Jacques-Bizard Bridge to be replaced at a cost of $100M

ÎLE BIZARD — The City of Montreal is planning to replace the Jacques-Bizard Bridge in Île-Bizard.

The bridge dates back to 1966 and needs repair, but the price tag has some residents unsure it’s the right move.

“It’s the first step in a process,” said Lionel Perez, the Montreal Executive Committee member responsible for infrastructure.

“We’re going to be going into advanced conception of plans to see the exact framework of how we want to build the bridge.”

It won’t come cheap though.

Perez explained the cost of replacing the bridge could climb to $100 million.

In a town of roughly 18,000 people, that would amount to about $5,500 per resident.

“It’s over a body of water. It’s going to connect Montreal to Île-Bizard,” Perez said.

“It’s to ensure the security of all the residents and we want to make sure it’s going to be one that lasts a very long time – up to 100 years.”

Perez added the project has been in the works for over a year.

The bridge sees its share of traffic, according to the city’s numbers, approximately 30,000 drivers use it every day.

It currently has three lanes, a bike path and a sidewalk.

The new bridge will have one additional lane, which is expected to help alleviate traffic.

“It’s very much traffic, but $100,000 000 is a lot of money,” said Margaret Kioussis, an Île-Bizard resident.

Drivers told Global News they had mixed reaction about the news.

“Even if they add one more lane, all the traffic is still over there,” said another.

“I think it would be a good idea because it’s been a while. The bridge is falling apart,” said resident Rene Petion.

Work on the bridge is slated to begin as soon as 2018.

The bridge could be finished by 2020.

In the meantime, the Île-Bizard borough said it will work closely with the city and will keep its residents informed.