Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge to be reduced to one lane each way for weeks: MTQ
Traffic on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction "for several weeks" at least as of Friday night, Quebec's transport ministry has confirmed.
"As of this Saturday, at 12:01 a.m., only one lane will be available per direction on the bridge due to damage to a portion of the slab," read a ministry advisory.
The MTQ says workers discovered the damage while they were removing concrete from the surface of the bridge. Underneath, the ministry said, they discovered "extensive damage."
While the team knew that part of the bridge was in rough shape, but that the actual condition was worse than anticipated.
"We had to take the difficult decision to remove another lane, which leaves us with only two lanes out of six," said Sarah Bensadoun, a spokesperson for the MTQ.
"This is a structure that is at the end of its lifespan," she said. "We know there are surprises that will happen in the next few weeks and next few months. We are prepared for that, and we also have a budget."
The MTQ has a budget of $376 million just to maintain the existing bridge, which will eventually be dismantled.
"We will maintain the structure until the new Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge is in service," she added. The completed structure is set to be operational in 2027.
OTHER OPTIONS
"The public is invited to favour public transportation," read the release. The Highway 30 toll route will also be free while the bridge is reduced to one lane each way.
As of Dec. 4, commuters entering the Vaudreuil-Hudson line at the following stations will be able to ride for free:
- Hudson
- Vaudreuil
- Dorion
- Pincourt
- Île-Perrot
The bridge, which connects the Island of Montreal to Vaudreuil-Dorion, was already reconfigured to three lanes last week after a new crack was discovered.
The mayor of Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue, one of the affected municipalities, said she and mayors of various nearby municipalities were informed of the change Friday evening.
She told CTV she was concerned that reduced lanes on the bridge would send more heavy trucks through her community, which straddles Highway 20 -- the nearest alternative route to get off the island.
"What in the dickens do you want me to?" she said in a telephone interview.
"They gave us a timeline that a new bridge would be ready in about two years from now," she added. "Something's got to be done with (Highway) 20, permanently ... We cannot keep on going like this."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India trashes Canada for linking home minister to Sikh activist plot
India officially protested on Saturday the Canadian government's allegation that the country's powerful home minister Amit Shah had ordered the targeting of Sikh activists inside Canada, calling it 'absurd and baseless.'
The impact of Trump's lies in Springfield, Ohio
Springfield, Ohio was once a manufacturing hub. Now, people know it for Trump's comments at September's presidential debate, when he famously - and falsely - told an audience of 67 million people that Haitians eat their pets, echoing claims that had circulated on social media.
Iran's supreme leader threatens Israel, U.S. with 'a crushing response' over Israeli attack
Iran's supreme leader on Saturday threatened Israel and the U.S. with 'a crushing response' over attacks on Iran and its allies.
Vancouver quietly proclaimed Chip Wilson Day as billionaire installed sign calling B.C. NDP 'communist'
On the same day Chip Wilson erected a controversial sign at his Vancouver mansion, the city was quietly honouring the billionaire and his wife.
'Election seems really close': Americans in Canada cast ballot ahead of U.S. election
Stephen Winters says watching the U.S. election campaign from Canada as a dual citizen is like a parent watching their kid play sports.
Who is Kemi Badenoch, the first Black woman to lead Britain's Conservative Party?
The first Black woman to lead a major U.K. political party, Kemi Badenoch is an upbeat and outspoken libertarian who thinks the British state is broken.
Spain to send 10,000 soldiers, police to Valencia after deadly floods
Spain is sending 5,000 more soldiers and 5,000 more police to the eastern region of Valencia after deadly floods this week that killed more than 200 people, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Saturday.
Jury convicts former Kentucky officer of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during deadly raid
A federal jury on Friday convicted a former Kentucky police detective of using excessive force on Breonna Taylor during a botched 2020 drug raid that left her dead.
Orphaned squirrel who became social media star was euthanized after being seized from New York home
An orphaned squirrel that became a social media star called Peanut was euthanized after state authorities seized the beloved pet during a raid on his caretaker's home, authorities said Friday.