Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge closed in both directions again this weekend
The bad news? Montreal's Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge will once again be completely closed to traffic from midnight Friday to early Monday morning.
The potentially good news? Quebec's Transport Ministry says it will install "dynamic lanes" on the bridge that will allow traffic to flow while it pursues construction on the bridge.
The weekend closure will be in effect heading westbound on Highway 40 from Exit 41 to St-Charles Avenue. Access to Senneville Road will be maintained, the ministry said in a news release published Tuesday.
Heading east, the closure is in effect from Exit 35 to des Anciens-Combattants Boulevard.
The ramp leading from Highway 40 to the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge will be closed on the interchange with Highway 30. Drivers are invited to use Highways 20 and 30 instead.
The toll on Highway 30 has been cancelled during the closure.
The Transport Ministry says it will open two of three bridge lanes during peak periods.
Toward Montreal from midnight to 10 a.m. on weekdays.
Toward Vaudreuil-Dorion from noon to 10 p.m. during the week, as well as every weekend.
The new lane system will be in place starting Monday and will involve a concrete barrier separating eastbound and westbound traffic. That barrier will be moved twice a day on weekdays to make the additional lanes possible.
Transport Ministry spokesperson Gilles Payer said specialized heavy machinery will move the concrete barrier between the morning and afternoon rush hours.
"Normally this is faster than two hours. But they make this buffer to make sure that nobody can get caught by the schedule we have announced," he said.
Payer recommends commuters still plan ahead.
"You will be late if you don't prepare or plan your trips seriously," he said.
Other changes include a new configuration on the approaches to the bridge, including the maintenance of two traffic lanes in each direction on Highway 40:
Between des Anciens-Combattants and the bridge.
Between Exit 35 and the bridge. Toward Montreal, the right lane of Highway 40 will be exclusively reserved for Exit 35.
The entrance to Highway 40 heading east from de la Cité-des-Jeunes Boulevard remains open.
As well, there is a complete closure of Highway 40 heading eastbound in the area, including the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge, planned for the weekend of May 31 in order to continue drainage work for the new bridge.
The ministry is encouraging affected motorists to subscribe to the Mobility Montreal newsletter to stay informed about major weekend closures and mitigation measures in the Montreal area.
