Abstract Manager

Urban expressway rehabilitation projects present unique challenges due to high traffic volumes, dense stakeholder environments, and stringent timelines. This presentation will examine the rehabilitation and replacement of Section 2 of Toronto’s F.G. Gardiner Expressway between Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, a critical corridor carrying approximately 140,000 vehicles daily, which was delivered under a Design-Build (DB) model.

The project scope included full replacement of 860 meters (35 spans) of superstructure and selective substructure rehabilitation. A rigorous alternatives analysis informed the Reference Concept Design and Project-Specific Output Specifications (PSOS), incorporating constraints to mitigate risks typical of rehabilitation projects. The PSOS embedded requirements for stakeholder coordination with transit agencies, event organizers, and adjacent infrastructure projects (e.g., Ontario Line) as well as methods to minimize impact on the travelling public.

Once the Design-Build Contractor was procured, it was the utmost importance to provide the Owner’ Engineering / Technical Advisory services in the capacity of Contract Administrator to work alongside the Designer and Contractor to uphold the project schedule while maintaining the quality of work.

A defining achievement was the acceleration of project delivery. Through collaborative workshops on congestion management and construction acceleration, supported by municipal and provincial partners, the project reopened all lanes in October 2025, 18 months ahead of schedule. This outcome reduced congestion, safeguarded economic connectivity, and exemplified adaptive planning in complex urban environments.

This presentation will discuss DB delivery for rehabilitation projects, highlighting strategies for stakeholder integration, and schedule acceleration. Lessons learned underscore the importance of contractual innovation, digital workflows, and collaborative governance in achieving technical excellence and societal benefit in large-scale infrastructure projects.