THE NEWSPAPER | Several motorists have had a taste of what awaits them from next week as the Ministry of Transport completed its work this weekend in anticipation of the closure of half of the lanes of the Louis-Hyppolite tunnel. Fountain.
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“A guardrail has been installed […]. We enter rods 40 centimeters into the ground, ”explained Louis-André Bertrand, spokesperson for the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) during a site visit on Sunday.
Screenshot TVA News
Teams from the Ministry of Transport made the final adjustments on Sunday to close half of the tunnel lanes and secure the passage of vehicles.
Last weekend, the tunnel’s northbound tube was completely closed until 5 a.m. Monday morning to complete preparations for the entrenchment of three lanes out of six beginning October 31.
In an attempt to avoid accidents, the roadway in the tunnel will now be marked with arrows.
“It’s a new practice that people have to adopt. We have a marking on the ground, every 30 meters, and we should leave an arrow between us and the next vehicle. [Cette mesure] serves to avoid clashes, ”he summed up.
Monster plugs
The slightest hitch in the tunnel during the work risks causing huge traffic jams and increasing the pressure on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.
For several months now, each closure of the tunnel has caused significant congestion on weekends near the structure that overlooks the St. Lawrence.
On Sunday, traffic remained fluid, despite slowdowns at times, noted The newspaperfrom the entrance ramp to the bridge, from Longueuil.
Police officers also ensured traffic control to facilitate movement.
On Saturday, demonstrations and the Montreal Canadiens game at the Bell Center had, however, considerably complicated the return to school on the island of Montreal at the end of the afternoon for many.
Works until 2025
For its part, the MTQ ensures that it is ready to intervene in the event of an emergency in the tunnel.
“Our units will circulate, in the event of any intervention inside the tracks. In vehicles, there are breathing apparatus in case of intervention by firefighters. If we have to extricate a passenger, we have extrication pliers, ”said an MTQ security manager to TVA Nouvelles.
After this blitz, the real nightmare for motorists will begin on Halloween, when three out of six lanes will be closed for at least three years, depending on the work schedule.
Two lanes towards Montreal will remain open while only one will lead to the South Shore.
– With Anouk Lebel and QMI Agency