Construction of a new bridge to Île-Bizard is approved
Four-lane, $100M span will take three to four years to complete
Residents and politicians in Île-Bizard are not surprised that they’ll be getting a new bridge after the City of Montreal’s executive committee approved $100 million for the construction of a new span Feb. 10. Some of the funds will be used to reinforce the existing Jacques-Bizard Bridge, which is the only road connection between the island and the rest of the city.
Île-Bizard–Ste-Geneviève Borough Mayor Normand Marinacci noted a new bridge was one of his priorities and the executive committee’s recommendation is the latest step in a long process. In October, Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre announced $21.8 million of the work will be covered by the city’s $1.1-billion three-year capital works program. The span is considered the fourth most degraded structure in Montreal, according to the city’s 2014 report of the state of infrastructure.
Marinacci noted that traffic over the bridge had not significantly increased in recent years because there has been very little new construction.
“I’m against any kind of construction that will disrupt our vision of a town and country island,” he said.
Some residents of the island share his vision, including Marie-Chantal Scholl, who was born and raised on the island and has worked to protect green spaces. She is the founder of the Association pour la protection des espaces verts de l’Île Bizard (APEVIB). She supports the decision to build a new road link to the rest of the West Island, though.
“It’s a good idea, because there is a need for that,” she said. “It gets jammed very quickly at rush hour.”
When the Jacques-Bizard Bridge was built, about 5,000 people lived on the island, according to census data. According to the most recent census figures from 2011, 18,000 people lived on the island then.
“But what I’m thinking is that we don’t want more people or more traffic,” Scholl said. “A new bridge is great for the people who are there already, but I’m hoping it won’t come with new developments.”
The bridge won’t be completed for another three or four years. Before it can be constructed, the municipal council must approve the recommendation, possibly at its next meeting on Feb. 22, said city spokesperson Geneviève Dubé. Then, the city must create a preliminary design, which should be completed this summer. Some work may happen this summer to reinforce the existing bridge.
Further planning, approvals and public consultations as well as a call for tenders are expected to happen by 2018, followed by construction in 2018 or 2019, possibly continuing until 2020.
The new span will have four lanes, “which will have the effect of significantly reducing congestion episodes due to maintenance work or incidents,” stated Lionel Perez, the executive committee member responsible for infrastructure, in a press release announcing the investment. It will be built on land already owned by the city, immediately adjacent to the existing bridge.
The ultimate fate of the current Jacques-Bizard Bridge hasn’t been decided yet, Marinacci added.
“We would prefer to keep it for emergencies, for the cycling path and for pedestrians,” he said.
Utilities for Île-Bizard were installed underneath the bridge, and Marinacci noted they would be expensive to move if the existing bridge was demolished.
The current span, built in 1966, has three lanes, a bike lane and a sidewalk. Nearly 30,000 vehicles drive over it every day.
The structural soundness of the bridge has been a concern since at least 2011, when the city prohibited heavy-load trucks from crossing the span. All trucks are prohibited from using the centre lane as a preventive measure.
But what I’m thinking is that we don’t want more people or more traffic.
-MARIE- CHANTAL SCHOLL