Toronto just got a futuristic new bridge with breathtaking skyline views
The first in a series of stunning new Toronto bridges is now officially open to pedestrian, cycle and vehicle traffic.
The new Cherry Street South bridge carries the realigned street of the same name over the future mouth of a rerouted Don River now being carved out through the Port Lands, at what is now the Polson Slip, just north of Polson Street.
Waterfront Toronto quietly unveiled the new infrastructure with social media posts on Tuesday, officially adding one more bridge to the over 1,050 already spanning waterways and roads in the city.
The first new bridge in the Port Lands is open! People are already walking, cycling, and driving across the sleek yellow bridge at Polson Street, the first of 3 new connections to the future Villiers Island. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/06Bhb2Zxy7
— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) October 4, 2022
A photographer was on the scene to capture the moment the very first cyclists used the new crossing, with the bridge now carrying the Martin Goodman Trail over the future river.
This bridge crosses the future mouth of the Don River. Now that it’s open, we’ll start digging through the original Cherry Street, connecting the new river valley we’ve already built to the east with its future outlet into Polson Slip. (2/3)
— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) October 4, 2022
The new bridge measures 70 metres from end to end and weighs a staggering 830 tonnes. It was no easy feat getting this vital infrastructure — one of four bridges serving the new Villiers Island and reimagined Port Lands — in place.
Due to its size and weight, the bridge made a long-haul journey by barge from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, via the St. Lawrence Seaway, arriving in the city last November.
Cherry Street's new realigned course to the west of the former alignment will allow crews to begin excavating the area east of the bridge to connect to the new river valley. This will eventually be where the river empties out into Lake Ontario.
Waterfront Toronto’s crew had the chance to chat with the first cyclists to cross the newly opened stretch of the Martin Goodman Trail, father and son duo Michael and Samuel Buckstein. (3/3) pic.twitter.com/HfXRCrP9u1
— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) October 4, 2022
And the few who have experienced this bridge in person have been met with outstanding views of the ever-changing Toronto skyline.
Giddy start to the morning today pic.twitter.com/BVD9dp1uuw
— Laurence Lui / 呂朗鳴 (@larrylarry) October 4, 2022
The nearby Cherry Street North bridge crossing the Keating Channel, which actually arrived several months before its sibling to the south, remains closed with Cherry Street running on its old alignment north of the future river mouth.
But it won't be too much longer before you can walk, bike, or drive the full route of Cherry Street's new alignment, with the stretch from Lake Shore Boulevard to Commissioners Street expected to open in the coming months.
Waterfront Toronto
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