Île aux Tourtes bridge closed by ministry
The transport ministry has just done an emergency closure of the Île aux Tourtes bridge saying it’s for the safety of road users.
Update: CBC gives details of how traffic’s being rerouted now.
CTV describes the bridge as “Major Trans-Canada bridge linking Montreal to Ontario”. Well, they’re not wrong…
bib 15:56 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
its not closed chief.. theyre discussing how to mitigate traffic..
Kate 16:24 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
“Les ingénieurs ont pris la décision de fermer le pont” – François Bonnardel
CBC radio does say there are engineers present and haven’t closed it, although “mitigation measures” will be applied.
I mean, either people can use the bridge, or they can’t.
PO 17:58 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
This is devastating for Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. All of the traffic bound for that bridge is diverted down Anciens Combattants and it disperses into the little village, with drivers clogging every street trying to find shortcuts onto the 20.
When this has happened in the past, often residents cannot leave the town (or even their driveway) for several hours as every tiny little street is at a standstill. The 212 bus also comes to halt. All of the students and staff at John Abbott and McGill end up stuck.
And most dangerously, the tiny SteAnne streets with that level of across-the-map congestion end up almost entirely cut off from emergency/fire services. Fire trucks can’t navigate through it.
A few years ago they tried banning left turns onto 20 West from northbound St Pierre in an effort to relieve the congestion. No idea if it worked or if they kept that in place.
If you look at the live Google traffic map, it’s a mess.
Kate 18:23 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
No kidding on the map, PO.
Max 19:10 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
The “no lefts” rule is still in effect, PO, from 4-6 PM weekdays. Sainte-Anne’s traffic would be a complete clusterfuck without it.
The westbound 20 was backed up to at least St. Charles about an hour ago. It used to be the westbound 20 would back up to Morgan Road every weekday afternoon. Even before the closure of the l’Île-aux-Tourtes, people have been using Lakeshore Road from Woodland or so to shave a few minutes off their afternoon commute. Even more so now.
Lakeshore used to be such a nice stretch of road for bicycling. Not so much anymore. It’s a never-ending stream of westbound traffic, even at 7 PM.
qatzelok 21:25 on 2021-05-20 Permalink
Free train! Woo-hoo!
mare 01:25 on 2021-05-21 Permalink
It’s very late (or early) now, but Google pretends the 40 is open. So it probably is.
Kate 10:12 on 2021-05-21 Permalink
mare, I don’t think so, if news items are any indication. Quebec 511 info has a little “pont barré” sign on the bridge.
mare 15:51 on 2021-05-21 Permalink
Now it does, but last night Google thought this was the fastest route to Vaudreuil. (I went there to see the backed-up St-Anne roads, but forgot that it’s unlikely there are traffic jams after curfew…)