South Shore commuters in for a bad weekend of transit

(Watch above: It’s going to be a weekend filled with headaches for South Shore motorists.  Billy Shields reports.)

LONGUEUIL — A floor up from Longueuil Metro station, there’s a small mall and a bus terminal, where a line-up of  weekend commuters could be seen packing into the 804 shuttle which heads to the Berri-UQAM Metro.

The brisk-moving queue piled into the buses, which rolled up in 3-minute intervals on peak hours.

As efficient as the whole system looked, not everyone was thrilled – it’s one facet of a miserable weekend for commuters.

“In Longueuil we don’t have the subway and it’s kind of hard to take the bus,” lamented Carlos Alves, who was heading in to work in Montreal.

The STM rolled out the 804 buses to substitute for the Yellow Metro line, which is closed for repairs.

But due to the closure of the Champlain Bridge’s Montreal-bound lanes, the buses have to take the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.

READ MORE: Design for new Champlain bridge unveiled

Under normal traffic patterns, it isn’t a problem, but since the Cartier has no reserved bus lanes, on weekends traffic can be an issue.

“The Champlain Bridge is closed, traffic is completely backed up, what can I tell you?” lamented Brossard resident Zenon Slywynsky.

He said that he has all but given up trying to go to Montreal on the weekends.

“It takes so long to get into town and come back, it’s just not feasible.”

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Much of the headaches are attributable to a confluence of major projects that have come to a head during this weekend. And some thought officials should have accounted for the delays.

“They should have had a backup plan,” said Laura Daumais, a Montrealer who has to go to the South Shore to see friends like St. Hubert resident Megan Estives.

“It’s definitely cramping my style,” Estives said.

Both the Champlain and the Yellow Line should be back up and running for Monday morning commuters.

Details on Champlain bridge closure: 

The Champlain Bridge will be COMPLETELY CLOSED towards Montreal throughout the first work blitz scheduled for this weekend, from Friday, October 3 at 10 p.m. to Monday, October 6 at 5 a.m.

Options:

• Road users should use the Bonaventure Expressway to reach Île des Sœurs and the South Shore during the first weekend work blitz.
• On that weekend, both lanes on the Victoria Bridge will be open in the direction of Montréal (Friday, 10 p.m. to Monday 5 a.m.).
• The fifth lane on the Jacques Cartier Bridge will be open as needed in either direction.
• A shuttles service will be offered by the STM between Montréal and Longueuil (more info): an access ramp will be reserved for these shuttles to access the Jacques Cartier Bridge towards Montreal and avoid traffic.
• The Honoré Mercier Bridge and the Pont-tunnel Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine are also good options.

Police services will also be on-site during the work to help ease traffic, which will be difficult during these periods.

For more information click here

Details on Yellow Line metro closure:

The Yellow line will be closed Saturdays and Sundays from September 13 to December 21, as well as on Thanksgiving Monday, October 13. Three shuttle bus lines will then be put into service.

For more information click here