Your guide to New Year's Eve road closures

A wide swath of the city's downtown core will closed toboth vehicle and pedestrian traffic on Sunday evening for Toronto's official and recently truncated New Year's Eve celebration at Nathan Phillips Square.

• Toronto shortens New Year's Eve party due to extreme cold

Toronto police will block off Queen Street West from Yonge Street to University Avenue beginning at 6:00 p.m.

Other roads closed at the same time include Bay Street from Richmond to Dundasstreets, York Street from Richmond to Queen streets, and smaller roads in the immediate vicinity of City Hall andNathan Phillips Square.

Although the city originally wanted to kick off celebrations at 8 p.m. for a skating party, the frigid temperatures forecast for Sunday evening haveprompted officials to cut the party short.

Due to the altered celebration plans,aspokesperson for Toronto police said on Friday the service would monitor road closure needson Sunday and that times may be subject to change.

'We're always on the alert'

Mark Pugashof the Toronto police said Friday that the force will be on alert to protect the throngs expected in the downtown core.

"They may, for example, at Nathan Phillips Square, see some extra officers and some extra measures in place," Pugashsaid. For big events like the one planned Sunday, he added, Toronto police monitor what's happening at home and abroad to make decisions around security measures.

"We're connected very closely with law enforcement and intelligence agencies in this country and around the world, and we have people whose sole job is monitoring any possible threats to the city of Toronto. We have a wide range of contingency plans and we adjust them as necessary, so we're always on the alert."

Roads are expected reopen at 1:30 a.m. on New Year's Day.

Here are the closures:

• Queen Street West, from YongeStreet to University Avenue
• Bay Street, from Richmond Street West to DundasStreet West
• York Street, from Richmond Street West to Queen Street West
• HagermanStreet, from Elizabeth Street to Bay Street
• Elizabeth Street, from Foster Place to Hagerman Street
• Albert Street, from Bay Street to James Street
• James Street, from Queen Street West to Albert Street