LaSalle is about to face a traffic nightmare according to borough mayor Manon Barbe, who is speaking out against a new proposed project affiliated with Turcot Interchange construction.
The mayor said drivers who use the Angrignon Boulevard overpass should brace themselves for tentative partial closures starting in December and lasting throughout 2019.
She argues the possibility of closing the critical link is unacceptable.
“LaSalle is already trapped,” Barbe said.
“People of LaSalle, businesses are already trapped. This way we will be completely trapped inside LaSalle.”
She explained the roadwork on Angrignon Boulevard is scheduled at the same time as other construction and closures in the area.
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“They are planning to do it at the other end of the de la Verendrye Boulevard to access Highway 15, this exit will be closed at the same time for 300 days,” Barbe said.
Officials responsible for the Turcot construction said they are trying to do what they can to accommodate all parties.
“We are working closely with the MTQ and all the partners and especially LaSalle on all the concepts for those lane closures,” said Sylvie Gervais, a KPH Turcot traffic manager.
“We are not talking about full closures but we are talking about lane closures.”
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The LaSalle borough mayor claimed while she did meet with officials ten days ago to discuss the closures, she noted the alternate plans were insufficient.
She said transport officials proposed either one-way access to enter or exit the borough or two-way access with a ban on all heavy vehicles.
Barbe claimed this proposition would cause even more chaos for the 200 or so manufacturing businesses and their 7,000 employees.
In the meantime, Barbe is proposing no closures on Angrignon Boulevard overpass until an alternative solution is found.