Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Ottawa, Quebec announce $500 million reconstruction of La Fontaine Tunnel

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 03 Jun, 2019 10:19 PM

    The federal and Quebec governments have announced a $500-million reconstruction project for Canada's longest highway tunnel — the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel linking Montreal to its southern suburbs.

    "We're bringing Montreal infrastructure into the 21st century," said federal Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, referring also to the new Samuel-de-Champlain Bridge expected to open at the end of the month.

    Champagne and Quebec's junior transport minister, Chantal Rouleau, announced the funding deal in Montreal on Monday. Work is expected to begin in 2020 and last until 2024.

    The investment in the 52-year-old tunnel — one of five links between Montreal and the south shore — will extend its life span by 40 years.

    No fewer than 47 million vehicles use the La Fontaine tunnel every year, Champagne said. "It's the longest highway tunnel in Canada," he said.

    Planned work includes pavement, lighting, vaults, walls, signage and a fire protection system, as well as repaving of the highway between Boucherville and Montreal and necessary infrastructure for public transportation on highways linking to the tunnel.

    Champagne wouldn't say how the funding would be divided between the governments, so as not to compromise the tendering process set to open soon.

    He said it was important to announce the project to allow for preparatory work.

    Rouleau said about 13 per cent of the vehicles that use the tunnel daily are heavy trucks.

    She said the massive re-construction will cause some obstacles, but the province is planning mitigation measures including parking spots to encourage public transit use and lanes for buses and car pooling.

    There's also a consideration of a river shuttle between Montreal and its southern suburbs.

    There will also be an emphasis on communication with residents impacted by the work, Rouleau said.

    "The work being announced today — everyone knew it had to be done," Rouleau said.

    MORE National ARTICLES

    Report Says Government Policies Weigh On Declining B.C. Housing Market

    VICTORIA — A real estate market outlook by Vancouver's Central 1 Credit Union says tougher federal and provincial government housing policies are behind a drop in demand for resale housing in British Columbia.

    Report Says Government Policies Weigh On Declining B.C. Housing Market

    Life Sentence Appeal By Halifax Mall Plotter Lindsay Souvannarath Rejected By Nova Scotia Court

    HALIFAX — Nova Scotia's top court has rejected the appeal of the life sentence given to an American woman who plotted a Valentine's Day shooting spree at a Halifax mall in 2015.

    Life Sentence Appeal By Halifax Mall Plotter Lindsay Souvannarath Rejected By Nova Scotia Court

    Young Woman Killed, Teen Injured After Father Sets Fire At Calgary Home: Police

    CALGARY — Police say a young woman was killed and her teenage sister badly injured in a fire set by their father who also died in the home where there had been a history of conflict.    

    Young Woman Killed, Teen Injured After Father Sets Fire At Calgary Home: Police

    Air Canada 'Anticipating A Normal Day' After System-Wide Outage Resolved

    Air Canada 'Anticipating A Normal Day' After System-Wide Outage Resolved
    Peter Fitzpatrick says the technical issue that affected airport systems, check-in and call centres on Tuesday has been resolved and "most functions have returned to normal" as of Wednesday morning.

    Air Canada 'Anticipating A Normal Day' After System-Wide Outage Resolved

    Quebecer Jailed In Oman Being Extradited To United Arab Emirates, Son Says

    MONTREAL — The son of a Quebec man who has been jailed on fraud-related charges in the Middle East says his father is in the process of being extradited from Oman to the United Arab Emirates.    

    Quebecer Jailed In Oman Being Extradited To United Arab Emirates, Son Says

    Final Arguments At Winnipeg Trial Of Accused In Death Of Woman Found In Barrel

    WINNIPEG — A Crown prosecutor says a man accused of killing a woman whose body was found in a barrel in their backyard used manipulation and fear to control multiple women who lived in the home.

    Final Arguments At Winnipeg Trial Of Accused In Death Of Woman Found In Barrel