Samuel De Champlain Bridge to officially open later this month
Posted June 17, 2019 12:16 pm.
Last Updated June 17, 2019 7:10 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
MONTREAL (CityNews) – The media was given a tour of the new Samuel-de-Champlain Bridge, which is expected to open to the public later this month.
The bridge, which cost just under $4.5-billion ($4.239 billion without the $235 million in settlement agreements) will link Montreal with its south shore, replaces a crumbling structure built in 1962. It was also named after the French explorer but was known simply as the Champlain Bridge.
But Ottawa and the consortium in charge of construction have still not resolved what penalty will be paid for the late completion of a project initially scheduled to be ready last December.
Under the contract with the consortium, Signature sur le Saint-Laurent, penalties were set at $100,000 a day for the first seven days, then $400,000 a day for subsequent days, with a ceiling of $150 million. Analysts have said the penalty could hit $75 million.
“I have always said that if there are delays, there will be consequences,” Federal Infrastructure Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said. “The discussions are going to continue, because in a project of this size, there will always be demands.”
If the two parties are unable to resolve their differences, it will be up to a court to decide, he added.
The 3.4-kilometre bridge will be open to traffic starting on June 24 on the northern corridor toward Montreal.
Then on July 1, vehicles will be allowed on the southern corridor toward Brossard.
In a release, the federal government says the six-lane roadway will open in two phases to for a safe transition from the existing bridge.
Also on the bridge is a central corridor which is dedicated to public transit — the future Réseau express métropolitain train.
There will also be a multi-use path for cyclists and pedestrians.
Work will continue on the bridge for the next weeks which includes final waterproofing and paving of the deck.
The government says the bridge is designed to last for 125 years.
A controversy erupted in 2014 when reports surfaced that the Conservative government planned to drop the Champlain name in favour of the late hockey legend Maurice Richard. The infrastructure minister at the time, Denis Lebel, withdrew the idea at the request of Richard’s family.
A new federal structure being built to connect Detroit and Windsor, Ont. will have a hockey connection. The $5.7-billion Gordie Howe International Bridge is due to be operational by late 2024.
With files from The Canadian Press.
