As of May 1, Queen Street will only be open to pedestrians between Victoria Street in the east and Bay Street in the west. This closure will last for approximately four-and-a-half years to accommodate construction on the Ontario Line, which is scheduled to open in 2031.
The city is encouraging anyone travelling downtown to allow for extra time and consider taking public transit., and then Adelaide Street until the end of the Queen Street closure. City of Toronto staff are working to mitigate gridlock as a result of this closure. Tactics being considered to reduce traffic in the downtown core include modified traffic signals as well as deploying police officers and traffic agents in congested areas. Traffic professionals will be placed in “key intersections” during peak traffic periods.
Priority travel routes will be established and kept clear in order to keep traffic flowing through downtown Toronto. The first such route is Dundas Street between Jarvis and Bathurst streets, which the city says will provide an “unobstructed parallel route” for vehicles diverted from Queen Street. Additional priority routes will be established as construction on the Ontario Line progresses.
The city is also working on a plan to lessen congestion around popular downtown events venues, including the Rogers Centre, Scotiabank Arena and Exhibition Place. These areas are set to feature increased traffic management from changes in traffic signal timing, portable traffic signs and on-site traffic agents to help direct vehicles.