Quebec government updates La Fontaine Tunnel work progress
Posted December 5, 2022 10:31 am.
Last Updated December 5, 2022 11:51 am.
The Quebec government says work is progressing well, as they assessed the first month of construction for the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel.
Three lanes have been closed since Oct. 31 for the tunnel that’s used between Montreal’s east end and the South Shore – and will remain shut until Nov. 2025.
An average of 120,000 drivers used the tunnel daily before work began, compared to a now 58,000 vehicles.
The government says mitigation measures and the cooperation of road users has resulted in a reduction of more than 50 per cent in car traffic in the tunnel.
Background:
- Montreal’s La Fontaine tunnel partially shut for next three years
- La Fontaine tunnel: three lanes to be closed for three years
In November, there were an average of 1,319 trips per day on the free bus routes.
At the Radisson and Longueuil metro stations, ridership increased by an average of 5.3 per cent and 4.5 per cent, respectively, during the four weeks of November compared to the same period before the barriers.
At the three South Shore Park-and-Ride lots that were expanded, an increase in occupancy of 27 per cent, on average, was noted compared to the week of Oct. 17.
MORE: Montreal commuters impacted by La Fontaine Tunnel partial closures
The number of trips on the river shuttle increased by 34.6 per cent in November compared to the previous month.
The deputy Premier and Minister of Transport and Sustainable Mobility, Geneviève Guilbault, believes that the statistics are encouraging, but she said that there is still a large reserve of capacity.
She continues to encourage citizens to choose public transit.
With files from The Canadian Press
