Matthew Elder

Matthew Elder, LJI

Motorists travelling to and from Knowlton and Foster using Lakeside Road (Route 243) will have to navigate detours during the next few months as the bridge at Tiffany Park is being rebuilt. The closure requires a detour around a four-kilometre stretch of Lakeside between Argyll Road and the junction of Lakeside and Bondville Roads. The bridge project is scheduled to take eight weeks.

The most direct alternate route to Foster from the center of Knowlton is Bondville Road, which begins at Centre Road and skirts the west side of Brome Lake, joining Lakeside/243 at top of the lake. From downtown Knowlton, the distance is about 11 km.

Those departing from (or driving to) the stretch of Lakeside south of Fisher Point may prefer to detour along an eastern route that follows Argyll, Brill and Foster Roads. The distance is 9 km, or 11 minutes, much of which is on gravel road, from the junction of Lakeside and Argyll to Foster and Lakeside.

Motorists bound for Montreal or Magog/Sherbrooke should take alternate routes farther to the west and east. For Montreal, there are a number of options, the most direct leading to exit 78 at Bromont. Take Brome Road from the lights on Route 104 north to Fulford, and left onto Blvd. de Bromont north to Highway 10.

Other westbound routes are Pierre-Laporte Blvd. from BMP Hospital in Cowansville north to exit 74, or bypass Cowansville on Route 104 to the 139 north (Blvd. Jean-Lapierre) to autoroute exit 68.

In less of a hurry? Consider following 104 through Farnham, Ste. Brigide, then head north on Route 227 to exit 37.

If you are headed to Magog or Sherbrooke, head east out of town along Knowlton Road (Route 243 south) through Bolton Pass to South Bolton (the rocket) and turn left on 245.

Sometimes those Magog-bound prefer to take the highway from Bolton Centre through Austin, enjoying spectacular views of Lake Memphremagog.