Montreal Drivers Face Significant Weekend Traffic Disruptions
Montreal motorists should prepare for substantial traffic disruptions this weekend, with several major infrastructure projects affecting key routes throughout the city. The most significant closure involves the Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel, which will be completely shut down during overnight hours.
Major Highway Closures and Restrictions
Highway 25 - La Fontaine Tunnel Closure: The Louis-Hippolyte-La Fontaine Tunnel, along with Highway 25 up to Sherbrooke Street, will be completely closed between 11 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. on Saturday. Additionally, Souligny Avenue eastbound will close above the highway starting at 10:30 p.m. on Friday night.
Highway 40 - Charles-De Gaulle Bridge Restrictions: The bridge connecting Montreal and Terrebonne will be reduced to two lanes in each direction from 9:30 p.m. on Friday through 4 a.m. on Monday. During this period, lanes will be narrowed to 3.3 metres wide with a reduced speed limit of 50 km/h enforced.
Montreal Street Closures
Several city streets will experience temporary closures this weekend:
- Viger Avenue (Ville-Marie): Three of four lanes will be closed between Papineau Avenue and Panet Street on Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for municipal work.
- De Maisonneuve Boulevard (Ville-Marie): Complete closure between Bleury Street and City Councillors Street on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. for private company work.
- Wellington Street (Verdun): Westbound closure from Regina Street to Hickson Street on Monday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. for Hydro-Québec work.
Public Transit Changes
Significant changes to public transit services begin on Monday, particularly affecting the Deux-Montagnes area. Several shuttle buses that provide service to Deux-Montagnes will either be removed from service or will only operate when the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) is not running.
To compensate for these changes, Bus 499 connecting Deux-Montagnes with the Côte-Vertu métro station will have increased departures. Additionally, a new shuttle service between Deux-Montagnes and Ste-Dorothée stations (Bus 716) will begin operation on Monday.
Ongoing Infrastructure Projects
Several long-term infrastructure projects continue to affect Montreal traffic patterns:
- Highway 10: Eastbound Exit 3 for Carrie-Derick Street remains permanently closed as part of the Bonaventure rebuilding project.
- Highway 19 (Papineau-Leblanc Bridge): Two lanes are open in each direction between Montreal and Laval, with partial or complete nightly closures continuing until the end of 2026.
- Highway 40 (Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge): The bridge operates with five lanes total - two toward Montreal, two toward Vaudreuil-Dorion, and a fifth lane that alternates direction based on rush hour patterns.
- Jean-Talon Street: Blue Line métro extension work has closed parts of Jean-Talon Street, with affected buses being detoured and a temporary shuttle bus (No. 814) established along Jean-Talon and Bélanger Streets.
- Berri Street (Ville-Marie): Major work at Berri-UQAM métro station has closed Berri Street between Ste-Catherine and Ontario Streets until November 2027, with significant detours in place.
- Pie-IX Boulevard: SRB Pie-IX extension work has reduced traffic to one lane in each direction between Pierre-de-Coubertin Avenue and Notre-Dame Street.
- St-Urbain Street: The overpass over the Ville-Marie Expressway remains closed for renovation until the end of 2026, though pedestrian access is maintained.
Motorists are advised to plan alternative routes, allow extra travel time, and consider public transportation options where available. These disruptions reflect Montreal's ongoing infrastructure modernization efforts, which aim to improve transportation networks but create temporary challenges for commuters.
