Driving through the Turcot Interchange is an experience that is constantly changing.
You may often catch yourself saying things like “is that piece supposed to be there?” or “where does this road lead me to?”
“Up to now, we are at 62 per cent construction completed,” said Transports Québec spokesperson Martin Girard. “So it’s going well for the construction, a lot of dismantling has been done in the last few months.”
The Turcot is one of the province’s busiest stretch of roads. The structure is used by around 300,000 motorists daily.
READ MORE: Commuters, advocates hope Turcot pedestrian bridge actually happens
With ongoing construction, driving through it now can sometimes be jarring. There are remnants of old and new structures, ramps that have been built temporarily and even brand new roads.
Transports Québec says keeping traffic flowing throughout the project is the biggest challenge.
READ MORE: Avoid the Turcot Interchange until 2019, says Transports Quebec
“It was not possible to close the area and do the work,” said Girard. “So that’s why they built temporary ramps and temporary structures to maintain the circulation.”
At times, it may seem like construction is moving slowly. One of the consequences is the constant closures during the weekends that cause major traffic tie-ups in the area.
Transports Québec insists that there are more than 1,000 people working on the project and drivers will be seeing even more results in the near future.
READ MORE: A Turcot nightmare coming soon for Montreal commuters
“It’s still on budget, it’s going well, people will see new structures by the end of the year,” said Girard. “The new St. Jacques bridge will be finished by the end of the year.”
Transport Québec says the Turcot project is on track to be completed by the end of 2020, but that means there are two years left of even more closures, detours and of course, orange cones.
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