Published June 19, 2024

CAQ approves Phase 1 of tramway, commits to build new bridge

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The Coalition Avenir Québec government of Premier François Legault did what it said it would do and approved the recommendations for a transit system contained in the report it commissioned.

It also did something contrary to the recommenda- tions in the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Infra (CDPQ Infra) study. It made a commitment to build another bridge for motor vehicle traffic across the St. Lawrence River at the east end of the city, po- tentially at one of the widest and deepest points in the river.

At a June 13 news confer- ence the day after the Caisse released its report, Legault evoked “economic security” as the main reason for proceeding with a third link to back up the Pierre Laporte and Quebec bridges.

In April 2023, the CAQ government abruptly cancelled a plan to build a tunnel under the river, claiming the volume of traffic did not justify the multi-billion-dollar cost.

In the wake of a subsequent byelection defeat in the Jean-Talon riding in September, Legault said the government would revisit the third link question. It was included in the mandate of the Caisse study of the global transit needs of the Quebec City region.

The Caisse, however, examined six possible options for an intercity link and concluded none was justifiable. It did suggest a tramway tunnel if circumstances deemed it necessary.

Legault told reporters, “I think that when you look at the file and take a step back, even looking at the inconveniences, we are better off having this new road.”

The premier raised the spectre of the closing of the Pierre Laporte Bridge, the only span capable of handling heavy truck traffic east of Trois-Rivières, as an economic catastrophe for the region.

“As premier, the question I have to ask with my col- leagues is can we live with this economic risk?” Legault said.

Neither Legault nor Transport Minister Genèvieve Guilbault would commit to a timeline for construction of the bridge, which, presumably, would connect the Beauport Autoroute 40 interchange with Autoroute 20 on the South Shore.

Guilbault said the government could seek expertise from around the world about how to build a bridge across the river in an area that, according to experts consulted in media reports, poses many engineering challenges.

Regardless, Legault said the bridge project will move forward. “There will be no other economic or traffic studies. I think there have been enough now,” he said.

As for the Quebec City transit project the Caisse proposed, Legault was cautious about making a too-sweeping commitment. He said the government will give the green light to the first phase of the project, notably the tramway line between Le Gendre in the west and Charlesbourg in the north-west.

As for the subsequent phases, Legault said that would be a question of future discussions with Quebec City and Lévis.

Mayor Bruno Marchand applauded the government’s decision in a statement, saying he is “delighted the government immediately confirmed the implementation of the first phase of the CITÉ plan.”

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