Motorists took advantage of a relative calm before the storm on Saturday in Greater Montreal. And the countdown to the opening of the vast construction site of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel, which begins this Monday, has begun.
Updated yesterday at 11:21 p.m.
Last weekend, the closure of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel caused huge traffic jams on the Jacques-Cartier bridge, the likes of which are rarely seen in the area.
Those who took the road on Saturday were luckier. Traffic was pretty smooth on the bridge.
It was the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge that was the main hot spot for traffic jams in the west of Greater Montreal. The cause: the closure of the A40 East, between Boulevard des Anciens-Combattants and the next exit. Repair projects for the Pins Road overpass will be underway until Monday morning.
Traffic was also slow on the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge towards the South Shore, especially above Île des Sœurs.
As for the Victoria Bridge, traffic remained fluid there, although only one lane is open towards the South Shore due to maintenance work that will continue this Sunday.
Saturday’s lull, however, is likely to be short-lived. The major Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel project will be officially launched on Monday. Until 2025, three out of six lanes will be closed in the tunnel – a nightmare for motorists.
The infrastructure will remain closed to southbound motorists on Sunday.
Obstacles to be expected
Other obstacles will complicate the movement of motorists this weekend. All weekend long, avenue Souligny will be prohibited in both directions between rue Dickson and rue Honoré-Beaugrand.
And on the Honoré-Mercier Bridge, a lane will be opened in the opposite direction between Montreal and Kahnawake.