The intersection of Galt Street East and Bowen Street South will also be closed at the same time as the bridge.
“We were waiting for the end of the school year and the start of the summer vacation to authorize this work,” notes David Bombardier, liaison officer in the engineering, water and major projects department in Sherbrooke. We are aware that this will cause significant slowdowns. We were therefore waiting for the least damaging moment for motorists.”
People driving near the University of Sherbrooke and in Rock Forest will not be spared either and major obstructions to automobile traffic are expected.
Boulevard de l’Université Between Napoléon-Poulin and Émilienne-Dubé streets, work begins on June 25 and ends on July 12. Complete closure. (Maxime Picard/La Tribune)
The closure of the segment between Napoléon-Poulin and Émilienne-Dubé streets on Boulevard de l’Université will also complicate travel from June 25 at 7 a.m. to July 12 at 5 p.m., near Parc des Deux-Rivières and the Touret school.
“The work season is still short, between the month of April and the month of October or November when things are good for carrying out all the work. It’s very short and we have a lot to do. We are even doing less than what should be done to maintain and improve the current network. If the City did not do any work, we would hear people say that there are potholes and if the City does, we deplore the amount of construction.”
At this location, the City will connect the underground infrastructure of the new Maude-Abbott Street to the existing pipes on Boulevard de l’Université.
This will result in a five-kilometer detour via rue Labbé, chemin de Sainte-Catherine and highway 410.
And this, also knowing that the work on the Darche interchange in Rock Forest also entails its share of complications.
“For cyclists and pedestrians, they will have to make a very short detour towards Parc des Deux-Rivières,” adds the liaison officer for the City of Sherbrooke. We suggest that those passing through the old village of Rock Forest take Chemin Saint-Roch Sud and go for Chemin Sainte-Catherine immediately without going through Boulevard de l’Université. We had no choice in doing this work, but now is the most opportune time.”
Aqueduct work is being carried out on East Galt. (Jérôme Gaudreau/La Tribune)
Note that the Joffre Bridge and the intersection of Galt Street East and Bowen South Street will remain accessible to walkers and cyclists.
A detour via the streets of Grandes-Fourches Sud, King Ouest, King Est, Saint-François Sud is planned in the East. 12th Avenue South, 13th Avenue South and Boulevard Lavigerie will also be used by motorists.
“The Lavigerie intersection has been closed for four weeks and may reopen on Friday. We wanted to reopen this segment before closing the Galt East and Bowen South segment, so we are on time for this project,” explains David Bombardier.
To plan trips, citizens are invited to register on the MonSherbrooke portal and activate the “Work and operations near my address” notifications to find out the details of the obstacles and consult the interactive map.
David Bombardier, liaison officer for the engineering, water and major projects department in Sherbrooke, hosted the press conference in front of the construction site on Galt Street East. (Jérôme Gaudreau/La Tribune)
