Following a massive winter storm on Monday, the Don Valley Parkway and parts of the Gardiner Expressway were closed as Toronto Police Traffic Service strongly advised people to stay off the roads.
Both roads are heavily used highways in the city.
The Gardiner’s eastbound lanes reopened as of 12:40 p.m. while the Don Valley Parkway remained inaccessible for several more hours.
Police had advice for the public on how to navigate these kinds of extreme closures.
“The best thing is to keep an eye on the Toronto Police operations Twitter. They will be tweeting as soon as there are openings,” said traffic services Toronto Police Const. Sean Shapiro.
The reasons for shutting down the Gardener and DVP were due to a build-up of minor collisions and disabled vehicles blocking off the roads, adding to the snowstorm’s unsafe driving conditions.
Between 40-60 cm of snowfall hit the city, with winds of up to 60 km/h greatly impairing visibility.
“If you can avoid it and stay home and be safe, that is your best choice. If you do absolutely have to, whether it be for medical reasons or you’re an essential worker, we understand that sometimes you don’t get the choice. And if that’s your situation, leave lots and lots of time,” said Shapiro.
If you have to head out, Shapiro recommended leaving at least an hour earlier, saying “pack your patience because you’re going to need it”.
In the case of a vehicle collision, Shapiro said not to rush to a reporting clinic as you won’t be penalized. Instead, he said to go when the roads are safer to avoid unnecessary travel.
Abandoning your car is the last thing you want to do in the instance of a disabled car, said Shapiro. Drivers should ensure they have a full tank of gas beforehand, get their car as close to the side of the road as possible and stay warm inside the vehicle.
“If you find yourself stuck in the snow, sometimes just continuously trying to get unstuck may not do anything but get you more stuck. So this is where having to admit that you need help is the next step and calling for roadside assistance is likely a good plan.”