Montreal’s Champlain Bridge opens but late and over-budget

Montreal’s US$3.5-billion, 3.4km-long Samuel de Champlain Bridge has opened after four years of construction and months of delays, according to Canadian media reports. Work is continuing on the cycle and pedestrian paths and eventually a light-rail train will run down the middle of the six lane bridge over the St. Lawrence River. The new structure has a life-span of 125 years and runs alongside its namesake Champlain Bridge, a steel truss cantilever that opened in 1962 which will be demolished. Accord
June 27, 2019 Read time: 2 mins
Montreal’s Champlain Bridge opens but late and over-budget
Montreal’s US$3.5-billion, 3.4km-long Samuel de Champlain Bridge has opened after four years of construction and months of delays, according to Canadian media reports.


Work is continuing on the cycle and pedestrian paths and eventually a light-rail train will run down the middle of the six lane bridge over the St. Lawrence River.

The new structure has a life-span of 125 years and runs alongside its namesake Champlain Bridge, a steel truss cantilever that opened in 1962 which will be demolished. According to media reports, the old bridge was the busiest in Canada, carrying over 50 million vehicles a year and an estimated $15 billion worth of trade.

Signature on the St Lawrence (SSL) - led by Canada-based SNC-Lavalin Group - is the private consortium that built the six-lane public-private project under a 30-year contract.

The new and old bridges are named after the French explorer Samuel de Champlain who founded Quebec City, the Quebec province’s capital, in 1608. Work includes construction of a smaller bridge for Île des Soeurs - Nun’s Island - and widening Autoroute 15 through the centre of Montreal.

World Highways %$Linker: 2 External <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?><dictionary /> 0 0 0 link-external reported false https://www.worldhighways.com/categories/road-highway-structures/features/montreals-new-champlain-bridge-is-shaping-up-for-christmas/ false false%> on the progress of the bridge last year.

Road Structures

Related Content

  • SSL hits back over criticism of its work on the Champlain Bridge
    December 11, 2017
    The contactor building the replacement Champlain Bridge in Canada has hit back over of allegations of poor workmanship in the US$3.3 billion project. The new 3.4km cable-stayed Champlain Bridge over the St Lawrence River will have six lanes vehicle lanes and a separate cycle and pedestrian lane. Design life is 125 years and is being constructed under a public-private partnership and operating contract of 30 years after completion of construction. Work includes construction of a smaller bridge for Île des
    Read More
  • SSL settles legal issues, Champlain Bridge to open December 21
    April 18, 2018
    Montreal will get its new Champlain Bridge just before Christmas, a date agreed upon by the Canadian government and the SNC-Lavalin-led consortium. The agreement settles an outstanding lawsuit that the Consortium had filed regarding costs increases of around US$186.5 million relating to the transportation of oversized parts and delays to the bridge's construction, according to media reports. Last month SNC-Lavalin, head of the Signature on the Saint-Laurent Group (SSL), had said that the bridge over the
    Read More
  • Champlain Bridge set to open by end of year, says SNC-Lavalin
    March 6, 2018
    The replacement Champlain Bridge in Montreal will open on schedule at the end of the year, according to the SNC-Lavalin-led consortium heading the project. Cost of the entire corridor project is set at US$3.3 billion of which around $1.8 billion is for construction of the bridge, approach roads and highway adjustments. Failure to open the bridge to vehicular traffic on time means the consortium faces stiff fines, according to media reports: around $77,500 a day for the first seven days followed by $31
    Read More
  • Champlain Bridge consortium files lawsuit
    October 25, 2021
    Signature on the Saint Lawrence claims the Canadian federal government passed a large part of additional costs onto SSL.
    Read More

Highlighted Content