/R E P E A T -- Fall 2014 blitz on the Champlain Bridge: COMPLETE closure towards the South Shore on the Champlain Bridge - Details about the second weekend of work/

LONGUEUIL, QC, Oct. 10, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) wishes to inform road users that the South Shore direction on the Champlain Bridge will be COMPLETELY CLOSED throughout the second work blitz scheduled from Friday, October 17, 10 p.m. to Monday, October 20, 5 a.m., 2014.   

During this second work blitz, workers will connect the new Île des Sœurs Bypass Bridge to the current Champlain Bridge corridor towards the South Shore.

Construction of the new bridge began in August 2013 and it will officially enter into service once this second connection is finalized. Crews will also complete the replacement of eight expansion joints on the Champlain Bridge's deck.

To reduce the number of traffic hindrances as much as possible, the JCCBI will consolidate all the work scheduled for this fall (initially planned to take place over four weekends – view the original schedule) into two weekend blitzes. These endeavours represent the most significant work to ever take place on weekends on the Champlain Bridge, they also represent a huge logistical challenge. 

Preferred options:

• Road users should use the Bonaventure Expressway to reach Île des Sœurs via Exit 5.
• Both lanes on the Victoria Bridge will be open in the South Shore direction.
• The fifth lane on the Jacques Cartier Bridge will be open as needed in either direction.
• A shuttles service will be offered by the STM between Montréal and Longueuil (more info). 
• The Honoré Mercier Bridge and the Pont-tunnel Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine are also good options.

Police services will also be on-site during the work to help ease traffic, which will be difficult during these periods.

Weekend from October 17 to 20: Details about closures

Speed limit within the network reduced to 50 km/h.

A-15

• North Direction > 1 lane out of 2 open
• South Shore Direction > COMPLETE CLOSURE starting at Exit 60
• South Shore Direction > from Turcot Interchange to Exit 60:
  • Access ramp from A-15 South (Décarie) closed
  • Access ramps from A-20 East and A-720 West closed
  • Access ramp from de la Vérendrye OPEN
  • Access ramp from Atwater OPEN
  • Access ramp from Gaétan-Laberge Bl. at Verdun closed
  • Exit 62 to de la Vérendrye closed
  • Exit 61 to Atwater OPEN
  • Exit 60 to A-Bonaventure and Verdun OPEN

Île des Sœurs Bridge

• North Direction > 2 lanes out of 3 open
• South Shore Direction > COMPLETE CLOSURE

Champlain Bridge

• Montréal Direction > 2 lanes out of 3 open
• South Shore Direction > COMPLETE CLOSURE
• South Shore Direction > Exit 53 to Route 132 East and West closed

A-Bonaventure

• Downtown Montréal Direction > 2 lanes out of 3 open
• Champlain Bridge Direction > 2 lanes out of 3 open
• Champlain Bridge Direction > access from Nazareth Street only
• Champlain Bridge Direction > access ramp from Exit 4 to A-15 South closed until October 27, 5 a.m.
• Champlain Bridge Direction > access ramp via the Clément Bridge closed

Important: lane width will be reduced to 3 metres during this period on the A-15 North between Wellington and île des Sœurs Bridge. Trucks that exceed this width are advised to use alternate routes.

View our presentation for more information about the access and exit ramps scheduled to close during the work and any detours that have been put in place.

Here are other tools to use:

• A map pointing out the closed access from Turcot Interchange to A-15 South
• A map pointing out all open and closed access ramps on Champlain Corridor
• A map locating the other bridges

For residents of Île des Sœurs

The details of each point of access for Île des Sœurs are as follows: 

Access to Île des Sœurs from:

• Champlain Bridge / A-15 North (Exit 57): OPEN
• A-Bonaventure (Exit 5): OPEN
• A-15 South (Exit 57-N): CLOSED
• A-15 South (Exit 57-S): CLOSED

From Île des Sœurs to:

• Champlain Bridge / A-15 South: CLOSED
• A-Bonaventure: OPEN
• A-15 North: OPEN

To see the REAL-TIME progress of this large-scale worksite, visit this webpage developed for the new bridge. A video of all the work carried out in the last 24 hours is also uploaded every day.

Please be advised that work could be delayed due to weather conditions. A notice will be published on our blog (champlainbridge.ca) on Fridays at 3:30 p.m. in light of weather forecasts to inform commuters if the work will go ahead as planned.

Follow the project's progress 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]