MONTREAL - Drivers of heavy vehicles have not been taking a ban on going through the Turcot Interchange seriously, so now the police are stepping in.
Last week vehicles weighing 5 tonnes or more were banned from going from the Decarie Expressway (15 South) through the Turcot Interchange toward the Champlain Bridge. Instead they are supposed to detour to the 20 West to Angrignon Blvd., then double back to the 15.
However over the weekend Transport Quebec officials spotted nearly 200 trucks going through the restricted area, so it asked the Surete du Quebec to enforce the detour.
It also shut down the lefthand southbound lane, and the resulting slowing of traffic will make it easier to enforce the heavyweight vehicle ban.
Serious cracks were spotted in the support pillars that hold up that section of the Interchange, and trucks are banned because the vibrations caused by their travel will prevent repairs from being done.
The work and the ensuing road closure are expected to last until the end of January.
