The Main Vein Photo

Photographer’s Note

The Gardiner Expressway.
Driven on by millions of people every day.

Canada's first urban expressway was hyped by the Toronto press even before the construction had even begun. A quote from the May 3, 1954 Toronto Telegram provides an excellent example:

"How would you like to drive through Toronto during rush-hour at 50 miles an hour?... you would have no stoplights to contend with, no billboards to... fray your temper. In addition, you would have a beautiful view of the lake through most of the ten-mile trip, with miles of six-lane, gently curving landscaped highway...."

The construction of this highway began in 1955 and was completed in 1966. As one of the few express routes for motorists traveling into the downtown core, the Gardiner is regarded by many as essential to the city's economy, but its presence remains one of the most contentious urban planning issues in Toronto. Critics of the expressway have been talking about it’s appearance and argued that it cuts off the city from its waterfront. In recent decades several proposals have been made to dismantle it or replace its central section with a tunnel, but the lack of municipal funds and political will has repeatedly stalled such plans.

**Post Pro - Increased contrast, and neatimage for the sky.

mikee, rabani has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Rinie_Hoff (9334) 2004-08-06 16:27

Hi Pamela, I have been on the Gardiner expressway, but I don't remember this spot ;-) and the hype is exactly as old as I am!
I like your angle and the sky its great, and that little bit of rust is a very nice add in the picture. very good composition!

mikee (1983) 2004-08-10 4:04

Nice close up diagonal composition. The colors are wonderful. Good composition.

Great note. The quote takes you back in time. I did not know it was that old. I think the city recently did some repair works on it. It is old and it is taking some pounding by all the traffic and salt used in wintertime. Nowadays when you drive on it, you don't really get a beautiful view of the lake anymore :)

rabani (9429) 2004-08-20 3:13

Symbolism in natural graphic.Marriage of concrete and steel with a past, with a touch of linear in motion. Excuse me Pamela. This critique pretty much summed up what I think of this photosculpture.

Ebbe (9571) 2004-09-08 14:30

Ok, your road authority keeps the things together with strings, no problem it is common practise when taxes are cut ;o)

But you made a great detail shot with a fine diagonal layout. Nice twocolor system in this one too. The rusty clamp deviates from that but it is ok as a colorspot.

But I would not like the crash into this barrier, it looks very unflexible and the post seem to stop a vehicle that is sliding along the horisontal tubes. That looks very out of date by northern European standards.

MiKa2000 (2426) 2005-06-06 9:36