If you thought traffic nightmares in Montreal couldn't get any worse, the Bogeyman would like to have a word with you.
Starting Monday the Sherbrooke St. exit off the Decarie Expressway will be closed until October. The alternative will be to exit at Cote-St-Luc/Queen Mary.
"We're going to see a very, very heavy impact for people trying to get off [Decarie Expressway] around the Cote-St-Luc road area because you won't be able to get off at Sherbrooke," said traffic expert Rick Lekner. "Most people will move to the next closest exit, which is Cote-St-Luc/Decaire which can't handle the traffic it does now."
For those looking to get onto the Expressway, life isn't any easier as the Sherbrooke entrance is now closed until September.
"If you're trying to get onto Decaire [north] from the service road you can't get on at Sherbrooke, so you'll have to move all the way to Edouard Montpetit," Leckner said. "That's quite a hike for people trying to get on the Decarie Expressway northbound."
The nightmare won't end there, as Highway 15 north will lose one between Turcot and the N.D.G. and so will the ramp connecting Highway 20 and Route 136 (Ville Marie) to 15 north, also until September.
"Consider carpooling, consider public transit to the extent that it's possible" Leckner said. "Certainly look at other routes such as Atwater, such as Cote-des-Neiges."
No matter what you do, Leckner said you need to be aware of which roads are open and which ones will cost you.
"You just can't head onto the roads blind anymore. You'll pay the price by sitting in traffic unless you check ahead of time."
