MONTREAL -- Work to rebuild a drinking water pipe that runs along the Ville-Marie Tunnel and provides water to 1 million downtown residents will cause several road closures starting on Oct. 17.

According to a statement from the City of Montreal the pipe, which runs between Atwater and Guy, is in a state of “serious deterioration” and requires emergency upkeep work involving rebuilding the part underneath de la Cathedrale and St-Antoine, as well as the portion between Atwater and Guy.

Contracts for the work will be signed during a meeting of the City Council and the Agglomeration Council on Oct. 16.

Access to drinking water will be maintained during the work but it will cause several road closures. Those include:

  • The closure of all but one lanes on de la Cathedrale between St-Jacques and Notre-Dame.
  • The closure of all but one or two lanes, depending on the phase of construction, on St-Antoine between Guy and Atwater.
  • The complete closure of Georges-Vanier Blvd. heading north between St-Jacques and St-Antoine and heading south between Baile and St-Antoine.

In the statement the city said traffic mitigation measures will be put in place including a police presence and noted traffic might be helped by the reopening of two major motorways in the Turcot Interchange.