New le-aux-Tourtes bridge to open ahead of schedule as traffic frustrates residents

Quebec's Transport Ministry says the new le-aux-Tourtes bridge will be fully functional by the end of 2026 one year earlier than expected but until then drivers will face increased traffic due to the state of the existing bridge.

Mirella Castrechini has been living inVaudreuil, Que., for six years and says the bridge has always been a headache. But now, it's worse than ever, as it only has one lane open in each direction.

"I spent two hours on what would typically take four minutes to cross over. It was five lanes merging into one, it's just unheard of," she said.

"I'm surprised there aren't more people getting out of their cars and just yelling."

The bridge is the main western access point to the island of Montreal. The Transport Ministry says it cannot operate at full capacity due to structural damage.

Late Tuesday, it announced the bridge would again be closed all weekend for repair work.

Castrechinihas been staying with her mother in le-Perrot, Que., to avoid morning trafficand says that taking public transit would result in a two-hour commute with three buses, a train and the Metro.

"I don't think they can build it fast enough," she said.

The new bridge will consist of two separate structures. It will have three traffic lanes per direction, a two-way multi-use path and wide shoulders for bus service.

The bridge will be builtnorth of the existing structure, and traffic will continue on the current bridge.

The new bridge comes with a $2.3-billion price tag for the provincial government. All work, including deconstruction of the existing bridge, is scheduled for completion in 2030. But the Transport Ministry stressed that the new bridge should be operational by the end of 2026.

"This new link will be better adapted to the realities of the region's citizens, and will ensure a smoother flow of traffic. At the same time, we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of the existing link and minimize the impact of its partial closure," said Transportation Minister Genevive Guilbault in a news release.

Suburban mayors relieved

But municipalities west of Montreal, like Pincourt, Senneville and Vaudreuil-Dorion, say they need traffic relief much sooner.

"When the bridge closes and it all goes on the 20, the traffic, they come through our town and it's disruptive," said Claude Comeau, mayor of Pincourt.

"[My residents] are all fed up with this."

Still, the mayors believe the Transport Ministry has been proactive in offering alternative transportation.

"The government did a good job to try to minimize the impact, but the impact is there every day for people. At the end of the day, real people are there behind these decisions," said Guy Pilon, mayor of Vaudreuil-Dorion.

"The quickest we can get that new bridge operating, the better it's going to be for everybody," Julie Brisebois, mayor of Senneville, said.

Castrechini couldn't agree more, but still understands the importance of maintenance work on the bridge.

"I don't think anyone wants to end up in the lake," she said.