The decision had already been made, but the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) confirms it: the old Île-d’Orléans bridge, which would be “vulnerable” in the event of a major earthquake, will have to be demolished when construction of the new bridge will be completed.
• Read also: The new Île d’Orléans bridge in 2027
In a fifty-page report published on Friday, the BAPE points out that the current bridge, whose construction dates back to 1935, “does not meet safety requirements in the event of a major earthquake”.
The commission, which conducted public consultations last December, points out in particular that the bridge is located 80 kilometers from the seismic zone of Charlevoix-Kamouraska, “the most active in eastern Canada”.
“The bridge cannot be kept since a repair would not ensure its safety if such an earthquake occurred”, concludes the BAPE.
We also note that its repair “would be costly and that no organization has come forward to take charge of it”.
The new one will be safer
This analysis joins that of the Ministry of Transport, which announced in November 2019 that the old bridge will be demolished after the commissioning of the new cable-stayed bridge, scheduled for 2027.
The possibility of making it a cycling and pedestrian link was then ruled out. Preparatory work for the construction of the new link will begin in the coming months.
“Safer”, the new bridge will include a traffic lane with a shoulder in each direction as well as a multipurpose lane on either side.
The BAPE, which sees no “major issue” with the new projected bridge, nevertheless believes that “improvements to the project” would be appropriate to “limit the inconvenience of the work” and “reduce the environmental footprint of the [futur] bridge over wetlands”.
The commission of inquiry suggests, among other things, “requesting the participation of regional organizations working in the field of the environment, in particular for the protection of the St. Lawrence River”.