The Quebec Bridge has the carrying capacity to accommodate the transport of goods

Contrary to what the Legault government claims, the Quebec Bridge has the carrying capacity to accommodate heavy transport and goods, affirms the federal company which is now the owner and responsible for the rehabilitation of the more than century-old infrastructure.

• Also read: Third link and economic security: the Pierre-Laporte bridge has never been closed for structural reasons

• Also read: Legault promises the tramway and wants a bridge for trucks, but no tunnel for the tramway between Quebec and Lévis

“According to the information we currently have, we do not have a bridge capacity issue. The bearing capacity studies that we carry out are with trucking loads. The capacity of the bridge is correct,” said Sandra Martel, first director of the federal company Les Ponts Jacques Cartier et Champlain Incorporée (PJCCI).

She was in Quebec for the confirmation of the purchase of the Quebec bridge by the federal government and the acceptance of the mandate that the Trudeau government entrusted to JCCBI, for the rehabilitation and painting of the infrastructure.

“Economic security”

In recent months, in its argument in favor of a third link, François Legault’s government has repeatedly repeated that in the event of a prolonged closure of the Pierre-Laporte bridge, the “economic security” of the region of Quebec and all of Eastern Quebec was compromised because the Quebec bridge cannot accommodate freight transport and heavy goods vehicles would therefore be forced to make a long detour through Trois-Rivières to cross the river .

Federal Liberal Minister of Supply and Member of Parliament for Quebec, Jean-Yves Duclos, suggested that the Quebec government can absolutely allow it. “In terms of load-bearing capacity, the Quebec Bridge is capable of moving heavy vehicles. It is the choice of the Quebec government to arrange its deck to allow these heavy vehicles in circumstances of economic security, if the Pierre-Laporte bridge closes for a few hours.

According to him, it is possible to redevelop the tracks, as several have suggested, and the minister indicates that the government of Quebec can consider these options. He emphasizes that closures of the Pierre-Laporte bridge have been rare over the last 50 years, “on average half an hour per year”.

Bridge painting

As for the painting of the bridge, the citizens of Quebec can expect to have to wait between 15 to 25 years to see the structure completely repainted, estimated Mr.^me Martel, according to the experience of JCCBI in Montreal. The sums of $1 billion planned over 25 years should be enough for the repair and replacement of certain parts, as well as for painting. The latter accounts for 50% of the costs, therefore approximately $500 million, indicated the manager.

“It’s a budget that we use for example on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, which makes sense in terms of the capacity to carry it out and the work that is there.”

Lowering the deck is a possibility and presents challenges, with impacts on the approaches, indicates Ms. Martel. “We replaced three aprons in the Montreal region, so we have a little experience.”

—With the collaboration of Taïeb Moalla

What they said

“I haven’t seen anything that has convinced me that the other options (besides 3^e link to improve mobility in the region) were considered. […] If the apron can be lowered, it should be lowered.”

– Claude Villeneuve, leader of Quebec First

“I never believed in this question of duplication of infrastructure. […] I find that it was an argument (economic security to justify the 3rd link) which was far-fetched and which did not hold water. It’s a fiction. We must give this argument medical assistance in dying.”

– Jackie Smith, head of Transition Québec.