Work to repair a small crack discovered on the Honoré-Mercier Bridge in Montreal will take place from Oct. 17 to Oct. 19, resulting in lane closures. Starting at 3 a.m. on Saturday and ending at 5 a.m. on Monday, one lane in each direction will remain open while the work is underway. All lanes are expected to reopen once the repairs are complete, Quebec’s Transport Ministry announced Thursday. The work may be postponed, extended or cancelled due to weather conditions or operational constraints. “Every effort is being made to ensure that the bridge reopens as soon as possible,” the announcement reads. Transports Québec inspectors found a small crack in one of the steel beams supporting the structure on the Montreal side while paint work was underway beneath the bridge on Tuesday. This prompted the indefinite closure of the bridge’s left lane toward Montreal. Starting Oct. 15, tolls on Highway 30 heading westbound will be suspended during the weekday morning rush hour from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. The bridge is more than 90 years old, with one part of the structure under federal jurisdiction and the other under provincial jurisdiction. “It is important to note that, although certain parts of the bridge may show signs of wear or corrosion, their appearance does not necessarily reflect their structural condition,” the ministry wrote. “Inspections and analyses carried out by the Ministry’s experts confirm that the bridge remains safe. The Ministry would not hesitate to impose the necessary measures, including a complete closure of the bridge, if the safety of road users were compromised.” Quebec’s Transport Ministry advises the public to use Québec 511, its online tool for checking road closures and traffic conditions, for the latest updates.
