The Côte-Nord region has been waiting for 60 years for the construction of a bridge linking the two banks of the Saguenay River near Tadoussac, a sublime meeting point between the St. Lawrence and the fjord. Beyond economic considerations, would this new road transport infrastructure erected outside major centers be compatible with the objectives of optimal land use and GHG reduction that our governments have set themselves?
As the provincial elections approached, the Coalition Union 138 brought this bridge project back to the fore, extolling its merits both to the population as a whole and to the candidates of the various political parties. Supported by the neighboring region, Charlevoix, the group already has in its ranks a large majority of elected municipal officials as well as representatives from the business and community sectors.
The Coalition’s campaign slogan, “Mamu, a bridge between us”, alludes to the essential support of the Innu for the project, mommy meaning “together”.
Only the mayor of Tadoussac still seems reluctant to lose around 60 jobs with the disappearance of the ferries. The service could however remain on a more modest scale, for two-wheelers and pedestrians for example.
The privileged concept
The Ministère des Transports du Québec has launched two new studies, one of opportunity, bearing on the technical aspects, the other on the socio-economic impact. For the president of the Société du pont sur le Saguenay, Marc Gilbert, the ball is now in the government’s court. Prime Minister François Legault has pledged to move forward if the result of the current socio-economic study proves conclusive. The decision is expected in the spring of 2023.
The Société du pont sur le Saguenay proposes the construction of a two-lane structure with a service road for safety. With a length of 1150 meters, the bridge would rest on two pillars located on the banks. Its Norwegian-inspired design gives off an impression of lightness, while being designed to withstand the worst weather conditions.
To minimize the impact on the view that has made Tadoussac famous, Mamu would be located seven kilometers upstream, on the La Boule site, at the height of the Hydro-Québec transmission lines which already overlook the fjord. . On the Charlevoix shore, the development plan to access the bridge provides for a detour to the north of Route 138 before the village of Baie-Sainte-Catherine.
Open up on both sides
According to Coalition spokesperson Guillaume Tremblay, the North Shore has provided a lot of electricity to all Quebecers with its large dams (notably Manic-5); it is high time that they give him in return the means to break his geographical and social isolation. Especially since the ferries are struggling more and more to meet the needs in high season, during the summer.
The approximately 92,000 residents of the North Shore are ready to welcome newcomers and visitors with open arms. The rest of Quebec would do well to discover this wildly charming region that occupies about a quarter of the provincial territory, to appropriate its grandiose landscapes. A coalition of regional organizations has just relaunched the project for a new national park in the Lac Walker sector, near Port-Cartier.
This bridge, whose construction cost was estimated at $600 million in 2015, including the access roads, competes with other road link projects called upon to serve a much larger population. In the context of the fight against climate change and the preservation of biodiversity, the North Coast residents must put forward economic arguments, but also environmental ones.
The withdrawal of some 40,000 annual crossings of large ferries would in fact contribute to the safeguarding of endangered species of marine mammals, such as the beluga whale, while allowing the public purse to save several million dollars annually.
Removing fossil fuel-powered ferries from Tadoussac would also reduce our carbon footprint. The recent prototypes currently in service, which use natural gas, could eventually find takers elsewhere to replace older models running on diesel.
Ferry users lose an average of 30 minutes on the way there and back. In times of high traffic, this wait can be prolonged to the point of exasperation. So much so that many motorists and truckers from major centers prefer to leave Route 138 from Quebec to take Route 175 to Chicoutimi. After the Dubuc bridge, they take the 172 eastbound to Tadoussac.
Far from being a shortcut, this route adds 110 kilometers to the trip, but since the speed limit is higher, especially on the 175, and the ferry is avoided, this sometimes saves time. On the other hand, the greater fuel consumption generates more C0 emissions.2. Electric vehicles waste valuable renewable energy. A bridge would reduce the mileage traveled by encouraging people to return to the shortest route.
Finally, access via Route 138 would make it possible to create incentive parking at the entrance to Tadoussac. A low-cost electric shuttle service would allow visitors to access all areas of interest as well as service points. With reduced car traffic, the village of some 800 permanent inhabitants would be even more attractive for pedestrians and cyclists.
The verdict
The preservation of the marine environment and the overall reduction in GHGs that the withdrawal of the two ferries would entail are sufficient to legitimize the construction of a bridge at the mouth of the Saguenay. Given that the lifespan of such a structure is about a hundred years, Mamu could quickly become carbon neutral.
Some will point out that road traffic would then increase towards the North Shore. This is precisely the goal, and it would be more of a redirection of the flow of existing vehicles than an increase in their number.
Conversely, a pharaonic project like that of the third underground link between the cities of Quebec and Lévis risks encouraging the growth of the automobile fleet as well as the use of public transport, causing urban sprawl instead of densification. desired.
Regardless of the color of the next provincial government, the Coalition Union 138 has good reason to hope to finally win its case.