Honoré-Mercier Bridge left lane closed indefinitely due to steel beam crack

The left lane on the Honoré-Mercier Bridge heading into Montreal was closed indefinitely as of Tuesday night after Transport Quebec discovered a crack in one of the bridge's beams.

Inspectors found the crack during routine maintenance work Tuesday afternoon. Transport Quebec said closing one lane reduces the structural load while additional analyses are conducted. "It's not a very big crack, but when there's a crack on a steel beam, it needs immediate attention," a Transport Quebec official told reporters.

Transport Quebec says the bridge is currently safe to drive on and does not anticipate reopening the lane immediately. "We are in this process of figuring out what's the extent of the repair that needs to be done? How long will it take?" the official said. "We know that at least today, it's very unlikely that we'll be able to reopen, but we'll have a better idea as we get more information on the nature of the repair that needs to be done."

Wednesday morning brought heavy congestion for commuters. Transport Quebec recommends motorists use Quebec 511 to plan travel and consider alternate routes.

This is the second major closure on the Mercier Bridge in less than three months. The bridge underwent concrete deck repairs from mid-July through early August, reopening with all lanes restored on August 1.