Bridges at the Forks

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 while Queen Street was the first choice, as the nineteenth and twentieth centuries progressed many bridges were added. The following are the existing bridges in the Forks area where bridge enthusiasts can find nine bridges in close proximity. The DVP, Don Mills Road and the CNR cross the West Don River the East Don River, Taylor/Massey Creek, park roads and each other. Three high level bridges are not far away.

1. Don Valley Parkway over CNR and East Don River, 3-span continuous steel beam, over concrete abutment sitting on steel piles, design by Terry Gregg

   

   Don Valley Parkway over CNR and East Don River, July ‘07

2. Bailey Bridge over CNR for footpath, 1972, designed by Hans Sustronk.

   

   

   Bailey Bridge, footpath over CNR, August ‘07

3. Don Mills Road. over CNR and footpath, steel beam on concrete bents, composite design using welded studs, 1959 3 designed by Terry Gregg.

   

   Don Mills Road. over CNR. July ‘07

4. Park road over West Don River. Concrete horseshoe arch over Don, 1965, design from the office of Raymond Moriyama, designer of the Ontario Science Centre.

   

   Park road over West Don River, July ‘07

5. CNR over West Don Plate girder.

   

   CNR over West Don, July ‘07

6. Don Mills Road over East Don River, steel composite, simple span, design by Terry Gregg. Afterwards, a pedestrian boardwalk carrying the Lower Don Trail was placed underneath.

   

   Don Mills Road over East Don River and Lower Don Trail, July ‘07

7. Former Don Mills road over East Don River. Concrete arch pony truss over Don, east branch, around 1921, design from Toronto and York Roads Commission.

   

   Old Don Mills Road over East Don River, May ‘98

8. Don Valley Parkway over Taylor/Massey Creek, composite design by Terry Gregg.

   

   Don Valley Parkway over Taylor/Massey Creek, July ‘07

9. Don Mills Road over Don Valley Parkway

   

   Don Mills Road over Don Valley Parkway, June ‘07

Three high level bridges at table-land level are close by:
Overlea Boulevard. over West Don River, (north of #4) high-level, continuous plate girder, design attributed to Tim Lazarides.

Overlea Bridge, August ‘07

O’Conner Road over Taylor/Massey Creek high level (picture DSCN0944) (east of #8)

O’Connor Viaduct from Taylor Creek Park

For Leaside Viaduct and bridges on down the Don Valley see Crother’s Bridges.

Information on Bridges at the Forks from P. Rose, Ontario Society for Industrial Archaeology.