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Quebec's Highways

Started by Stojko, February 04, 2010, 06:56:42 PM

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Stephane Dumas

Sometimes, it's fun to check old newspaper articles about some proposed highways.

From the Quebec City newspaper Le Soleil, September 15, 1980, I spotted that vintage article about A-65 (Autoroute de l'Amiante).
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2727488?docsearchtext=autoroute%20de%20l%27amiante


Dougtone

Why not check out the oldest covered bridge in Quebec (also Canada's oldest covered bridge), which was built in 1861. This is the Powerscourt Covered Bridge located near Hinchinbrooke, Quebec.

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2019/03/powerscourt-covered-bridge.html

Stephane Dumas


webfil

Quote from: Dougtone on March 04, 2019, 06:50:06 AM
Why not check out the oldest covered bridge in Quebec (also Canada's oldest covered bridge), which was built in 1861. This is the Powerscourt Covered Bridge located near Hinchinbrooke, Quebec.

Great article, Doug.

Not only is the Percy bridge a national historic site of Canada, it is a classified heritage property, benefiting from a legal protection : alteration, restoration, repairs, change in any way (including the type of paint, nails or screws) or demolition of all or part are strictly regulated, with fines of up to 1.5 M$ and one year of prison for offenders. Authorization of the minister is also required for land subdivision and construction in a 500 feet radius.

The claim asserting it is the only remaining example of a McCallum truss bridge is attributed to the ministry of Culture, with research dating back to 2004; I'd like to see, with more and more archives available on the net, how that claim stands today. Another McCallum truss bridge was once built in Shannon, Québec by the Q&LSJ Railway. Some drawings and a bad photo of this bridge exist. It was later replaced by 2 Warren truss sections and 1 central Pratt truss section, then converted to auto traffic when the line was moved to a new alignment, then unfortunatelty supplanted by a generic concrete viaduc.

Stephane Dumas

Too bad then Google translator can't translate old newspaper articles. I spotted that article from February 25, 1975 about a provincial deputy who complained then A-73 was built on the east side of the Chaudiere River instead of the west side.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3655535?docsearchtext=autoroute%20de%20l%27amiante

A small article mentionning the numbering of Quebec autoroutes.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3646406?docsearchtext=autoroute%2065

MNHighwayMan

You have to copy/paste it into Google Translate (and fix some of the formatting/errors caused by OCR.)

Here's the first link (translated title: "Highway 73: the cause of the West section was poorly defended")

QuoteThe cause of the West section would have been poorly defended by the asbestos region. Thus, the member for Frontenac in the National Assembly, Dr. Henri Lecours, explained that the provincial government decided to build Highway 73 east of the Chaudière River.

According to Mr. Lecours, several municipalities in the County of Beauce spent thousands of dollars preparing a report in which the benefits of construction in East Chaudière were presented and the Ministère des Transports authorities reportedly based on this report to make their decision. Mr. Lecours added that he did not believe that representatives of the asbestos region addressed the good people who could have influenced the choice of the West route. According to him, we should have met the promoters of the inter-port project in Quebec and explained the advantages of a road for the transport of asbestos, "I know that if I had to take care of the file, it is to those people that I would have addressed myself, "said Mr. Lecours.

Access road

The member for Frontenac also pointed out that an access road could possibly be built between the asbestos region and Highway 73, joining the latter near Vallée Jonction. He admitted that this could be a solution to the problem while emphasizing that the distance would remain considerable. Mr. Lecours stated that a sharing solution was always possible: the construction of the highway east of Chaudière to Vallée Jonction and west of Vallée Jonction in Québec City.

Mr. Lecours also revealed that the work undertaken last year on Highway 49 was continuing. Special budgets are now being considered for the continuation of this work, and important statements should be made shortly, concludes Lecours.

Second link (translated title: "Numbering of motorways")

QuoteThe Deputy Minister of Highways of Quebec, Mr. Claude Rouleau yesterday published the list of numbers that the highways currently under construction or will eventually be.

Highways on an east-west axis will have an even number, and north-south highways will have an odd number.

Among the highways projected - by the Highways, we note: Highway 50 which leaves from Hull to finish at St-Gabriel de Brandon via Lachute and Jolietle; Highway 30 from the US border to Gentilly north of Bécancour; Highway 13, from Ste-Scholastique to Ste-Barbe d'Huntingdon via Jesus Island and the island of Montreal; Highway 51 from Sherbrooke to Yamaska ​​through Drummondville; Highway 73, from Ste-Catherine de Portneuf to Jackman, on the Quebec-Maine border, passing through Quebec and Beauce; Highway 65, from Villeroy in Lotbinière County to Thetford Mines; Highway 18, from Plessisville to Ste-Clothilde d'Arthabaska, at the junction of Highway 55 and Highway 85, from Rivière-du-Loup to the New Brunswick border.

Stephane Dumas

I spotted some vintage photos on old newspaper articles about what was once A-51 between Richmond and Drummondville showing A-51 markers.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3649585?docsearchtext=autoroute%2051  on page 6.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3655576?docsearchtext=autoroute%2051  cahier 2 page 3a

Alps

Quote from: Stephane Dumas on March 14, 2019, 03:57:08 PM
I spotted some vintage photos on old newspaper articles about what was once A-51 between Richmond and Drummondville showing A-51 markers.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3649585?docsearchtext=autoroute%2051  on page 6.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3655576?docsearchtext=autoroute%2051  cahier 2 page 3a
You have won the internet for today, friend.

jp the roadgeek

Would be interesting to see where A-30 would have met the US border.  I've always envisioned it following Route 138 to end near Malone, NY.  My grand plan would be to connect it via a short NYS reference route from the border to a proposed I-98 that would follow the US 11 corridor between Watertown and Champlain (part of my elaborate I-98 plan).
Interstates I've clinched: 97, 290 (MA), 291 (CT), 291 (MA), 293, 295 (DE-NJ-PA), 295 (RI-MA), 384, 391, 395 (CT-MA), 395 (MD), 495 (DE), 610 (LA), 684, 691, 695 (MD), 695 (NY), 795 (MD)

vdeane

My understanding is that A-30 was to follow the QC 132 corridor to NY at Fort Covington/Dundee.  Note that A-530 was originally intended to be part of (as was signed as until recently) A-30.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

webfil

#410
Quote from: vdeane on March 15, 2019, 01:00:10 PMMy understanding is that A-30 was to follow the QC 132 corridor to NY at Fort Covington/Dundee.  Note that A-530 was originally intended to be part of (as was signed as until recently) A-30.

Valleyfield was deemed to receive A-530 anyways. The number was reserved for the R-201 corridor between A-20 and ill-fated A-30. The latter was programmed to meet the border near the actual railway border crossing.

Excerpt from J.-G. Paquin (1971). Numérotage des autoroutes du Québec, réseau actuel et projeté, Ministère de la Voirie, Montréal, 28 pages. Fair use of copyrighted material for educational purposes.

Stephane Dumas

I saw an old photo of someone who did a A-55 promotion at Victoriaville from La Tribune, July 27 1974 on page 6.
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3649439

webfil

Not directly road-related, but the ferry expected to replace the ferry that crashed into two docks while replacing the problematic aerial substitute for the original ferry, crashed into another ship.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ferry-follies-saaremaa-1.5074791

Alps

Quote from: webfil on March 28, 2019, 11:34:45 PM
Not directly road-related, but the ferry expected to replace the ferry that crashed into two docks while replacing the problematic aerial substitute for the original ferry, crashed into another ship.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ferry-follies-saaremaa-1.5074791

Stephane Dumas

Quote from: webfil on March 28, 2019, 11:34:45 PM
Not directly road-related, but the ferry expected to replace the ferry that crashed into two docks while replacing the problematic aerial substitute for the original ferry, crashed into another ship.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/ferry-follies-saaremaa-1.5074791

That reminds me of that editorial toon about the ferry in question. https://www.journaldequebec.com/2019/03/28/la-caricature-dygreck

And here some vintage articles about the raising fare of the Quebec tolls back in 1982. http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3686945
http://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/3686944

Chris

A ship, built in Norway, with an Estonian name, crashed in Germany and is supposed to enter service in Québec. Interesting.

Bruce

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?

Richard3

Quote from: Bruce on May 28, 2019, 03:14:01 AM
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!
- How many people are working in here?
- About 20%.

- What Quebec highways and Montreal Canadiens have in common?
- Rebuilding.

States/provinces/territories I didn't went in: AB, AK, AL, BC, HI, KS, LA, MB, MN, MS, MT, ND, NL, NT, NU, RI, SD, SK, WA, WI, YT.  Well, I still have some job to do!

Bruce

Thanks a lot! I don't think I'll end up renting a car for this trip, as the VIA Rail fares are very cheap (especially with a discount code I found). I will try to check out as many of these sights as I can via public transit, rideshare, or car-share (if that is a thing...).

mvak36

Looks like some progress on the A35: https://globalnews.ca/news/5374897/quebec-highway-35-extension-us-border/
QuoteFederal and provincial government officials announced on Monday that plans are in the works to extend Quebec's Highway 35 by nearly nine kilometres in the southbound direction – but that still leaves it 4.5 kilometres short of reaching the U.S. border.

Authorities also aren't saying when the highway will be finished because they are worried about competition and privacy in the bidding process.

....

Provincial authorities still don't know when the 8.9-kilometre section will be complete, but they could confirm a public call for tenders will begin this year.

"We should be able to start the construction as early as next year,"  Treasury Board President Christian Dubé said.
Counties: Counties visited
Travel Mapping: Summary

noelbotevera

Visited Montreal and Quebec City yesterday. Things of note:

-New Champlain Bridge wasn't yet open when I visited. Definitely looks nice, but doesn't seem to have a notable effect on traffic and the construction there along with Turcot made navigating that area both interesting and frustrating.

-Shame that A-440 (Quebec City) never connects with itself; however, I understand that Quebec City is intended to be pedestrian friendly. A freeway spur into Quebec City from the west would be nice - but Boulevard Charest moved when we visited, so for now it's passable.

-The A-20/A-25 and A-10/A-15/A-20 interchanges in Longueuil are horrible. I don't even know why they''re designed that way.

-I wish the Jacques Cartier bridge tie in on the Longueuil side was better. Considering that ramps carrying QC 134 - the main movement - narrow or utilize loops (well, curves) doesn't sound terribly functional.

-Question: Is Autoroute Decarie undergoing reconstruction as a part of the Turcot project? While I've never drove it, it definitely seems like a bottleneck in the freeway system.

All in all, I find that the best way of getting around Montreal as a tourist is via the metro. The metro definitely lacks in servicing Laval, Longueuil, Dorval Int'l, and Montreal north of A-25.

vdeane

Quote from: noelbotevera on June 28, 2019, 10:19:37 PM
-New Champlain Bridge wasn't yet open when I visited. Definitely looks nice, but doesn't seem to have a notable effect on traffic and the construction there along with Turcot made navigating that area both interesting and frustrating.
I take it you took it south/eastbound?  It's open north/westbound.

Quote
-The A-20/A-25 and A-10/A-15/A-20 interchanges in Longueuil are horrible. I don't even know why they''re designed that way.
Probably has a lot to do with the fact that A-20 wasn't intended to go through here, but instead follow an extended A-720 to the Y interchange on A-25.  Plus freeway interchanges tend not to be great in Montréal.  Just look at the A-13/A-520 interchange.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

noelbotevera

Quote from: vdeane on June 28, 2019, 10:53:33 PM
Quote from: noelbotevera on June 28, 2019, 10:19:37 PM
-New Champlain Bridge wasn't yet open when I visited. Definitely looks nice, but doesn't seem to have a notable effect on traffic and the construction there along with Turcot made navigating that area both interesting and frustrating.
I take it you took it south/eastbound?  It's open north/westbound.

Quote
-The A-20/A-25 and A-10/A-15/A-20 interchanges in Longueuil are horrible. I don't even know why they''re designed that way.
Probably has a lot to do with the fact that A-20 wasn't intended to go through here, but instead follow an extended A-720 to the Y interchange on A-25.  Plus freeway interchanges tend not to be great in Montréal.  Just look at the A-13/A-520 interchange.
Yeah, never got the chance to take it NW bound. Never really had a reason to do such.

Well, that explains a lot. I wondered why Avenue Souligny/Sortie 4 on A-25 was drastically overbuilt; turns out even Montreal can't complete its freeway network.

Looking at a satellite view of the A-13/A-520 interchange, it seems like it was constrained by the runway and possibly development (no clue if development in Montreal reached out this far yet). Though really, there definitely was a better way to handle that interchange (perhaps flyovers and/or tunnels?).

MikeTheActuary

Quote from: vdeane on June 28, 2019, 10:53:33 PM
Quote
-The A-20/A-25 and A-10/A-15/A-20 interchanges in Longueuil are horrible. I don't even know why they''re designed that way.
Probably has a lot to do with the fact that A-20 wasn't intended to go through here, but instead follow an extended A-720 to the Y interchange on A-25.  Plus freeway interchanges tend not to be great in Montréal.  Just look at the A-13/A-520 interchange.

I had thought that the story of the 10/15/20 interchange was as simple as: autoroute along riverbank needs interchange with bridge with high clearance over seaway = funky interchange.   The 20/25 interchange would be similar, except the bridge involved doesn't need to be as high.

Alps

Quote from: MikeTheActuary on June 28, 2019, 11:58:58 PM
Quote from: vdeane on June 28, 2019, 10:53:33 PM
Quote
-The A-20/A-25 and A-10/A-15/A-20 interchanges in Longueuil are horrible. I don't even know why they''re designed that way.
Probably has a lot to do with the fact that A-20 wasn't intended to go through here, but instead follow an extended A-720 to the Y interchange on A-25.  Plus freeway interchanges tend not to be great in Montréal.  Just look at the A-13/A-520 interchange.

I had thought that the story of the 10/15/20 interchange was as simple as: autoroute along riverbank needs interchange with bridge with high clearance over seaway = funky interchange.   The 20/25 interchange would be similar, except the bridge involved doesn't need to be as high.
Double trumpet is also relatively easily tolled.



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