The ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable wishes to inform road users of the closure of an additional lane on the pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes as of Tuesday, December 20, 2022. Two lanes per direction will remain available to traffic.

Cause of the lane closure
As part of the regular monitoring of the infrastructure's condition, the Ministère is particularly attentive during the first frost episodes and has identified the progression of some existing cracks on the side of the bridge towards Vaudreuil-Dorion. The Ministry has already begun the required reinforcement work, but in order to continue the interventions in complete safety for workers and road users, the closure of an additional lane is necessary. It is important to note that the bridge remains safe and that the Department does not compromise between traffic flow and the safety of road users, and never hesitates to close a structure when necessary.

Traffic Management and Mitigation Measures
Two lanes per direction will remain available at all times for road users on the pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes. Thus, the dynamic traffic management system, which has been in place since July 2022 and which allowed three lanes to be maintained in the direction of the traffic peak using a removable barrier, will be suspended until the work.

To mitigate the impact of this additional lane closure, the Department will temporarily provide a dedicated bus and emergency vehicle lane in each direction on the approach to the pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes. All the details, including the date of implementation, can be determined at the beginning of 2023.

Remember that trucks must use the left lane on the bridge.

Maintenance program pending the reconstruction of the pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes

The pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes, which was put into service in 1965, is a complex structure that is nearing the end of its life and requires regular maintenance.

The reconstruction of the pont de l’Île-aux-Tourtes is in the planning stages as indicated in the Plan québécois des infrastructures 2022-2032. The signing of the contract with the selected contractor, scheduled for 2023, will mark the imminent start of the design and construction of the future bridge.

Until this major project is completed, the bridge is undergoing a maintenance program that includes inspections and repairs. Deck repair work began in 2016 and is scheduled to continue until the bridge is taken out of service.

The Department thanks road users and residents for their understanding.

In order to properly plan your travels, keep yourself informed of current and upcoming obstructions by consulting the Quebec 511. For the safety of road users and workers, it is essential to respect the signs in place.