Closures, traffic expected throughout Grand Prix weekend
Posted June 13, 2023 1:59 pm.
Last Updated June 13, 2023 2:22 pm.
Road closures and traffic – even more than usual – are expected in the city in the leadup and during the Grand Prix.
The city says traffic will increase noticeably as of Friday as thousands of people make their way downtown, to Ile Notre-Dame and Ile Sainte-Hélène.
Officials warn parking will be extremely limited in those areas.
A partial closure of the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine tunnel is expected to lead to greater congestion on bridges linking Montreal and those two islands.
The City of Montreal is recommending people take public transit, bicycles, or simply work from home, if possible.
Between 90,000 and 120,000 people are expected at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve each day from Friday to Sunday. Another 6,500 people are expected at La Ronde.
Access to the Concorde Bridge will be restricted to those attending the Grand Prix. No traffic will be authorized on Macdonald Road linking the Jacques-Cartier Bridge to the Concorde Bridge.
“Starting Thursday until Sunday evening, no hindrances are allowed, no closures are allowed on strategic routes,” said Sarah Bensadoun, a spokesperson with Mobilité Montréal and Transport Quebec. “We are talking of the Highway 20 corridor between the Dorval airport, Route 136, Viger, Ville-Marie tunnels. And we also have Notre-Dame Avenue until Dixon, we also have Highway 15 from Mirabel to Highway 10, Highway 10 Bonaventure. Also all the bridges between the South Shore of Montreal and the island, and that includes also the La Fontaine tunnel.”
Taxis going to Ile Notre-Dame and Ile Sainte-Hélène on those days are being told to take the Jacques-Cartier Bridge. About 400 taxis and 120 shuttles are planned to circulate non-stop during the weekend.
“It’s going to be the biggest event of the summer with the Grand Prix Formula 1,” said Philippe Sabourin with the City of Montreal. The city is doing everything we can to ease the traffic during the weekend.”
The STM says it will increase metro frequency and staffing.
The Canadian Grand Prix race is Sunday in Montreal.
