The long weekend continues to be synonymous with significant congestion on several major highways in Greater Montreal, while “major hindrances” are to be expected in several sectors until Tuesday due to work.
A complete closure of Highway 20 westbound between exit 63 and the entrance to 1D Avenue, has been in place since Saturday morning and will continue until Tuesday 5 a.m. A detour is organized by exit 63, via the junction for the 1D Avenue, by Richmond Street and Montreal-Toronto Boulevard.
But that’s not all: the ramp leading from Route 138 to Highway 20 will also be completely closed until Tuesday morning. “It’s really concrete repairs on the structure that must be done at the level of the ramp, but since the highway passes under this ramp and there is a risk of materials falling, we didn’t have to the choice to close everything for security reasons, ”explains a spokesperson for the Ministry of Transport, Martin Girard.
It must be said that the government had warned at the start of the weekend that a slowdown was to be expected until Tuesday “in the ramps of the Turcot interchange” westbound on Highway 20.
On Saturday, it took several hours to get to the airport from certain areas of Montreal. An exhausted family notably testified to TVA Nouvelles that their journey from L’Île-des-Sœurs, usually about twenty minutes, lasted more than 3 hours and 30 minutes. The bill: $216, compared to $50 in normal times.
“The closer we get to mid-afternoon and supper time, the more travel there is and the greater congestion in general,” says Mr. Girard. “For people who don’t have to travel, you have to find another option. And if not, we really recommend leaving as soon as possible to be sure of arriving within the desired time frame,” he says.
The entrance from Sherbrooke Street to Highway 25 has also been closed southbound since Friday evening, until Monday 5 a.m. Motorists must divert via De Boucherville, Hochelaga, Dickson or Souligny Est streets, which creates a lot of through traffic in the area.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE MINISTRY OF TRANSPORT AND SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY
Several obstacles are to be expected during the long weekend.
In addition, exit 4 of Highway 25, going to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and downtown Montreal, is also closed until Monday morning. Further north, in Laval, Highway 13 is completely closed until Monday 6 a.m. northbound, between exit 15 and the entrance to Sainte-Rose Boulevard. The motorway service road acts as detours.
A harbinger of what’s to come
With the arrival of summer, obstacles are likely to increase on the motorway network in the coming weeks. We already know, for example, that from May 23 to 29, the ramp leading from Hickmore Street to the Highway 520 service road will be completely closed eastbound.
These interventions are necessary as part of the reconstruction of the Highway 520 overpasses over Hickmore Street. ” The season has begun. People can and should expect other closures every weekend,” warns Mr. Girard.
From May 23 and “for a period of approximately 13 weeks” until the start of the school year in September, there will also be the launch of repair work on the concrete slab and paving of the roadway of Highway 440 , between route 117 and avenue Francis-Hughes, in Laval. The project “aims to improve ride comfort on this highway,” says Quebec.
The government recalled on Sunday that on the Victoria Bridge, linking Montreal to Saint-Lambert, only one lane remains available from Tuesday to Thursday. In the direction of Montreal, the infrastructure can only be used between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., while in the direction of Saint-Lambert, it is between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Ministry informs the population “that there will be no morning and evening rush hour configuration on the occasion of National Patriots’ Day, Monday, May 22”.