MONTREAL -- A broken aqueduct on the Metropolitan Expressway (A-40) East forced crews to completely close the eastbound section of the highway in Montreal on Saturday.
Surete du Quebec (SQ) spokesperson Stephane Tremblay confirmed that a 911 call around 2 a.m. alerted police to an issue on the road after an aqueduct burst spilling water onto the roadway.
Ministry of Transport Quebec (MTQ) crews responded to control the flow of water near Jeanne-Mance St. that caused a hole half the size of a car in the pavement.
"There has been subsidence, so Transport Quebec cannot plug the damaged track until the source of the water leak has been found. We won't have it for a few hours," said MTQ spokesperson Gilles Payer.
The road remains closed between the Saint-Laurent Blvd. and Laurentian Autoroute (A-15) North exits.
The MTQ is advising road users to avoid the area.
It is possible to take the 15 north towards Laval, but motorists are being diverted to the service road on Cremazie Blvd.
As soon as the source of the leak is located, the MTQ will be able to carry out a temporary repair due to the cold.
"The Transports Quebec team will be back on site to redo the work when the weather and the climate are milder," said Payer.
-- with files from The Canadian Press.
