The second of the four new bridges that are set to connect downtown Toronto to the future Villiers Island is officially on its way to the city, and is currently travelling from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, through the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The Commissioner Street Bridge, which is being shipped to Toronto in two sections, will eventually be one of four gateways to a brand new island that's being created by extending the Don River through the Port Lands. 

The highly-anticipated Cherry Street North bridge was the first of the four to arrive in Toronto back in November 2020, and now the western half of the Commissioner Street Bridge is expected to arrive later this month. 

We've reached another milestone in the Port Lands Flood Protection project: the next bridge is on its way and set to arrive soon.

Learn more: https://t.co/hZ5PcP2a8l pic.twitter.com/dZ9iFQBN9c

— John Tory (@JohnTory) May 4, 2021

The eastern half is scheduled to arrive sometime this summer and, together, the two sections will create the longest of the four bridges — measuring 152 metres in length.

Featuring the same snazzy red-and-white design as the Cherry Street North bridge, the new bridge was built with parts sent to Canada from the Netherlands and was assembled and welded togtether by the experts at Cherubini Bridges and Structures in Dartmouth.

All four bridges will eventually lead to a brand new mixed-use community with both residential and commercial space, 25 hectares of urban park space and enough room for a total of 45,000 residents.

The $1.25-billion initiative aims to reroute the Don River and protect the city's Port Lands from excessive flooding, in part by digging a kilometre-long river valley that will flow south from the Keating Channel across Commissioners Street and then run west out of a renaturalized river mouth into the Inner Harbour of Lake Ontario.

The island itself will also have a major focus on sustainability by attempting to surpass zero carbon emissions and relying on renewable energy.

And while it's not expected to be completed by 2024, the arrival of the Commissioner Street Bridge represents yet another step towards the project becoming a reality. 

Anyone interested in following the bridge's 1,300 km journey from the east coast can meanwhile participate in Rocky The Ripper's arrival-guessing contest — Waterfront Toronto's personified rock-ripping bucket that is tracking the bridge's travels on Twitter.

BIG NEWS! I'm expecting…

the Commissioners Street Bridge! Help me celebrate the arrival of my little bundle of joy with a good ol' fashioned baby pool! Details here https://t.co/Z4jwMRFjWV#BridgeInTheOven #BridgeWatchTO pic.twitter.com/KTuxYLXBZv

— Rocky (@TheRockRipper) May 4, 2021

"Everyone knows I was pretty jealous of the Cherry St. N Bridge stealing my thunder last fall. But not this time," wrote Rocky The Ripper on Twitter this week.

"I'm embracing the next bridge's arrival as if it was my own baby. And my little #BridgeInTheOven will be on its way very soon! #BridgeWatchTO."