This is one of several pages listing bridges that cross the Lower Don River from the Forks to the Harbour. In the early days, transportation between the Town of York and other towns in upper Canada, such as Kingston and Newark (Niagara on the Lake) was entirely by water, but as the province grew, land transportation became desirable both to link these towns and to serve the expanding farm settlements. The Don had to be bridged and Queen Street was the first choice; however, as the nineteenth and twentieth centuries progressed many bridges were added. The following are the existing bridges and a couple of significant former bridges between Pottery Road and Riverdale.
Pottery Road over the Don; there are now two bridges. The south bound traffic is carried on the older, concrete horseshoe arch, bridge which was built in 1928 and refurbished in 1988. North bound traffic uses a newer bridge built in 1977.
Horseshoe
Arch Bridge 1928.......... ............. North bound
1977 .....
The Don Valley Parkway passes over Pottery Road in a bridge built c1960.
DVP
over Pottery Road, June 2007
CPR Don Valley Subdivision, long bridge over Don River, .now passes over CNR, Don River, Bloor-Bayview Ramp and trails. Plate girder on 11 concrete pylons.
CPR
Long Bridge, seen from Chester Lookout May '07
This bridge was built around 1890 as part of the branch line from Leaside Junction to Union Station, which was constructed to carry traffic from the east, south into Toronto along the Don Valley. This avoided the complications of funnelling all trains into the downtown area through Toronto Junction in the west. Work began in 1887 but, given the difficult grades encountered and bridgework required, the branch was not opened until September 1892. Here are two closer views seen from the Lower Don Recreational Trail.
Three pilon stretch May 2007 .............. One pilon
stretch June 2007
Park Drive Bridge over Don was demolished when the DVP was built. It was located about where the Bloor-Bayview Ramp now passes over Don River.
Park
Drive Bridge over Don 1930
City of Toronto Archives, Fonds
1231, Item 1930
Bloor-Bayview Ramp was originally intended to form part of the proposed Crosstown Expressway. It now runs from Bloor Street at Castle Frank Road to The Don Valley Parkway after passing under the CPR Don Valley Subdivision bridge. Bayview Avenue is only accessible for traffic to or from DVP.
Bloor
Bayview Ramp, seen from Chester Lookout May '07
There are three bridges along the Bloor-Bayview Ramp, all constructed 1960 and refurbished 1996:
Bloor-Bayview
Ramp over Don River and trail, June '07
Bloor-Bayview
Ramp over CNR & trail, June '07
No picture is included for the Bloor-Bayview Ramp Bridge over Bayview Avenue, but it is similar to the above.
Prince Edward Viaduct See separate page which includes information and pictures and also pictures of the bridges carrying Bloor Street and the Subway over Rosedale Valley.
CPR over Don River at Riverdale
CPR Bridge at Riverdale,
August '02
Winchester St Bridge Before the Prince Edward Viaduct this bridge carried a good deal of traffic from Toronto to the area east of the Don.
Winchester
St Bridge, 1894
City
of Toronto Archives, Series 376, File 1 Item 51b
Lower Don Trail over Don River
The
Lower Don Trail crosses the Don at Riverdale, August '02
Riverdale Foot Bridge
The
Riverdale Foot Bridge
passes over rail lines, the Don River and the DVP, July
07
Riverdale
Foot Bridge,
the approach from west and as seen from the Lower Don Trail,
June 07
Gerrard Street Bridge
Gerrard
Street Bridge,
July 07
Dundas Street Bridge
Dundas
Street Bridge under reconstruction, July 07
Queen Street Bridge will have a special page, now being developed. It will also have pictures of bridges south of Queen Street to the Bay.
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