The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, commonly known as the Gardiner Expressway or simply the Gardiner, is a partially at grade and elevated municipal expressway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Running close to the shore of Lake Ontario, it extends from the foot of the Don Valley Parkway (DVP) in the east, just past the mouth of the Don River, to the junction of Highway 427 and the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) in the west, for a total length of 18.0 kilometres (11.2 mi). East of Dufferin Street to just east of the Don River, the roadway is elevated for a length of 6.8 kilometres (4.2 mi), unofficially making it the longest bridge in Ontario, as it runs above Lake Shore Boulevard east of Spadina Avenue. The Gardiner Expressway is wholly owned and operated by the Province of Ontario.
The elevated section of the Gardiner Expressway looking east as it crosses Spadina Avenue, in 2022
The Gardiner Expressway at night looking west in downtown Toronto, at the westbound off-ramp to Sherborne St. and Jarvis St.
The underside of the Gardiner's elevated section, with Lake Shore Boulevard running through it
The Gardiner east of Yonge Street
The Don Valley Parkway (DVP) is a municipal freeway in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, which connects the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto with Highway 401. North of Highway 401, it continues as Highway 404. The parkway runs through the parklands of the Don River valley, after which it is named. It has a maximum speed limit of 90 km/h (56 mph) for its entire length of 15.0 km (9.3 mi). It is six lanes for most of its length, with eight lanes north of York Mills Road and four lanes south of Eastern Avenue. As a municipal road, it is patrolled by the Toronto Police Service.
The Don Valley Parkway at Riverdale Park
The southern section of the Don Valley Parkway parallel to the Don River, looking north
The Don Valley Parkway seen from the Prince Edward Viaduct
Originally built as part of the Don Valley Parkway, the segment north of Highway 401 including the interchange with Sheppard Avenue became part of Highway 404 in 1977.