'It's been a nightmare': Work on Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge causing traffic headaches

Preliminary work to replace the aging Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge has begun, but there is growing frustration among drivers who say the project is costing them too much time and money.

Traffic on the bridge connecting the Island of Montreal to the Vaudreuil-Dorion suburb is reduced to two lanes per direction.

That's been a headache for Mike Wadden, who says his trips between Saint-Lazare and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue have increased from 18 minutes to more than an hour.

"It's been a nightmare. It's literally costing me time with my family, my daughter, costing over $300 a month in extra gas," said Wadden.

Transport Quebec attributes the lane closures to cracked pillars, which progressed to the point where the weight on the structure had to be reduced.

The new bridge will have three lanes per direction, plus a bike path and dedicated service lanes, but Wadden says drivers need an alternative in the meantime.

"The issue is not about when the bridge is going to be done; the issue is about what's happening now with the configuration causing all these problems," he said.

Saint-Lazare's mayor says a lack of information from the ministry is also leading to frustration.

"They're not communicating with the municipalities and not being proactive to find solutions to reduce the impact of the work, just being reactive," said Geneviève Lachance.

Transport Quebec opened a reserve lane for carpoolers, emergency vehicles, taxis and buses, but its placement is causing a bottleneck right before the bridge.

The project is expected to take at least five-and-a-half years to complete.

"It's a long time to wait for residents to live through this kind of nightmare," said Lachance.

The cost of the bridge replacement is reportedly $2 billion.