Pont Honoré-Mercier reopens after emergency steel beam repairs
All traffic lanes restored Sunday after crews completed work on a crack discovered larger than initially expected during weekend closure.
Sources · Quebec Nouvelles
The day's top stories, food & events — every morning at 7. Unsubscribe anytime.
All lanes on Pont Honoré-Mercier are open again as of Sunday, October 18, after crews finished emergency repairs to a steel beam crack discovered during a weekend inspection.
The northbound section toward Montréal had been closed since October 15, when inspectors found the crack was larger than first thought. The ministry scheduled intensive repairs to prevent the crack from spreading and reinforce the affected section. The work finished ahead of schedule, restoring all traffic by Sunday evening.
Highway 30 westbound tolls, which had been suspended during weekday rush hours, resumed following the completion.
The Quebec transport ministry stated the bridge remains safe for use. The northbound section was built in 1961; the southbound section dates to 1933. Inspection reports from October 2025 had indicated the older southbound section was in worse condition, though it was not affected by this weekend's repairs.
What are the long-term repair or replacement plans for the bridge?
What was the total cost of the emergency repairs?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When did Pont Honoré-Mercier reopen?
Pont Honoré-Mercier reopened on Sunday, October 18, 2026, after emergency repairs to a steel beam crack were completed.
When was the crack discovered?
The crack was discovered on Thursday, October 15, 2026, during a weekend inspection of the northbound section toward Montréal.
What was wrong with the crack when found?
The crack was larger than initially expected, prompting intensive repairs to prevent it from spreading and reinforce the affected section.
When did Highway 30 westbound tolls resume?
Highway 30 westbound tolls resumed following completion of the repairs on Sunday, October 18, 2026, after being suspended during weekday rush hours.
