Crews are taking the final steps to get the Turcot interchange ready for drastic changes in how drivers will use the nexus for the next two years.

This weekend the ramp from the southbound Decarie Expressway to downtown will be closed from midnight Friday Dec. 1 until Monday at 5 a.m.

For those coming into town from the West Island, Highway 20 Eastbound will be closed at Exit 64 / St. Jacques St.

Drivers will be diverted to Notre Dame St. East, and will be able to re-enter the highway at Angrignon Blvd.

That closure will be in effect from midnight Friday until 5 a.m. Monday.

Highway 15 closed

Meanwhile Highway 15 will be closed in both directions between the Turcot Interchange and the Champlain Bridge all weekend.

All lanes will close at 10 p.m. Friday Dec. 1 and reopen and 5 a.m. Monday Dec. 4.

Drivers coming over the Champlain Bridge will be diverted to the Bonaventure Expressway via Exit 58.

The northbound lanes should be open at the Atwater entrance except for Saturday morning. KPH announced that Highway 15 would be closed between Atwater and the Turcot Interchange between 7 a.m. and noon Saturday while it deals with the crane that was damaged earlier in the week.

Drivers can also detour via the westbound lanes of Highway 720.

Drivers heading south on Decarie will have to head west on Highway 20 then loop around at Angrignon Blvd. because the direct route will not be open due to work on the Turcot.

The only access to the southbound Champlain Bridge will be from the Bonaventure.

Crews with Signature on the St. Lawrence will be rearranging lanes on Highway 15 leading to the Champlain Bridge.

Once the weekend work is done the detours will continue.

The Atwater exit (61) on Highway 16 north will be closed for several weeks while crews build a temporary road.

Transport Quebec and KPH Turcot expect that one more weekend of closures will be needed before the new configuration of the Turcot opens in mid-December.

At that time there will be new, temporary ramps connecting the highways in a ground-level interchange, and drivers heading west will be shifted from the elevated Highway 720 to the lower Route 136.