During this period, traffic management will follow this schedule:

This closure is required to perform to repair work at the structural elements, under the bridge.

Before each trip, find out about road work by visiting www.quebec511.info to help you plan your travels.

During this period, motorists will be asked to take a temporary detour route, which will lead them to Highway 207, then to Highway 138, to eventually access the bridge by the Chateauguay access ramp.

We invite you to view the following map showing the detour route towards Montreal:

To enlarge the picture, click here.

During this period, one of two eastbound lanes (towards Montreal) will be closed.

Before each trip, find out about road work by visiting www.quebec511.gouv.qc.ca to help you plan your travels. The Ministère des Transports also reminds you remain vigilant behind the wheel and obey the posted speed limits as you approach construction zones.

Please note that Airlie ramp enabling access to the Honoré Mercier Bridge towards the South Shore from Airlie St. will also be closed during this period.

In case of bad weather, this obstruction to traffic will be rescheduled to Sunday from 6 AM to 6 PM.

The upstream bridge of the Honoré Mercier Bridge, namely the bridge that enables access to the South Shore (Route 138 West), will be completely closed to traffic during this period. Therefore, traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction, with one being against the current of traffic, on the downstream bridge (Route 138 East).

These closures will allow the delivery of material underneath the bridge, within the context of Contract B, of the Honoré Mercier Bridge Rehabilitation Project.

À la mi-juin 2011, le Ministère procédait à la fermeture de la structure amont du pont, après avoir été informé de récents résultats d’analyses, soulignant la dégradation des éléments d’acier qui nécessitaient une réparation majeure. Suite aux travaux et tel que prévu, le Ministère avait rouvert une voie du pont Honoré-Mercier amont le 6 septembre dernier, en permettant également la circulation des véhicules lourds.

« L’ouverture de la quatrième voie sur le pont Honoré-Mercier est un soulagement pour de nombreux usagers du secteur. La fluidité de la circulation, plus précisément en heures de pointe, sera améliorée, ce qui représente d’autant plus une économie en termes de temps et d’argent » a tenu à souligner Monsieur Moreau.

Le ministre a également tenu à remercier le comité de coordination qui avait été formé, au début de l’été, par les différents acteurs politiques et socio-économiques de la région pour leur travail et leur soutien tout au long des travaux.

Rappelons également qu’en parallèle, des travaux de réfection majeurs ont cours sur le pont Honoré-Mercier, en collaboration avec la société les Ponts Jacques Cartier, Champlain, Incorporée (PJCCI) et le Conseil Mohawk de Kahnawake (CMK). Il s’agit du plus grand projet de réfection jamais entrepris au Canada.

The Ministère is aware of the impacts which will have this closure to traffic, and thanks the population for its understanding.

Before each trip, find out about road work by visiting www.quebec511.info to help you plan your travels. The Ministère des Transports also reminds you remain vigilant behind the wheel and obey the posted speed limits as you approach construction zones.

Please take note that between Friday, October 21^st, 9 AM, and Monday, October 24^th, 4 AM, traffic towards the South Shore will be transferred on the opposite direction (on the downstream bridge). One lane will be open in each direction.

The Ministère is aware of the impacts which will have this closure to traffic, and thanks the population for its understanding.

Before each trip, find out about road work by visiting www.quebec511.info to help you plan your travels. The Ministère des Transports also reminds you remain vigilant behind the wheel and obey the posted speed limits as you approach construction zones.

As part of the reconstruction of the Monette Viaduct, located at the northern approach to the bridge, the temporary viaduct will be an important means to alleviate inconveniences to motorists using the route. During the roadwork, traffic will detour over the viaduct in order to maintain the usual traffic flow to the South Shore while completely eliminating traffic on the Monette Viaduct.

Opening of the temporary viaduct should not cause significant inconveniences to motorists as the traffic will flow normally while permitting reconstruction of the northern approach to the Honoré-Mercier Bridge to the South Shore.

Temporary Viaduct Location

Click on the map or here to enlarge.

MTQ closed the west side of the bridge on June 14 after receiving a report stating that the steel structure was badly deteriorated and 10 gusset plates needed major repairs. These gusset plates are part of the bridge’s basic structure.

Now that the urgent work is complete and has been approved by the project engineers, MTQ can reopen the bridge to traffic according to the following lane plan:

• Two lanes toward Montréal and one toward the South Shore
  • 5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Monday to Friday
• One lane toward Montréal and two toward the South Shore
  • 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday to Wednesday
  • 12:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday and Friday
• One lane in each direction
  • 9 p.m. to 4 a.m., Monday to Wednesday
  • 11 p.m. to 4 a.m., Thursday and Friday
  • Weekends and holidays

This plan also allows heavy vehicles to travel westbound on the bridge. Work to reinforce the steel structure will continue, and the second lane of traffic is scheduled to reopen by December 2011.

“As announced, MTQ will open the west side of the Honoré-Mercier Bridge on Tuesday, improving city traffic management just in time to meet heavy demand as summer vacation ends. This is great news for everyone using the bridge, including truck drivers, and a boost for the local economy,” stated Minister Hamad.

In late August, MTQ and its numerous partners introduced concrete measures to handle increased traffic in the Montréal area in anticipation of the start of the school year. These measures include opening the Champlain Bridge ice control structure to emergency vehicles and to empty buses travelling against traffic, adapting public transit services in response to demand, improving the coordination of roadwork, and enhancing communication with the public.

“These initiatives, which represent a total of $110 million in investments, are intended to minimize traffic congestion and cut travel time for thousands of people. All that combined with the reopening of the west side of the Honoré-Mercier Bridge will make things much easier on drivers,” added Minister Hamad.

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If you have questions or comments related to the MTQ lane closure or any other matter relating to these decisions, please visit their website.

** Please note that this blog has been created for the deck replacement project by The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) and not for the operation and maintenance of the bridge by the MTQ. We just want to share the messages from the MTQ for the benefit of motorists.

Road users going towards route 138 West will simply have to continue on their way. For those who want to reach route 132 East (to La Prairie) will have to continue on route 138, and then join route 207, to finally reach route 132. Signalization will be installed along the road.

This exceptional modification to the access is necessary to proceed to the installation of barriers, for the reopening of the Honoré-Mercier Bridge upstream.