LONGUEUIL, QC, Aug. 13, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated wishes to inform commuters that the new île des Sœurs bypass bridge will be opened to traffic this fall.
This new seven-lane bridge will help improve traffic in the Champlain Bridge corridor. Six lanes will be dedicated to traffic, three lanes in each direction, while the seventh lane will be reserved for buses. The bridge will also feature a bike path.
Construction of this new bridge began in August 2013. It will divert traffic from the current île des Sœurs Bridge which is scheduled to be demolished and rebuilt.
Reserved bus lane on the new bridge
The reserved bus lane, set up in the mornings and evenings by the AMT, will be prolonged by about 1 km when the new bridge opens to traffic. View the yellow route on this map.
This extended reserved lane will allow buses to avoid the traffic from the A-15 and Turcot Interchange by providing a direct access to the A-Bonaventure at the exit of Champlain Bridge.
Traffic light removed
The configuration of the new île des Sœurs bypass bridge has also fixed an unusual situation on the island of Montreal. For the past 35 years or so, a traffic light has stood at the exit of the Champlain Bridge on the A-15 Northbound to let buses access the reserved lane in the late afternoon as they head towards the South Shore.
The traffic light will be removed when the bypass bridge opens, making commuters' drive to Montreal during rush hour easier.
Widened bike path
The new bridge's bike path will be 2.5 metres wide, which is similar in size to the bike path on Jacques Cartier Bridge and larger than the one on the current île des Sœurs Bridge.
To see the REAL-TIME progress of the large-scale worksite, visit this page dedicated to the new bridge.
A video showing the work carried out in the last 24 hours is also uploaded every day.
You can follow the work on our blog at champlainbridge.ca or follow us on Twitter.
SOURCE: The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated
Jean-Vincent Lacroix, Director, Communications, Les Ponts Jacques Cartier et Champlain Incorporée (PJCCI), Office: 450 651-8771, ext. 232, Cell: 514 249-1940, [email protected] ; Anne-Marie Braconnier, Advisor, Communications, Les Ponts Jacques Cartier et Champlain Incorporée (PJCCI), Office: 450 651-8771, ext. 465, Cell: 514 292-4493, [email protected]
Share this article