On Monday, Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault declared the official start of construction towards the new Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge. All efforts will be taken, she said, to make the new bridge operational by the end of 2026. At first, it was only supposed to open in late 2027.
Of the six lanes of the existing bridge, just two have been open since December 2—one in each direction, which is expected to be the case for several more weeks. The congestion on and off-island has added hours to daily commutes.
PHOTO: MTQ.
View of the work area where the first posts of the future bridge will be installed.
Over the next few days, the right lane of Highway 20 (du Souvenir) will be closed to heavy vehicles during rush hour, according to the following schedule:
Eastbound from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m;
Westbound from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Truckers are invited to use the 30, where tolls have been temporarily lifted. The exact start date of this ban will be announced at a later date.
Mitigation measures:
Free "Tous modes ABC" passes at Hudson, Vaudreuil, Dorion, Pincourt, and ÃŽle-Perrot stations for the Vaudreuil-Hudson 11 train line, including connections with bus, metro, and REM networks;
Free use of Exo 40 - Express Vaudreuil - Terminus Côté-Vertu and Exo 7, 10, 35, and 91 bus routes until the opening of a 3rd lane on the bridge. Users must, however, acquire a valid ticket if they wish to transfer to another public transit service;
Use of the shoulder by buses on Highway 40 westbound (towards Vaudreuil-Dorion), between rue Frédéric-Back and Boulevard des Anciens-Combattants;
Free tolls on Highway 30;
Synchronized traffic lights on Highway 20 with police presence.
PHOTO: Village de Senneville
SOURCE: Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité Durable.
