Replacement of the Champlain Bridge - Prefeasibility study to begin in
September 2009

LONGUEUIL, QC, Sept. 21 /CNW Telbec/ - The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI) wishes to announce the launch of a prefeasibility study for the replacement of Montreal's Champlain Bridge. Subsequent to a public tender, the JCCBI and Transports Québec have awarded the contract for the study to Consortium BCDE.

The selected company is composed of engineer consultant firms BPR, Cima+, Dessau and French-based Egis Structures et Environnement. The value of the contract is $1.4 M. The study is expected to begin in September 2009 and take about 12 months to complete. The JCCBI is responsible for administering the contract, the cost of which will be shared with Transports Québec, the department responsible for road transportation in the province.

"The Champlain Bridge is a strategic axis in the economic well being of Montreal ," said Christian Paradis , Minister of Public Works and Government Services. "We are pleased to contribute to this study which will help determine the best option for the future of this corridor."

"We are taking an important step today," said Transports Québec minister Julie Boulet . "We are very pleased to be participating in this study which represents the first phase toward improving commuter service and the road network between Montreal and the South Shore."

"I am delighted by my government's decision to contribute to funding this study by The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated organization," said MNA Fatima Houda-Pepin. "I believe in an integrated rapid transit public transportation system, and this study will allow us to assess its real feasibility."

The Champlain Bridge is approaching 50 years of age and is largely constructed of pre-stressed concrete beams supported by concrete piers. The bridge's particular construction, the effects of corrosion from road salt and the high volume of truck traffic have contributed to the aging of this structure.

The study will examine the possibility of building a new bridge or tunnel along the existing Champlain Bridge corridor. The study will determine the number of traffic lanes required to meet present and future demand. Engineers will also look at how a modern public transportation system might be integrated into the new structure to link Montreal's downtown core with the South Shore. The question of costs to replace the Champlain Bridge will be carefully examined and is a vital component of the contract.

To determine the best option for Canadians, the Government of Canada will consider various options for this corridor, including the rehabilitation of the existing bridge.

Among the most traveled bridges in Canada , the Champlain Bridge currently accommodates more than 59 million vehicles a year. It also includes an important reserved commuter bus lane between the South Shore and Montreal .

For further information concerning Champlain Bridge, please consult the JCCBI website at www.jccbi.ca.

For further information: Jean-Vincent Lacroix, AGC Communications, Office: [phone], ext. 230, Cell: [phone], [email protected]; Source: André Girard, Vice-President, Communications, The Federal Bridge Corporation, [phone], [email protected]