Ile-aux-Tourtes bridge to be reduced to one lane each way for weeks: MTQ
CTV
Traffic on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction "for several weeks" as of Friday night, Quebec's transport ministry has confirmed. The eastbound portion of the bridge will be completely closed for about an hour starting at 11 p.m. Friday to redirect the lanes.
Traffic on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge will be reduced to one lane in each direction "for several weeks" at least as of Friday night, Quebec's transport ministry has confirmed.
"As of this Saturday, at 12:01 a.m., only one lane will be available per direction on the bridge due to damage to a portion of the slab," read a ministry advisory.
The MTQ says workers discovered the damage while they were removing concrete from the surface of the bridge. Underneath, the ministry said, they discovered "extensive damage."
While the team knew that part of the bridge was in rough shape, but that the actual condition was worse than anticipated.
"We had to take the difficult decision to remove another lane, which leaves us with only two lanes out of six," said Sarah Bensadoun, a spokesperson for the MTQ.
"This is a structure that is at the end of its lifespan," she said. "We know there are surprises that will happen in the next few weeks and next few months. We are prepared for that, and we also have a budget."
he MTQ has a budget of $376 million just to maintain the existing bridge, which will eventually be dismantled.
