festival will take place on Saturday from noon to midnight, and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., in the vicinity of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West. Road closures for the festival will be in effect from midnight on Friday until midnight on Sunday on southbound Spadina Avenue, between Sullivan Street and St. Andrew Street.
Public transit services will also be affected. On Sunday, subway service on Line 2 between St. George and Broadview stations will not begin until 11 a.m. due to planned infrastructure maintenance. Shuttle buses will be provided to replace service between these stations. GO Transit users should also be aware of disruptions. On both Saturday and Sunday, GO buses will replace train service on the Kitchener Line between Stratford or Kitchener and Mount Pleasant GO stations. Furthermore, there will be no GO train service between Allandale Waterfront GO and Union Station on the Barrie Line throughout Saturday and Sunday.
Sports Teams Away from Toronto
For sports fans, all four major professional sports teams from Toronto will be either off or playing away from the city this weekend. The Blue Jays are scheduled for a three-game series in Boston against the Red Sox. The Argonauts and Toronto FC will play on Saturday in Vancouver and Washington, D.C., respectively. The Tempo have an eight-day break before their next game against the Minnesota Lynx in Minneapolis next Tuesday.
Police have noted that while alternative transportation methods are encouraged, the TTC may also experience delays due to the events. The Supertri Toronto event previously served as a test event for the 2015 Pan Am Games.
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Source: cp24.com
