The Quebec government announced new safety measures will be put in place on Highway 440 in Laval after the fatal collision that left four people dead last August.
The province’s transport ministry announced on Friday an overpass will be built, linking Highway 440 west to Highway 15 north, which, according to the government, will “greatly increase the safety of the area.”
Thanks to this new overpass, motorists will not have to use the 440’s service road to access the 15 north, which was the site of last summer’s deadly crash.
“Even though it’s good news, we cannot forget what happened at that spot,” said Laval Mayor Marc Demers.
Four people were killed and 15 were injured in the fiery multi-vehicle pileup on Aug. 5, 2019. The collision involved at least two trucks and seven vehicles.
“After 50 years and the crash we had last year, it was important to find a long-term solution,” said Transport Minister François Bonnardel, referring to the highway’s original construction 50 years ago.
After the crash, Bonnardel agreed that the intersection — the scene of a dozen accidents since 2013 — was flagged as a place of risk.
Last week, an arrest was made in connection with the fatal collision. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) said Jagmeet Grewal, 54, was arrested, nearly one year after the crash.
Construction of the new overpass is set to begin in 2022 and is expected to be done by 2023.
— With files from Global News’ Kalina Laframboise