toronto traffic

Toronto neighbourhood is a traffic nightmare due to constant construction

The traffic in one Toronto neighbourhood has residents feeling like they're living in a slow-motion nightmare.

Toronto has a traffic problem — bet you've never heard that one before.  However, for Liberty Village residents, the problem reached a fever pitch this weekend when the streets were filled with unmoving, bumper-to-bumper traffic following a diabolical combination of construction and the Toronto FC home opener at BMO Field.

toronto traffic

Messy traffic issues concern Liberty Village residents. Emma Burns.

The typically quiet (or, relatively quiet given its proximity to major city veins) neighbourhood has been plagued with traffic headaches for weeks, thanks to major construction cutting off portions of King Street and diverting cars through Liberty Village.

Starting in mid-February, the construction to replace a 146-year-old water main and renew streetcar tracks along King between Dufferin and Shaw has led to major TTC and traffic diversions, and is expected to continue through (at least) May.

toronto traffic

Drivers frantically try to escape the neighbourhood like rats in a maze. Adam G Shaffer.

With spring well on its way and the TFC season bringing additional visitors to the area, residents are left to worry that the problem will get worse before it gets better.

"It's the nightmare we all knew would come true," writes one community member in a neighbourhood Facebook group.

"It's only going to get more hellish as the year rolls on with Ontario line construction work ramping up added into the mix," writes another.

Some residents of the neighbourhood are now angling for portions of the area to be restricted to local traffic only during peak times, but no movement has been made yet on that front.

In February, it was reported that traffic congestion costs the city $11 billion per year. The city has appointed a task force to tackle the issue, but, evidently, measurable progress has yet to be made.

Lead photo by

Bojana Joksimovic


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Video shows passengers evacuating Delta plane after crash at Toronto airport

Delta plane flips over in crash at Pearson airport in Toronto

Homes taken over by Metrolinx for new Toronto subway will soon be demolished

What's open and closed on Family Day 2025 in Toronto

Gardiner Expressway construction faces new hiccup with upcoming lawsuit

Law-breaking Toronto driver stopped by cops during live news broadcast

Second Toronto storm could bring another 30 cm of snow

Toronto is about to make it a lot easier to visit the Scarborough Bluffs