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Section of Gardiner reopens ahead of schedule

A section of the Gardiner Expressway has reopened ahead of schedule, thanks to what Toronto Mayor John Tory calls a "hurry up approach" to relieving congestion.

Two out of the three westbound lanes of the Gardiner, between Spadina Avenue and Dufferin Street, were closed for maintenance work on Aug. 19. They were expected to remain closed until October 2016.

The city said Sunday the work was sped up and that those lanes have reopened for weekday traffic, including the morning and evening rush hours. They will close again on nights and weekends from Nov. 20 to mid-December for further work.

Tory stressed the importance of getting the city's roadwork done faster.

"The Gardiner is a major artery of our city and getting lanes of traffic on the Gardiner open earlier will make a real difference in cutting congestion and commute times," he said in a statement.

The lane reductions are in support of work on the Dowling Avenue and Dunn Avenue bridges.

The weekend and nighttime closures are scheduled until October, but a city official expressed hope they, also, might be finished ahead of schedule.