City of Toronto updates traffic closures for remaining Taylor Swift Eras Tour concerts

The City of Toronto and the Toronto Police Service have rolled out a long-anticipated plan to accommodate the hundreds of thousands of visitors expected for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concerts. Nick Westoll reports.

The City of Toronto has updated its traffic closures for the remaining Taylor Swift Eras Tour concerts in response to patterns seen during last week’s events.

“The adjustments include moving up some closures to earlier times while also removing some planned road closures as we’ve gained insights about crowd ingress and egress over the concert series,” City of Toronto spokesperson Laura McQuillan told CityNews in a statement Thursday afternoon.

“This has helped improve queueing outside the Rogers Centre while also ensuring people can leave the area safely and efficiently after each show.”

Here is what will be happening in downtown Toronto on Nov. 21, 22 and 23:

1 p.m. road closures: The westbound lanes of Bremner Boulevard between Rees Street and Navy Wharf Court will be closed to traffic. Eastbound lanes will be open for two-way traffic.

Local traffic (residents who live nearby and businesses) will only be allowed on Bremner Boulevard between Spadina Avenue and Simcoe Street, the southbound lanes of Rees Street (which will be converted to two-way traffic as northbound lanes close), Blue Jays Way between Spadina Avenue and south of Front Street West (Marriott Hotel traffic excepted) and Navy Court Wharf (police checkpoint will be in place).

Lake Shore Boulevard West will be reduced to two westbound lanes at Rees Street to facilitate a pick-up and drop-off point.

9:45 p.m. road closures: The eastbound and westbound Gardiner Expressway off-ramps will be briefly closed to better allow people to leave the Rogers Centre.

10 p.m. road closures: Front Street West will be closed between John and Simcoe streets.

City of Toronto officials said all road closures should be lifted by 1 a.m. the following day.

They also noted additional last-minute closures might be put in place if needed to assist with crowd management.

Toronto officials reiterated public transit is the best way to navigate downtown given the volume of people in attendance.

A TTC spokesperson said there haven’t been any changes to the agency’s extra services, but a Metrolinx spokesperson said UP Express saw extra demand from visitors staying by the airport and that additional trains have been made available. Extra GO Transit trains were also added as part of the broader plan for all of the Taylor Swift concerts.

Click here for more information on extra public transit services put in place for the concerts.

A map of road closures and drop-off/pick-up zones put in place by the City of Toronto.
A map of road closures and drop-off/pick-up zones put in place by the City of Toronto. HANDOUT / City of Toronto

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