The ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable informs road users of the complete closure of the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge this weekend to reconfigure traffic lanes. Analyses carried out over the past few days in response to the appearance of a new crack have revealed the need to close an additional lane. This measure aims to reduce the load on the structure until reinforcement work can be carried out to ensure the integrity and safety of the infrastructure while avoiding a complete closure.

Traffic management

The bridge will be completely closed in both directions from Friday, November 24th at 11:59 p.m. to Monday, November 27th at 5 a.m. to implement a new configuration.

As of Monday, November 27, three lanes will be open on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge, two of them in the direction of rush-hour traffic. Heavy vehicles will still be able to use the bridge, but the Ministry wishes to reiterate the importance of respecting posted loads.

At present, at least one year of work would be required before the lanes could be reopened. A precise timetable cannot be provided at this time, as the Ministry is evaluating all options for accelerating the work.

The Ministry is aware that this new configuration will significantly impact travel times for road users. Wherever possible, we recommend that you use public transport or telecommute.

Road users are invited to use Highway 20, especially in the opposite direction to peak traffic, when a single lane opens on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge. A follow-up will be conducted to optimize traffic light programming, and police presence will be increased to facilitate travel on Highway 20.

Highlights

To mitigate the consequences of the complete closure during the reconfiguration, the Quebec government will suspend tolls on Autoroute 30 over the weekend of November 25 and 26.

As of November 27, the following measures will be implemented:

• Dynamic traffic management to keep two of the three lanes open in the rush-hour direction, according to the following schedule:
• Montreal-bound: between midnight and 9:30 a.m;
• towards Vaudreuil-Dorion: between 11:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. the following day and every weekend.

Efforts are underway to improve train service on the exo11 Vaudreuil-Hudson line by adding a departure for each peak period, i.e. an extra departure in the morning to Montreal and another in the afternoon to Vaudreuil-Dorion. Consult the Exo website.

Commissioned in 1965, the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is a complex structure that requires regular maintenance at the end of its useful life. Between now and the commissioning of the new bridge, for which preparatory work began this year, the existing bridge is the subject of a maintenance program that includes work and inspections.

In particular, reinforcement work on deficient girders on the Vaudreuil-Dorion section of the bridge continued over the past year, enabling a fifth lane to be opened at the end of September.

Other reinforcement work also advanced on the Montreal-bound section of the bridge, including concrete work over the weekend of November 17-20, 2023.

Progressive commissioning of the new Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is scheduled to begin in late 2026.