We at LibertyVillageToronto were stunned to hear the Dufferin St bridge would be closed to all motor vehicle traffic starting June 12, 2013 for up to 18 months. Liberty Village currently has more than its fair share of road closures and traffic chaos because of the Strachan Ave overpass roadwork, the heavy condo construction equipment, and the recently-completed TTC track repairs on Dufferin St. The last thing we need in Liberty Village is yet another long-term road closure!
Here’s a link to a Toronto Star report on the closure.
Approximately 18,000 daily car trips are taken over the Dufferin St Bridge. The good news is that the bridge will remain open for pedestrians and bicyclists during the entire time.
The Dufferin St bridge access to Liberty Village is probably the least congested arterial route into Liberty Village. We like to use it as much as possible because car traffic flows quite well on Dufferin St south of King St all the way to the Lakeshore. It’s a handy access route to and from the neighbourhood.
We suggest Liberty Village residents plan an alternate route so you don’t face delays.
Hopefully motorists heading south along Dufferin will still be able to use the detour that goes west along Springhurst Ave for four blocks and then allows you to exit south onto the Lakeshore/Gardiner using the Dunn Ave offramp. Taking this detour along Springhurst and Dunn Ave onto the Lakeshore is quite painless.
Probably the biggest effect of the Dufferin St Bridge closure will be on motorists who commute north along Dufferin St. Those drivers are coming east from the Lakeshore/Gardiner and cut along British Columbia Drive, through Exhibition, and then north along Dufferin into Liberty Village. These motorists will have to make more adjustments to their route because if the bridge is completely closed the main options heading north into Liberty Village will now be Jameson Ave and Strachan Ave. On the other hand, motorists traveling west along the Gardiner will not be affected by the bridge closure because they will still be able to exit north using the Dunn Ave off ramp as before.
Local residents who want to walk or jog or ride their bikes to the Lakeshore won’t be affected because the bridge will remain open to pedestrian and bike traffic. People walking to get to TFC Games, or to Exhibition, should have little problem.
Overall, we remain quite positive about the situation. We are happy that the 100 year old Dufferin bridge is finally being repaired. Staying alert to the detour routes means you should still be able to exit and enter Liberty Village using the existing fine network of streets in the area. For Liberty Village motorists, the Dufferin bridge closure will be an inconvenience, but it won’t actually prevent people from getting where they want to go.
What are your thoughts on how the Dufferin Street Bridge closure will affect Liberty Village residents and motorists?
