Major bridge and highway closures hit Montreal area October 16–19

Quebec's transport ministry and Mobilité Montréal are warning drivers of major work planned across the greater Montreal area from Friday, October 16 through Monday, October 19. The work includes a full overnight closure of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel and significant lane reductions on two other major crossings.

The A-25 tunnel (Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine bridge-tunnel) will close completely in both directions from 11 p.m. Friday, October 16 to 8 a.m. Saturday, October 17. Southbound traffic heading from exit 5 (Sherbrooke Street) in Montreal to Route 132 in Longueuil will detour via Dickson Street south, Notre-Dame Street, and Papineau Avenue to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. Trucks taller than 4.25 metres will be rerouted via Dickson Street north, Hochelaga Street, de l'Assomption Boulevard, Sherbrooke Street, and Pie-IX Boulevard south. Access ramps from Sherbrooke, Tellier, and des Futailles streets will close 30 minutes earlier, at 10:30 p.m. Souligny Avenue East will also close at 10:30 p.m. Friday between Dickson and Honoré-Beaugrand streets, with detours via Hochelaga or Notre-Dame.

Northbound traffic from exit 90 (Route 132 on the A-20 west) in Longueuil to Sherbrooke Street East entrance in Montreal will detour via Route 132 west, exit 82 to the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, then De Lorimier Avenue south and Notre-Dame, Curatteau, and De Boucherville streets. Trucks will use Pie-IX Boulevard and Sherbrooke and De Boucherville streets. Several northbound A-25 access ramps, including those from Route 132 and from Île-Charron and Curatteau streets, will close 30 minutes before the tunnel. The A-25 tunnel's clearance is 4.3 metres; the ministry recommends leaving a 10-centimetre safety margin for trucks.

The Mercier Bridge (Route 138) will be reduced to one lane in each direction from 3 a.m. Saturday, October 17 to 5 a.m. Monday, October 19, with both directions sharing the upstream span heading toward Kahnawake. The Airlie Street access to Route 138 west will remain open. The ministry has flagged this as a high-risk congestion area during daytime hours and recommends using alternate routes if possible.

On the Samuel-De Champlain Bridge (A-15), the left lane heading north toward Montreal will be partially closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, October 18, between Route 132 in Brossard and Nuns' Island. Traffic can use the shoulder. On the Bonaventure Expressway (A-10), one of two lanes heading east toward the Champlain Bridge will be partially closed between exits 4 and 5 from 5 a.m. Saturday through 5 a.m. Monday.