Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge reopens Saturday morning
More commuters can finally cross the l'Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge starting Saturday, which is fully reopening two weeks ahead of schedule after an emergency shutdown last month.
Quebec’s transport ministry announced Friday that three lanes will reopen in each direction beginning Saturday at 7 a.m.
However, the bridge will have to completely shut down once more Friday night at 10 p.m. for nine hours to allow crews to mark the traffic lanes and do other last-minute work.
That means the elimination of tolls on Highway 30 will end once the bridge fully reopens.
The bridge, a major link toward Ontario, was closed suddenly on May 20, causing major congestion in the days that followed and led to people turning to the train, ferry and highways 20 and 30 for workarounds.
In a news release on Friday, Transport Minister François Bonnardel thanked motorists for their patience after the closure caused traffic headaches.
"I would like to remind you that the bridge is safe and that road users can travel on it without any worries. Thank you to the teams who took part in the interventions that led to this faster than expected reopening," the minister said.
Motorists can expect further lane closures in the future as crews continue to do maintenance on the aging structure, which is being replaced over the next decade.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.