Without giving any more details, Quebec has announced that, in the near future, the right-hand lane of Highway 20 will be closed to vehicles during rush hour.

This new temporary measure will be put in place to alleviate congestion on Highway 20, caused by major obstructions to the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge. The exact date on which the ban will come into effect will be announced at a later date, as will the section of highway concerned. 

Heavy vehicles will be prohibited from driving in the right-hand lane from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. eastbound, and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. westbound. Truckers are also invited to use Autoroute 30, where tolls will be temporarily lifted. 

Present at the press scrum given by the Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, on Monday December 11, Vaudreuil-Dorion mayor Guy Pilon is far from considering this measure to be a viable solution.

"I had serious concerns about this idea. Imagine someone trying to access a business or a street with a whole row of trucks, it's going to be impossible. But that's a government decision. Big trucks are already blocking intersections. I don't see this as a solution. I've said it, but it's the ministry's decision to try it out. I'm pretty sure it won't last," he confided.

Also present at the press scrum, Pincourt mayor Claude Comeau prefers to wait and see the repercussions of the new measure before commenting. "We'll see the results in the next few days," he told Néomédia by e-mail. 

The alternative route as the ultimate solution

Guy Pilon is unequivocal. The solution to congestion problems is to build a bypass around Highway 20 in the Dorion sector. 

"The alternative route is the only solution to give the 40 a chance. It would at least give us an option when we're unlucky as we are at the moment. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it's going to get worse before it gets better. We know they'll be at least a year on the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge. It's time to make 20 to give 40 a chance," concludes Mr. Pilon.

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