The Port of Toronto is celebrating the opening of two iconic bridges

Two new connections to Toronto's Port Lands bridges have opened to the public and represent a major step forward in the redevelopment of 500 acres of underutilized land.

The additions are designed as modern structures and the opening of the North Cherry Street and Commissioners Street bridges to vehicular, pedestrian and cycle traffic will attract visitors to and around the future site of Villiers Island.

The Toronto Waterfront Flood Protection Enabling Infrastructure (PLFPEI) project called for innovative and aesthetically pleasing bridges over current and future waterways in the area.

The Port Lands Bridges are the centerpiece of a $1.3 billion rehabilitation and rehabilitation effort and were designed by Entuitive, Schlaich Bergermann Partner (sbp) and Grimshaw Architects.

“We are delighted to celebrate the opening of the Cherry Street North and Commissioners Street bridges and to reflect on our rewarding and fruitful collaboration with our construction partners at sbp and Grimshaw, as well as Ellis Don,” said Michael Meschino, director of Entuitive. .

“Toronto's waterfront is one step closer to completing one of the province's most exciting projects, and creating critical infrastructure, a place to live, work and play will be truly transformative.”

The collaborative design effort, led by Entuitive, was also supported by the leadership of Waterfront Toronto and construction manager EllisDon, who managed the construction process from fabrication to installation.

“We are proud to be a part of the physical transformation of Toronto's waterfront into a vibrant, active and connected community,” said Grimshaw partner Juan Porral. “The Port Lands Bridges will provide connectivity and ease of mobility, creating memorable gateways for pedestrians, cyclists, future trams and vehicles to and from the new Villiers Island.”

The bridges are designed as a single family of four and showcase modern engineering alongside manufacturing techniques.

The design goal was to create elegant structures that functioned as passages and destinations for the public. The single-span Cherry Street North Road and LRT bridges and the four-span Commissioners Street Bridge will connect to the previously opened Cherry Street South Bridge.

The Cherry Street South Bridge, with three spans, crosses the new estuary of the Don River on the west side of Villiers Island and opened in October 2022.

“Port Lands Bridges is a great example of how creative teams of architects, engineers, contractors and property owners can come together to design beautiful bridges,” said Michael Stein, managing director of sbp. “We are delighted to contribute to the evolution of Villiers Island with bridges that serve the community both as functional infrastructure and as attractive landmarks that enhance the quality of their built environment.”

Intuitive, sbp and Grimshaw worked to ensure the bridges met high aesthetic standards. The results of Port Lands Bridges have been recognized by engineering and steel design awards in North America and Europe, such as the Institute of Structural Engineers, the National Council of the Society of Structural Engineers, the Society of Structural Engineers of New York, and the Consulting Association. Engineering Companies for Ontario.

“There were many challenges from concept to construction, which led to many opportunities for innovation and collaboration,” said Jonathan Werner, senior partner at Entuitive. “Seeing the Port Lands bridges open to the public for their use and enjoyment makes it all worth it.”

The PLFPEI project called for bridges that reference the history of Toronto's waterfront while also supporting the livable and walkable future of the new neighbourhood.

As a result, the design team came up with a hybrid shell-and-girder bridge structure. This self-locking curved back improves material efficiency while reducing costs. The tied arches create only vertical reaction forces and also reduce the size and complexity of the foundations.

As the soil in the industrial area is contaminated and of poor quality, this was a major challenge for the project, as foundations and piers were also limited by the site's flood protection plan.

Technical sheet:

Project Owner: Waterfront Toronto
Architect firm: Grimshaw Architects
Pre-structural design: Schlaich bergermann partner (sbp)
Structural Engineer: Intuitive
General Contractor: EllisDon
By: Cherubini Bridges and Structures
Details: Tenca Steel Detailing Inc.
Installed by: ES Fox Ltd.
Civil Engineer: Harborside Engineering Consultants
Geotechnical Engineer: Thurber Engineering Ltd.
Civil Engineer: Planmac Engineering Inc.
Electrical & Lighting: Mulvaney & Banani Lighting Inc.