I'm heading to Montreal (and potentially Ottawa) next week for a short trip, and I was hoping to get some advice on what to see in terms of road infrastructure. Is there anything worth renting a car for?
If you want to see some big worksites, there's three major ones around Montreal that are close enough each other to be seen as one huge site. First, the Turcot Interchange, supposed to be completed by 2020. Starting from Trudeau Int'l Airport, follow Hwy. 20 East; just after passing exit 63 (Mercier Bridge), you will enter the site. Always check first on Quebec511 website (
http://www.quebec511.info/en/Carte/Default.aspx) in order to see what ramps are closed, because there's a lot of changes from day to day.
Then, from there, if you take Hwy. 15 South, you will see the brand new Samuel-de-Champain Bridge, that will open by the end of June, in two steps, and will replace the actual Champlain Bridge (second longest bridge in Canada, after the Confederation Bridge), that will be demolished later. It is just on your left while you pass on the actual bridge. Yuo can't miss it!
If you continue straight ahead at the exit of the actual bridge, in about 2 miles (3 km), you'll see the worksite of the REM South Terminal (REM stands for Réseau Express Métropolitain, a new light rail network to open by 2021) in the south quadrant of the Hwy. 10/Hwy. 30 interchange.
After passing this point, your best option to turn back to Montreal is to keep on Hwy. 10 East until Exit 22 (Hwy. 35); keep left to Chambly ramp, then take exit 55-O (Hwy. 10 West) to Montreal. Then, just before the Champlain Bridge, take exit 6, then keep right to Hwy. 20 East/Route 132 East, in order to see the Montreal skyline, along the St. Lawrence River. You will also have a look on Victoria Jubilee Bridge (first bridge built over St. Lawrence River), and Jacques-Cartier Bridge (inaugurated in 1930).
Then, take exit 89-N to Hwy. 25 North; you will cross the river by the Louis-H.-Lafontaine Tunnel-Bridge. Built in 1967, and subject to a complete rebuilt in years to come, it's still the longest underwater tunnel in Canada. If you continue straight ahead on Hwy. 25 North, you will cross the Olivier-Charbonneau Bridge (no-money electronic toll bridge; you'll be billed 8,89 CA$ in rush hour, or 7,89 CA$ out of rush hour). It's the last new bridge (not replacement) to be built around Montreal Island.
From now, you're on Jesus Island, in the city of Laval; take exit 17 (Hwy. 440) to have all the options ahead to Montreal. From Hwy. 440, there's two options to go to Ottawa; option 1 is by taking Hwy. 15 North (exit 22), and once on 15 North, exit 35 to Hwy. 50 West. After Mirabel Airport, Hwy. 50 turns into a super-2 highway for the most part of its lenght to the Ottawa-Gatineau Region; option 2 is by exit 17-S (Hwy. 13 South), and once on 13 South, exit 6 to Hwy. 40 West (this point is in another worksite). Once on Hwy. 40 West, you will cross the Lac des Deux-Monagnes by the Pont de l'ÃŽle-aux-Tourtes, then keep right to stay on Hwy. 40 West. About 22 miles (35 km) further, you'll enter province of Ontario, and Hwy. 40 will become Hwy. 417, towards Ottawa.
For sure, the best way to have a nice ride is to avoid rush hour. The highway network in Montreal is on the limit of its capacity since decades; a simple fender bender, or just a vehicle stalled can turn a good ride into a nightmare, as a three-lane highway can become a real parking lot in minutes.
Welcome in Canada, and have plenty of nice rides!