WATCH ABOVE: The Saint-Jacques exit to the westbound Ville-Marie will be closed until November. Global’s Sarah Volstad reports.
MONTREAL – Accessing Saint-Jacques Street from downtown Montreal is about to get a little more complicated.
As of Sunday, Aug. 23, Exit 2 off the westbound Ville-Marie expressway will be closed, only to reopen on Nov. 25.
“This closure has to be done in order to build up the new Turcot,” said Mario St-Pierre, spokesperson for the province’s transport ministry.
“So, there will be a new Saint-Jacques that will be built to match the entrance that is new, and then to match the new Turcot.”
Drivers looking to access Saint-Jacques Street from the westbound 720 will be forced to continue northbound to Highway 15, and then proceed to Exit 66 towards Côte-Saint-Luc, Queen Mary and Côte-Sainte-Catherine.
READ MORE: Relaxing drive for Montreal commuters despite closures on St. Jacques overpass
From there, detour signs will guide motorists back to Saint-Jacques; the construction won’t only affect the street.
“We’re talking about new sewage, new aqueduct and we’re talking about new sidewalks, lighting fixtures and so on,” said St-Pierre.
It will also complicate access to the new MUHC.
“For patients coming from an easterly direction using that exit from the 720, they may want to consider leaving a little bit earlier for their appointments because there’s a bit of a detour to make,” said Ian Popple, MUHC spokesperson.
He said the detour planned by the transport ministry will include signs with the letter “H” to indicate the route to the hospital.
To avoid headaches, patrons may want to consider alternative modes of transportation.
“It has good access through the train station at Vendôme, also the metro station,” said Popple.
“The number 77 bus arrives at the doorstep of the Glen Site from Lionel Groulx.”
The hospital is one of many locations that will be affected by the exit closure.
At a car wash across from the Glen Site, Duranus Joseph worried that it will negatively impact his clientèle.
“Right now, the business is very quiet,” said Joseph, a car wash employee.
“Because of less cars, the business is going to be bad so it’s very bad right now.”
READ MORE: Driving headaches could soon be the norm in NDG
From 10 p.m. Monday, Aug. 24, to 5 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25, there will be partial closures on the stretch of Saint-Jacques Street between Saint-Remi Street and Decarie Boulevard.
There will be one lane open in each direction, while workers reconfigure the lanes.
In case of poor weather conditions, the work may be delayed.
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