Montreal crash leads to traffic woes for Friday morning commuters on Highway 15
Global News
Motorists trying to get onto the island from the south shore using the Champlain bridge Friday morning were faced with a major the detour.
It was quite the scene on Highway 15 Friday morning just before 2 a.m., where a heavy truck caught fire under the REM train track. The flames were so intense they could be spotted from miles away.
Highway 15 north was closed between the Bonaventure Expressway and Gaétan-Laberge Boulevard until early Friday afternoon, causing major delays for motorists heading into the city. Part of the brand new REM track was scorched.
Inspectors spent the day assessing the damage to the light-rail network.
“Our experts are continuing their verification of the tracks. Test activities are continuing as usual between stations on the South Shore,” reads a statement to Global News from the developer CDPQ Infra.
Meanwhile, this weekend marks one of the busiest in Montreal with the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix taking place at Parc Jean-Drapeau. City officials are urging motorists to leave their cars at home.
“You don’t want to take your car if you’re going to the Grand Prix,” said city spokesperson Phillipe Sabourin.
“My best piece of advice is to take public transit during the weekend,” he added.
Mayor Valérie Plante agreed, saying public transit is the ‘best option’ this weekend.
