JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West
The completion of the new $85-million Jacques Bizard Bridge has been pushed back again – to 2025.
The main reason for the latest delay is complications in setting a pillar of the new span on solid ground, said Île Bizard-Ste. Geneviève Borough Mayor Doug Hurley.
“The second reason, as we knew in the past, was because of previous dynamiting in the area,” Hurley told The 1510 West. “They found the plans didn’t correspond to what they expected, so that added another delay of four months.”
Construction of the new four-lane span next to the current bridge began in 2022 and was expected to be completed by fall 2023, but various snags have pushed back the completion date. Last August, it was predicted the construction would be completed by this spring.
An estimated 30,000 vehicles use the bridge, which spans Rivière des Prairies providing the only route off the island to Pierrefonds-Roxboro. The work along with repairs on nearby Jacques-Bizard Blvd. have also caused traffic headaches and huge delays for residents of the island.
“Between 7 o’clock and 10 o’clock, driving 750 metres to leave the island takes 50 to 60 minutes, wrote retired resident Claude Boyer in a letter to Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante last year, expressing his grievances about the traffic.
The prolonged bridge repairs are expected to have an impact on traffic on the island later this year, when the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île Bizard hosts the prestigious President’s Cup golf tournament from Sept. 24 to 29. The event is expected to attract thousands of spectators.
“That’s going to be one of my challenges – to try and be ready for that one,” Hurley said.
“All of us are going to have to get together, look at how we’re going to handle the influx of traffic, have a great event and not disturb the daily lives of the citizens who are living there,” he said. “There’s going to be a little bit of juggling with more traffic control and security,” he added.
Built in 1966, the existing bridge is expected to reach the end of its useful life in 2026, according to city of Montreal officials.
The new bridge will have four traffic lanes, one more than the three lanes on the existing bridge. It will also feature a two-way bike path, a lookout, public art and a sidewalk that is double the width of the walkway on the old span.