A crack discovered Tuesday during an inspection held on the Touzel bridge, in Sherldrake on the North Shore, forces the closure of this key bridge linking the rest of the province to the Minganie region. She therefore finds herself isolated “until further notice”.
This was confirmed on Tuesday by the Ministry of Transport and the office of the Minister of Transport, Geneviève Guilbault, who was made aware of the situation.
After a protocol inspection held at the start of the day, the bridge was first quickly closed to heavy goods vehicles, then to all users shortly after. A crack had just been discovered in the structure of the bridge, making it potentially risky in the eyes of the authorities.
Other analyzes will have to be done first. According to our information, no timetable has yet been established for a potential reopening of the infrastructure.
One thing is certain: no car, pedestrian or cyclist traffic will be possible until further notice, the bridge having to undergo a complete closure for the duration of the work. In the short term, the authorities invite users to avoid the area and review their movements.
A meeting of regional public security partners was scheduled for the afternoon to take stock, as supply issues are at stake for several municipalities.
In the event that the closure were to be extended over time, Quebec will notably assess the possibility of acquiring a maritime or air bridge in order to open up Minganie. It is the Ministry of Public Security that will decide on the matter.
As early as November 2021, the Ministry of Transport had warned in its last general inspection that it was necessary “to carry out a visual survey of the top of each stiffener to see if there are any cracks” on the Touzel bridge. It was then concluded that work was not immediately necessary. However, the bridge is approaching the end of its useful life, given its high exposure to bank erosion, among other things.
Despite its immense territory, Minganie is home to less than 6,500 inhabitants, according to data from the Institut de la statistique du Québec (ISQ). The majority of them live in Havre-Saint-Pierre. Built in 1973, the Touzel Bridge is located on Route 138 and overlooks the Sheldrake River. Its total length is 107 meters and its width is just over 11 meters.