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About 65 percent of the New Champlain Bridge project in Montreal is complete, and the 3.4-kilometre-long river crossing is scheduled to open by December, according to construction consortium Signature on St. Lawrence. The $4 billion project is designed to replace one of North America's busiest spans, which sees 50 million vehicles crossing it every year.
A crucial artery for freight transportation between Canada and the United States, the condition of the 55-year-old current bridge has worsened over time due to increased traffic and considerable wear and tear, partially attributed to the use of road salt.
The media was invited last week to the busy construction site to tour the progress made so far. Both the main span tower and the back span of the cable-stayed bridge are at 65 percent completion. The main span crossing the Saint Lawrence Seaway is in progress as the first cable-supported segment is installed. Nearly half of the 37 W-shaped pier caps that will be surmounted by the roadway have been completed, and over 100 of the 600 box-girder segments have been installed.
The bridge will initially open with three lanes and a fourth lane for buses. Once a corridor reserved for buses and the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) commuter train line opens up in the middle of the bridge, the roadway will accommodate three lanes of traffic.
The new bridge is expected to last 125 years. Additional images and information can be found in the Database file linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion or share your photos? Check out the associated Forum thread or leave a comment in the field provided at the bottom of this page.
