Bring on the orange cones: the autumn of construction in Montreal

Drivers can expect a congested fall on the roads – and even more orange cones.

Transport Quebec and Mobilité Montréal announced 50 major worksites starting the first week of September.

“What we have in 2024 is a bit different because as you can see, we are working pretty much everywhere,” said Sarah Bensadoun, a spokesperson for Transport Quebec. “So, that is why we need to make sure that people are aware of that and they need to plan ahead of time.”

In all, the City of Montreal will be spearheading more than 1,000 worksites on 880 stretches of road.

It will be a busy month, especially for the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge and Highway 40 West. They’ll both be closed for two full weekends next month – Sept. 6 and 20.

“We have actually two different contractors working on this site maintenance work and also the rebuilding of the new structure,” Bensadoun said of the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge.

The 40 West will also be closed the weekend of Sep. 13.

Fall 2024 Road Work Montreal by CityNewsToronto on Scribd

The city is also reminding Montrealers of the major work being done on Sainte-Catherine Street downtown to replace the century-old pipes underground.

De Maisonneuve Boulevard will be closed between Parthenais Street and De Lorimier Avenue until mid-November.

The start of excavation work for the extension of the metro’s Blue Line will also disrupt traffic on Jean-Talon East, causing complete closures at the intersections of Pie-IX, Viau and Langelier.

“We should avoid those areas this fall,” City of Montreal spokesperson Philippe Sabourin said.

Other areas of construction, closures and heavy traffic include: Christophe-Colomb Avenue between Rosemont Boulevard and Saint-Grégoire Street (until Sept. 5), and between Jean Talon Street and Jarry Street (until November); Bonaventure Expressway at exit 5 (until September); and Route 136 at Guy Street (until end of year).

The STM will publish a new schedule and new bus lines as of Monday for public transit users reflecting changes due to the upcoming construction.

The Transport Ministry recommends checking Quebec 511 and planning trips ahead of time.

“In comparison to last spring, we have six more construction sites,” Bensadoun said. “However, several of those will be completely finished by the end of the year. So this is good news for road users because they will see a difference in their daily lives.”