Quebec’s transport ministry says the Saint-Pierre Interchange rebuild has now moved into the planning stage. Opened in 1966, the interchange, where Highway 20 meets Route 138 in Montreal, handles about 101,000 cars a day. It is one of the major arteries connecting downtown Montreal, Trudeau airport, the West Island and the South Shore. In a statement released Monday, the ministry outlined where the project stands. All eight sections of the interchange will be torn down and rebuilt. The new design will also make room for buses and active transportation (like bike lanes), and intends to make it easier for people in the nearby Saint-Pierre neighbourhood to get around. The ministry said it opted for a “collaborative” approach, meaning the company that designs it and the company that builds it will work together from the start, alongside the ministry, aiming for fewer problems and delays down the road. “For the next two years, our teams and experts will be focusing their work on preparing the concept,” said Transport Quebec spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun. Over the next few years, officials will nail down the technical details, launch an environmental review, and consult with municipal officials, local boroughs, and residents before choosing a contractor. Some nearby businesses are concerned, including Ronen Baruch, the owner of Falafel St. Jacques, who said he’s seen major construction projects before cause traffic that kept customers away. “So I understand that things need to be done, but the question is, is it being done in a way that it’s really blocking businesses for a very, very long period and we cannot afford to wait,” he said. Traffic expert Rick Leckner had a blunt warning for drivers “It’s going to be a nightmare,” he said, pointing to the nearby Turcot interchange as a cautionary tale. Construction there caused major disruptions for drivers, and its design continues to create a traffic bottleneck, he said. “You’ve got five lanes of traffic westbound on Highway 20, merging into two in St-Pierre. It’s just a terrible design,” he said. The ministry promises the St-Pierre Interchange will not completely shut down, though there will be detours that will be addressed in the planning stage. In the meantime, crews will continue regular inspections and repairs to ensure safety for drivers until the new interchange is built.No firm construction timeline has been announced.
