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Dorval Interchange still not open to traffic following official inauguration

Despite a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially opening the Dorval Interchange, the road is still closed to traffic. Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017. Tim Sargeant/Global News

After years of delays, the Dorval Interchange, which links Highway 20 and the Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport was officially inaugurated Monday morning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

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But motorists hoping to use the new roadway on their morning commute Tuesday were in for a nasty surprise.

READ MORE: Dorval ‘overpass to nowhere’ finally opens – years late, $200M over budget

The overpass, 12 years in the making, has yet to open.

Transports Quebec confirmed to Global News that the road was indeed closed to traffic Tuesday morning, saying that construction on the westbound 20 had closed a lane that prevented snow removal crews from reaching the overpass to clean it.

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“Due to construction, it was not possible to do snow removal on Highway 20. That is why it will not open until tomorrow (Wednesday) morning,” said Martin Girard, a Transport Quebec spokesperson. The overpass should open by 5 a.m. Wednesday, Girard said.

READ MORE: Call for tenders finally issued for Dorval Circle ‘overpass to nowhere’

The redevelopment project was initially announced on May 2, 2005, with a proposed price tag of $150 million — $17 million for the overpasses alone.

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The project was plagued by delays, ballooning costs and legal challenges.

On Nov. 30, the first overpass finally opened. The second overpass was officially inaugurated Monday, but won’t be open until Wednesday.

READ MORE: Dorval overpass stalled by legal dispute

The new target date to finish the entire project, excluding the Dorval Circle, is 2019 — 14 years later than the original estimate.

The final price tag is expected to be $343 million, close to $200 million over the initial budget.

WATCH BELOW: Dorval overpass opens

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