At present, the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable estimates that at least one year of work is required before the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge can be fully reopened.

In a technical briefing, MTMD indicated that a precise timetable could not be provided at this time, "as the Ministry is evaluating all options for accelerating the work."

The quickest scenario is to carry out work on the bridge towards Vaudreuil-Dorion.

Over the next few months, reinforcement work will continue on the girders between the spans above the main navigation channel. Slab repairs will also be carried out.

The work has been entrusted to Construction Interlag, the contractor currently carrying out maintenance work on the bridge, since the nature of the interventions is the same as that stipulated in its contract.

A new crack means a new closure

During maintenance work on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge, a new crack measuring almost seven metres was discovered by workers along a girder on November 17. Analysis led to the closure of one of the five traffic lanes.

"The causes of this new crack are still being analyzed. Although several hypotheses have been put forward, MTMD prefers not to comment on the matter", said MTMD teams.

At the same time, technical analyses have been carried out by experts, and as a result of these assessments, it has been determined that the removal of an additional traffic lane is essential.

In order to reconfigure the lanes, the bridge will have to be completely closed from 11:59 p.m. this Friday until 5 a.m. on Monday, November 27.

At that point, three lanes of traffic, two in the peak direction, will be available on the bridge from 5am on November 27. This configuration will be in place for at least a year.