Mayor Ford gets first-hand look at Gardiner inspection
Posted May 25, 2012 4:04 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford watched as crews chipped away loose pieces of concrete from ramps and underside of the Gardiner Expressway, Friday.
Toronto is in the process of inspecting and repairing the pedestrian areas under the roadway.
If loose chunks of concrete are found, roadways and sidewalks may be closed temporarily.
Ford arrived on his guided tour just in time to see a worker send a two-metre long piece of concrete crashing down from one of the support columns.
Ford had a message for drivers and pedestrians worried about more falling chunks.
“It’s in good hands, we’re working as quick as we can and we’re dealing with it in an efficient way,” Ford explained.
City engineer John Bryson explained the chipping process to Ford, who seemed impressed.
Crews were chipping loose concrete at Simcoe and Yonge Friday. They’ll be at Bay, York, Rees and Cherry Streets through the weekend.
“It’s dangerous work,” Ford said. “People don’t see all the stuff behind the scenes.”
Ford applauds Public Works chair Denzil Minnen-Wong for speeding up the response to falling concrete.
“As soon as we heard about it, Denzil was on the phone and he said ‘let’s get moving,’ and I said ‘absolutely, we’ve got the green light, do whatever we got to do and this will be resolved,” Ford explained.
The surface area of the Gardiner itself is scheduled to be checked by June 15.
Three chunks of concrete fell off the Expressway within the last month.
One fell on May 22 onto Lake Shore Boulevard near Lower Simcoe. On May 10, one fell onto Parkside Drive and on May 7, one fell onto Lower Jarvis.
