The Quebec Trucking Association fears Monday’s “indefinite” truck ban on the Papineau-LeBlanc bridge, which connects Montreal and Laval on Highway 19, will affect some local deliveries.
Updated yesterday at 5:46 pm.
“Maybe if you’re waiting for a sofa, a stove or a fridge, that could be the reason [retards]. The impact on the bridge is expected to be very high on delivery or distribution on the Island of Montreal. It really affects us unfortunately,” explained its CEO Marc Cadieux.
Quebec confirms “remedial measures” for this infrastructure, which may soon undergo repairs. In a press release, the Ministère des Transports du Québec (MTQ) however assured that “the condition of the bridge does not compromise the safety of users in any way”. “These measures are preventive, but necessary to ensure the integrity of the road infrastructure,” officials said.
As of the evening of October 24, the bridge spanning the Rivière des Prairies was no longer usable by heavy vehicles and would remain so for an “indefinite period”. “Heavy vehicles will be diverted by signals to the Mederick-Martin Bridge”, otherwise Highway 15, MTQ said.
For Marc Cadieux, this situation creates “bypasses and obstacles on other infrastructure to go from one bank to another,” including the Pie-IX, Viau or Médéric-Martin bridges.
“It’s starting to do a lot,” said Mr. “We have to think outside the box,” adds the man, who is specifically demanding a 20% increase in the load capacity of trucks, keeping in mind the horrendous congestion on the road network in the coming months.
A left lane is also closed
In addition, the left lane of the Papineau-LeBlanc bridge will be closed in both directions from June 11. Everything is indicated “to facilitate the winter maintenance of the bridge, not by cones but by marks on the ground.”
Quebec confirms that the speed limit will be kept at 70 km/h “on the entire bridge”, as well as reminding users of the “importance of respecting the signs in force”. “Monitoring will be provided by SAAQ road controllers at the top of the bridge,” we assure.
The ministry is planning interventions to “lift these measures as soon as possible and thank road users for their cooperation.” Users are invited to use the Quebec 511 platform to better plan their journeys based on road obstacles.
This new limitation measure, ordered to ensure the integrity of this 425 meter structure, some parts of which need to be repaired, was announced on October 21, 1969, precisely 53 years after the opening of the Papineau-Leblanc bridge.
With Canadian Press
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