Toronto drivers will have to steer their way around a handful roads closed for special events and regular maintenance work this weekend.

A stretch of the Gardiner Expressway will be closed in both directions from Carlaw Avenue in the east to the Humber River in the west starting at 2 a.m. on Saturday.

By 9 a.m. Saturday morning, traffic was heavy in both directions on Lake Shore Boulevard while the Gardiner lanes were free of traffic with the exception of maintenance vehicles.

Myles Currie is a director with the city’s transportation services division.

He said there’s never a convenient time to shut down the busy highway but at 60 years old, it requires regular work so it can continue to handle the 150,000 vehicles it sees most weekdays.

"We have extensive guardrail, catch basin cleaning, they're also working on the structure itself,” he told CBC.

CBC traffic reporter Joan Chang suggests some alternate routes.

"You can try taking the Lake Shore, The Queensway, Richmond, Adelaide, King or Queen, but keep in mind if you do plan to use these as alternates, they are going to be heavier than usual."

The Gardiner is expected to re-open in time for the Monday morning commute. But two of the expressway's ramps will remain closed for maintenance until the end of October: the Bay Street ramp to the eastbound Gardiner and the ramp to Jarvis Street.

Other street closures to watch for this weekend:

• Bloor Street West is closed to motorists from Jane Street to just east of Runnymede until midnight Sunday for the Ukrainian Festival.
• Roncesvalles The Polish Festival closes that road from Queen Street West to Dundas Street West until Sunday night at 11 pm.

For more information on road closures, drivers can visit the city's road restrictions website.