MONTREAL

One third of $4.9-billion roadwork budget to be spent in Montreal

CTV Montreal Published Monday, June 16, 2014 12:40PM EDT Last Updated Monday, June 16, 2014 10:56PM EDT

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Quebec is devoting one third of its $4.9-billion slotted for provincial highway maintenance budget to bridges and roadways in and around Montreal, the transportation minister announced Monday.

Transportation Minister Robert Poeti said over the next two years, the province will spend $4.9 billion on repairs and new construction, with $1.4 billion spent in the Montreal area.

That will cover 74 roadwork projects across the island of Montreal, most notably making progress on the Dorval interchange and keeping the Turcot interchange standing until it's demolished.

The cost earmarked for each work site varies. For example, repaving work on Highway 40 east between Viau St. and Galeries d'Anjou will cost under $5 million. The ongoing work on the Dorval interchange will cost more than $50 million, including $20 million from the federal government, the city of Montreal and Montreal's airport authority, Aeroports de Montreal.

Poeti said Quebec has a strong relationship with the federal government.

“We have a friendship and communication between Montreal and federal. It's a lot easier when you can just take the phone and start talk and say, ‘Hey, we have a problem,’” he said.

Poeti acknowledged that many drivers feel frustrated with nearly ubiquitous construction zones.

“The first word in my mind is patience. We don't have a choice, we need patience,” he said.

Poeti also acknowledged that many drivers don't see the point of more than $1.3 billion on repairing existing structures, especially when some patch jobs will only last a few years, but said the patches are all Quebec can afford, he said.

Speaking to the short-term, multimillion-dollar investment in the Turcot interchange, he equated it to renovating an old house.

"It's probably more fun to buy a new house and say, 'Why don't we buy a new house?' but the thing is the house we have now needs repairs, needs money to make sure we could live in it and be safe. So it's not jazzy at all, but it's the reality, and the reality is we have to invest on our whole house and live in the old house for a while," said Poeti.

It will cost roughly $100 million over the next two years to maintain the Turcot interchange to ensure the structure is safe until it is eventually demolished.

The province is also launching a new TV and radio advertising campaign to convince drivers to slow down in construction zones.

Construction projects in and around Montreal