The nightmare that is getting around Turcot Interchange construction zone will be a lot harsher within a matter of weeks.
Beginning in mid-September, the ramp from Hwy. 15 north to Hwy. 20 west will be closed for demolition.
For the next two months after that, motorists coming up from the south shore or Nuns' Island on their way to the West Island will have a couple of options — stay on the 15 right up until Cote St. Luc Rd. and double back, or get off at De La Verendrye Blvd. north, take St. Patrick St. west until Monk Blvd., then head west on Notre Dame St., where you'll finally meet up with the 20.
In the South West borough, sections of St. Remi St. closer to the train tracks closed to traffic on Aug. 20 to allow CN Rail to move the tracks. That work is expected to continue through Oct. 10 — at which time a larger stretch of St. Remi will close, between Notre-Dame and St. Jacques Sts., and this, until 2019. During the next two years, only local traffic will be allowed on St. Remi above Notre-Dame, as far as Cazelais St.
Another large portion of the rebuilding project is also expected to get underway by November — the demolition of the westbound portion of the elevated Ville-Marie Expressway.
Much like the demolition of the eastbound portion last year, the work is expected to continue over a series of weekends.
A westbound portion of route 136 will be put in place to replace the Ville-Marie — though it won't have access to an exit on St. Jacques. That key exit will be closed.
The transport department has yet to settle on exact dates for some of that work, but they are urging motorists to be prepared — and consider using public transit to get around while the work goes on.
Officials do say, however, that the work to rebuild the half-century-old interchange is just about half done. It began in 2011, and is expected to be complete by 2020. The rebuilding job is expected to cost $3.7 billion — provided, of course, there are no cost overruns.
For more information, visit Transport Quebec's Turcot web site.