Additional year of construction -- and traffic disruptions -- for Lafontaine tunnel revamp

When the project was launched in 2020, the Quebec Transport Ministry said it would take four years to resurface the walls and roof of the aging Lafontaine tunnel, built in 1967.

But Transport Minister Francois Bonardel said engineers discovered the tunnel is in worse shape than expected while doing the work.

"It's like an old house," said Bonardel during a Thursday press briefing. "You start opening the walls, and you're facing major problems."

Contractors will have to add an additional layer of concrete on all sides of the tunnel. Engineers compare it to building a new tunnel within the existing tunnel to make it last longer.

The ministry also requested the tunnel be fire-proofed in response to previous incidents involving cars and trucks.

The total bill for the project is jumping from $1.2 billion to $2.1 billion, and a full year of construction and traffic disruption is being added to the schedule.

"For all these reasons," said project manager Nicolas Margoloff, "we had to move the project to the next level."

TOUGH NEWS FOR SOUTH SHORE COMMUTERS 

For the first 18 months, all tunnel lanes customarily used to travel to the South Shore will be closed.

Traffic headed to the South Shore will be diverted to the other side of the tunnel, which will accommodate two-way traffic -- one lane heading to the South Shore and two lanes heading toward Montreal.

(Quebec Transport Ministry)

In 2023, the same layout will be used, but for the repairs on the tunnel's other half.

"Heading south in the tunnel is already difficult," said traffic coordinator Genevieve Campeau. "And it will be worse when traffic will be reduced this fall."

Mitigation measures are already in place. Shuttle buses and reserved bus lanes are being established, along with extra parking lots for public transport on the South Shore.

Some traffic will be redirected to the Jacques-Cartier bridge.

The Transport Ministry says it's confident there won't be any more surprises in the project.

The partial closure of the tunnel will begin in November, right after the provincial election.