The Ontario government has announced the start of the second phase of work on Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway – four months ahead of schedule.

“We’re making real progress on our government’s plan to fight gridlock and keep drivers moving,” said Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria.

With two eastbound lanes on the Gardiner Expressway now rehabilitated and reopened, crews will begin the demolition and reconstruction of two centre lanes, before completing work on the remaining two westbound lanes.

Due in part of the fact that work on the project is allowed to proceed 24 hours a day, the province says full project is now expected to be finished one year ahead of schedule and includes revitalizing 700 metres of elevated roadway from Dufferin Street to Strachan Avenue, reinforcing support structures, installing new streetlights and upgrading the traffic management system.

Once construction is complete, the 140,000 drivers who rely on the Gardiner every day will save up to 22 minutes per trip.

A recent study by Geotab ITS found that travel times on the Gardiner Expressway have increased up to 250 per cent in the morning rush hour and 230 per cent in the afternoon rush hour.

Toronto commuters face the longest travel times in North America, spending an average of 98 hours each year in rush-hour traffic, according to the Toronto Region Board of Trade.