Montée-Cadieux overpass in Vaudreuil-Dorion closed to traffic

VAUDREUIL-DORION — The Montée-Cadieux overpass above Highway 40 in Vaudreuil-Dorion has been closed.

Transports Quebec engineers made the decision last month after determining the bridge wasn’t structurally sound.

The detour to cross Highway 40 is 15 km long, forcing drivers to meander through part of the city’s industrial park, the city centre, autoroute 40 and some rural roads before finally getting to the other side.

“It has to be fixed soon because it’s annoying,” one driver told Global News.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It has to be fixed soon because it's annoying," one driver told Global News.

“Especially for kids and school and everything, because it’s like a whole detour. Yeah, it has to be fixed.”

The overpass was built in 1965; this is the first time engineers have had to close it completely to vehicular traffic.

Only pedestrians and cyclists are allowed to cross.

Large cracks and exposed re-bar are evident to the naked eye throughout the structure.

While the bridge was deemed unsafe for vehicle use, Highway 40 below is completely open.

Spokesperson for Transports Quebec, Isabelle Buisson, insisted there is no risk of pieces of the overpass dropping below.

“It’s safe,” Buisson told Global News Friday.

Buisson said engineers will analyze the report during the next several weeks to determine if the bridge needs to be repaired or torn down and replaced.

About 200 vehicles a day use the overpass.