Quebec secures contract to replace Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge

The Quebec government has secured a contract to replace the Ile-aux-Tourtes Bridge.

The province made the announcement Monday afternoon, saying work on the $2.3-billion project will begin this summer.

The existing bridge is a major artery from the western end of the Island of Montreal towards Ontario.

Opened back in 1965, today nearly 90,000 drivers cross the span daily.

Closures and work on the existing bridge has been a source of headaches for many, including Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue Mayor Paola Hawa, who says backed-up traffic in her suburban city is a major problem.

“Because they are one-lane little roads, when you have back-to-back traffic, a fire truck cannot get through there, an ambulance cannot get through there,” she said.

The new bridge will feature three lanes for traffic each way, a bike lane, and shoulders for public transit.

The first lanes will open at the end of 2026. The project is expected to be completed by 2030.

“That includes the dismantling and demolition of the current bridge,” explained Sarah Bensadoun, spokesperson for the Quebec Transport Ministry.

Left off the plan is a dedicated place for the REM, Montreal’s new light-rail transit system.

The province said it could be added later, but some raised questions about why plans weren’t part of this contract.

“It’s surprising that there’s not,” said Senneville Mayor Julie Brisebois. “The Champlain Bridge was a good example of doing it all at once. I guess the population in the studies told them otherwise, and it’s always a question of dollars.”

The budget has grown to $2.3 billion, higher than earlier estimates.

“We noticed that we underestimated certain aspects of the project, including the funding, the design, the building, and also different factors increase the cost, including the labour shortage,” said Bensadoun.