Reopening of Chaudière Crossing delayed, again
The reopening of the Union Bridge at the Chaudière Crossing between Ottawa and Gatineau, Que., has been delayed — again.
The bridge will reopen in two stages, Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) said in a Monday news release.
At 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, a single lane will open for southbound traffic only. At 5 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 29, the crossing will fully reopen.
The delay is due to ongoing work at the Booth Street and Vimy Place intersection, according to PSPC. During construction, the bridge will remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.
Previous delay
The current round of work on the bridge is to widen its sidewalk, improve the cycling experience and repair or replace parts of the oldest component of the bridge.
Work started in March 2022 with individual lane closures before the full closure vehicles.
Days before its original reopening date of May 5, spring flooding damaged equipment and closed the bridge to all users. On May 29, the bridge reopened to pedestrians and cyclists but has remained closed to vehicles since.
Commuters have complained that the bridge closure, paired with a lane closure on the Champlain Bridge further west, has caused severe backups at peak times.
In a mid-July news release, PSPC extended the closure until Sept. 1. That target is now Sept. 29.
