Major work on the Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel will begin on October 31. The Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) warns that travel times will be significantly extended. In an attempt to mitigate the impacts of this construction site, the ministry hopes that thousands of motorists will convert to public transport.
Last August, the MTQ announced that the tunnel was showing signs of greater deterioration than expected and that it would have to carry out major work requiring the closure of one of the two tubes.
Thus, from October 31, only one tube will be open, the ministry said on Thursday. Southbound, traffic will be reduced to one lane while northbound, two lanes will be accessible. Which makes the MTQ say that the travel time towards the South Shore will be quadrupled while the travel time to Montreal will be multiplied by three. “We know that it will be extremely difficult for motorists,” commented the Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel.
The ministry estimates that to significantly reduce congestion, 60% of motorists would have to give up car trips. In an attempt to make them like public transport, access to the five bus lines that use the tunnel will be free for six weeks. Shuttles will be added. Some 2,400 spaces will be available in the incentive parking lots. “One thing is certain, solo driving is the worst solution,” indicated the Minister responsible for the Metropolis, Chantal Rouleau.
Two weekends of preparatory work will be necessary before the major obstacles to set up the new configurations. Guardrails will be installed and the MTQ will have to mark and paving the entrances to the tunnel.
Work will continue until 2025.
Currently, 120,000 vehicles, 13% of which are trucks, use the Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel every day. Minister Bonnardel recognizes that the patience of motorists and truckers will be put to the test, but this work is necessary to benefit from a tunnel without major work for 40 years, he underlined.