Montreal-area drivers: brace yourself for yet another difficult weekend of traffic.
The Île-aux-Tourtes bridge, which runs along Highway 40, will shut down as of as of 11 p.m. Friday.
The span between the Island of Montreal and Vaudreuil-Dorion will be completely closed to traffic for the weekend.
Quebec’s Transport Ministry will be working to repair a crack on a foundational beam that was discovered last month.
The ministry suggests drivers use Highway 20 through Île-Perrot as an alternative route. Tolls along Highway 30 have also been lifted.
Meanwhile, train service on the Hudson-Vaudrueuil line will be free.
The bridge is scheduled to reopen one lane in either direction as of 5 a.m. Monday.
The new span being built to replace the old Île-aux-Tourtes bridge is budgeted at more than $2 billion. It is scheduled to be open to traffic by the end of 2026 — one year ahead of schedule.