Champlain Corridor: work BLITZES over the long weekend - Third weekend of major work on May 18, 19 and 20

LONGUEUIL, QC, May 13, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) would like to advise road users that the third weekend work BLITZ in the Champlain Corridor will take place from Friday, May 17, at 10 p.m., to Tuesday, May 21, at 5 a.m. This third BLITZ is especially important, as by taking advantage of a three-day weekend to carry out intensive work, we'll be able to save one weekend of work.

This weekend work BLITZ will also be the biggest of the year in the Champlain Corridor and will be especially difficult for traffic.

Weather conditions will be very important during this period, as the planned work will enable us to pave sections of the Champlain Bridge, the A-15 and the Bonaventure Expressway. A notice will be posted on our blog (www.champlainbridge.ca) on Friday at 3:30 p.m. according to the weather forecast to advise road users whether or not the work will take place.

The installation of road signs will begin on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. towards the North and at 8:30 p.m. towards the South, causing the closure of a first lane.

Here is the lane configuration for the weekend:

• A-15: a single lane going North and South at the entrance to the Champlain Bridge on the Montreal side until Atwater (including the île des Soeurs Bridge)
• Champlain Bridge: a single lane will be open towards the South Shore and two lanes will be open towards Montreal
• Bonaventure Expressway: a single lane will be open towards downtown Montreal and three lanes will be open towards the Champlain Bridge

It is important to note that during this period the width of lanes on the Champlain Bridge, the A-15 and the Bonaventure Expressway will be reduced to three metres in both directions. Trucks exceeding this width will have to take alternative routes.

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the Champlain Corridor and take the Jacques Cartier, Victoria or Honoré Mercier Bridges, or the Louis Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel, to access or leave the Island of Montreal.

Several access and exit ramps on the bridge will also be closed during this period. The work will be carried out in two phases; here is the configuration of closed ramps per phase:

• Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 19 (morning): map of ramps closed during phase 1
• Sunday, May 19, (morning), to Tuesday, May 21: map of ramps closed during phase 2

The speed limit on the network will be reduced to 50 km/h.

2013 Work Plan

A reminder that major work on the Champlain Corridor will take place during intensive weekend BLITZES. This will involve several different contractors working around the clock at various places on the bridge, the A-15, and the Nuns' Island Bridge.

This work will occur over three to five weekends from late April to late June, depending on weather conditions and how the work progresses. Once again, this year's objective is to minimize the number of weekends required to complete the projects.

The Corporation will take advantage of these weekends to repair the roadway, carry out paving work and replace expansion joints.

Finally, the JCCBI work calendar for 2013 is available online on our blog: champlainbridge.ca.

SOURCE: The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated

Jean-Vincent Lacroix 
Director, Communications
The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI)
Office: 450 651-8771, ext. 232
Cell: 514 294-1940
[email protected]

André Girard
Vice-President, Communications
The Federal Bridge Corporation
Tel.: [phone]
[email protected]