Waterfront Toronto opens new Cherry Street alignment to traffic

A key new corridor that’s been in the works for years as part of the massive plan to transform the downtown Toronto Port Lands is now open to pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles.

A new northern stretch, which connects with two massive white bridges installed over the Keating Channel in 2021 and down to the Polson slip, replaces Cherry Street. It was officially opened by Waterfront Toronto on Wednesday.

The road is now known as New Cherry Street. The old Cherry Street had a narrow metal bridge over the Keating Channel and provided access to Villiers and Commissioners streets.

The new section of road now creates a straight connection south to the Port Lands from King Street East and the Distillery District.

In addition to wide sidewalks, there are also dedicated cycling paths, one lane in each direction for vehicles and a future dedicated right of way to support TTC streetcars in the future (planning for a service extension is underway).

The corridor was originally scheduled to open at the end of 2023.

Work to open a newly reconfigured Commissioners Street was underway when The Leader Spirit visited on Wednesday.

The closure of the old section of Cherry Street will mean TTC 72B Pape buses will be shifting to Commissioners Street.

In a news release issued by Waterfront Toronto Wednesday afternoon, officials called the opening a “key advancement in the Port Lands Flood Protection project.”

The $1.25-billion, 400-acre project will see the Don River extended 1.3 kilometres to the harbour sometime before the end of 2024.

We’re excited to announce the opening of the latest connections in the Port Lands. The Cherry Street North and Commissioners Street bridges will link Villiers Island to downtown Toronto and the surrounding Port Lands. Read the News Release here: https://t.co/aAllA5pNgY.

— Waterfront Toronto (@WaterfrontTO) January 24, 2024