DORVAL – If you take a look at the two infamous overpasses to nowhere above the A20 you’ll notice not much has changed in recent years.
And that’s a problem.
READ MORE: Costs mount as Dorval Interchange sits idle
Transports Quebec has to find a new way of completing the flyover structures linking the highway to Trudeau airport without building on land owned by CP Rail.
The transportation department failed to secure permission from the rail company to install pillars.
READ MORE: Never-ending negotiations to finish Dorval interchange
Now, it’s trying to finish the overpasses by building pillars elsewhere, but completing this job won’t be done until 2017.
“It’s a complete joke,” one driver quipped next to the overpass.
Transports Quebec is in the midst of rebuilding the entire Dorval interchange but it’s had to scale back the project due to cost overruns and lengthy delays.
Demolishing and rebuilding the Dorval circle has now been indefinitely postponed.
Finishing the rest of the project including the overpasses and configuration around the Trudeau airport won’t be complete until 2019 at a cost of more than $300 million.
“I wish they would hurry up and finish them,” another driver said.
Right of way access above the train tracks is still needed from CP.
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The Transport Minister says his department is negotiating.
“We have a few problems to negotiate with CP and now we take a decision,” said Robert Poeti from the halls of the National Assembly.
“We’re going to pass on top of the rail and that’s it. So, we’re going to have a new interchange at two different place and it’s going to be faster and less expensive.”
According to a KPMG audit in 2012, the original project was supposed to have been done by 2011 at a cost of $150 million.
Today, it’s been scaled back to half it’s original size but will still cost more than double the initial price tag.
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